The storytellers; six months with the Storytellers' magazine

Preface

"When Roman education was at its best," writes Professor Edward Porter St. John, in his excellent little book on "Stories and Storytelling," "stories of their national heroes and statesmen, such as we find in Plutarch's lives, formed one of the most important parts of the curriculum. How largely the Hebrew life was shaped by story a glance at the Old Testament will reveal.

"China, India, Arabia, Japan, honored the storyteller; they felt his charm and were molded by his magic.

"For centuries the stories of Homer formed the only literary content of education among the Greeks, and they kept their place through the succeeding years of culture that we hardly equal to-day."

The importance of the story in the education of the young is just beginning to be realized. It is the one form of education which children alwa3"s understand.

To this fact more than any other perhaps is to be attributed the present widespread interest in Storytelhng. Heretofore we have looked upon it merely as a form of entertainment, a means of "keeping the children quiet." Now we are beginning to take it seriously, and can better understand what a great educationist meant when he said "Good storytelling is the best intellectual qualification of the teacher."

To all who take storytelling seriously this book wilt recommend itself.

The stories which it contains have been selected for the dual purpose of interesting young people in good literature, and of improving their moral and ethical outlook. The articles on and information about storytelling have been written in a helpful, and it is believed an appreciative, spirit.

In these modern days of materialism and industrialism but little is being done either in the home, in the Church or in the school for the moral and ethical education of the young.

It remains for the Storytelling movement to supply thisgreat need by unfolding to the children, and to adults also, the great truths that lie hidden in folk tales, myths, hero stories and epics, since, as Professor St. John points out, "not only do they reflect the ideals which have shaped the social and religious life, but they have shaped those ideals and have given them form and power. As factors in molding character the stories of the gods are not less important than the rites of worship."

Contents

JUNE

Nimmy Nimmy Not. Retold

Emehjn N . Partridge and George E. Partridge The Taileypo Richard T. Wyche