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Nowhere is that property more welcome or needed than in the schoolroom。
It does us all good to laugh； if there is no sneer nor smirch in the laugh；
fun sets the blood flowing more freely in the veins； and loosens the
strained cords of feeling and thought； the delicious shock of surprise at
every 〃funny spot〃 is a kind of electric treatment for the nerves。 But it
especially does us good to laugh when we are children。 Every little body is
released from the conscious control school imposes on it； and huddles into
restful comfort or responds gaily to the joke。
More than this； humour teaches children； as it does their grown…up
brethren； some of the facts and proportions of life。 What keener teacher is
there than the kindly satire？ What more penetrating and suggestive than
the humour of exaggerated statement of familiar tendency？ Is there one of
us who has not laughed himself out of some absurd complexity of over…
anxiety with a sudden recollection of 〃clever Alice〃 and her fate？ In our
household clever Alice is an old habituee； and her timely arrival has saved
many a situation which was twining itself about more 〃ifs〃 than it could
comfortably support。 The wisdom which lies behind true humour is found
in the nonsense tale of infancy as truly as in mature humour； but in its own
kind and degree。 〃Just for fun〃 is the first reason for the humorous story；
the wisdom in the fun is the second。
And now we come to
THE NATURE STORY
No other type of fiction is more familiar to the teacher； and probably
no other kind is the source of so much uncertainty of feeling。 The nature
story is much used； as I have noticed above； to illustrate or to teach the
habits of animals and the laws of plant…growth； to stimulate scientific
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interest as well as to increase culture in scientific fact。 This is an entirely
legitimate object。 In view of its present preponderance； it is certainly a pity；
however； that so few stories are available； the accuracy of which； from this
point of view； can be vouched for。 The carefully prepared book of to…day is
refuted and scoffed at to…morrow。 The teacher who wishes to use story…
telling chiefly as an element in nature study must at least limit herself to a
small amount of absolutely unquestioned material； or else subject every
new story to the judgment of an authority in the line dealt with。 This is not
easy for the teacher at a distance from the great libraries； and for those
who have access to well…equipped libraries it is a matter of time and
thought。
It does not so greatly trouble the teacher who uses the nature story as a
story； rather than as a test…book； for she will not be so keenly attracted
toward the books prepared with a didactic purpose。 She will find a good
gift for the child in nature stories which ARE stories； over and above any
stimulus to his curiosity about fact。 That good gift is a certain possession
of all good fiction。
One of the best things good fiction does for any of us is to broaden our
comprehension of other lots than our own。 The average man or woman has
little opportunity actually to live more than one kind of life。 The chances
of birth； occupation； family ties； determine for most of us a line of
experience not very inclusive and but little varied； and this is a natural
barrier to our complete understanding of others； whose life…line is set at a
different angle。 It is not possible wholly to sympathise with emotions
engendered by experience which one has never had。 Yet we all long to be
broad in sympathy and inclusive in appreciation； we long； greatly； to know
the experience of others。 This yearning is probably one of the good but
misconceived appetites so injudiciously fed by the gossip of the daily
press。 There is a hope； in the reader； of getting for the moment into the
lives of people who move in wholly different sets of circumstances。 But
the relation of dry facts in newspapers； however tinged with journalistic
colour； helps very little to enter such other life。 The entrance has to be by
the door of the imagination； and the journalist is rarely able to open it for
us。 But there is a genius who can open it。 The author who can write fiction
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of the right sort can do it； his is the gift of seeing inner realities； and of
showing them to those who cannot see them for themselves。 Sharing the
imaginative vision of the story…writer； we can truly follow out many other
roads of life than our own。 The girl on a lone country farm is made to
understand how a girl in a city sweating… den feels and lives； the London
exquisite realises the life of a Californian ranchman； royalty and tenement
dwellers become acquainted； through the power of the imagination
working on experience shown in the light of a human basis common to
both。 Fiction supplies an element of culture；that of the sympathies；
which is invaluable。 And the beginnings of this culture； this widening and
clearing of the avenues of human sympathy； are especially easily made
with children in the nature story。
When you begin； 〃There was once a little furry rabbit；〃＇1＇ the child's
curiosity is awakened by the very fact that the rabbit is not a child； but
something of a different species altogether。 〃Now for something new and
adventuresome；〃 says his expectation； 〃we are starting off into a foreign
world。〃 He listens wide…eyed； while you say； 〃and he lived in a warm； cosy
nest； down under the long grass with his mother〃 how delightful； to live
in a place like that； so different from little boys' homes！〃his name was
Raggylug； and his mother's name was Molly Cottontail。 And every
morning； when Molly Cottontail went out to get their food； she said to
Raggylug； ‘Now； Raggylug； remember you are only a baby rabbit； and
don't move from the nest。 No matter what you hear； no matter what you
see； don't you move！'〃all this is different still； yet it is familiar； too； it
appears that rabbits are rather like folks。 So the tale proceeds； and the little
furry rabbit passes through experiences strange to little boys； yet very like
little boys' adventures in some respects； he is frightened by a snake；
comforted by his mammy； and taken to a new house； under the long grass
a long way off。 These are all situations to which the child has a key。 There
is just enough of strangeness to entice； just enough of the familiar to
relieve any strain。 When the child has lived through the day's happenings
with Raggylug； the latter has begun to seem veritably a little brother of the
grass to him。 And because he has entered imaginatively into the feelings
and fate of a creature different from himself； he has taken his first step out
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into the wide world of the lives of others。
＇1＇ See Raggylug。
It may be a recognition of this factor and its value which has led so
many writers of nature stories into the error of over…humanising their four…
footed or feathered heroes and heroines。 The exaggeration is unnecessary；
for there is enough community of lot suggested in the sternest scientific
record to constitute a natural basis for sympathy on the part of the human
animal。 Without any falsity of presentation whatever； the nature story may
be counted on as a help in the beginnings of culture of the sympathies。 It is
not； of course； a help confined to the powers of the nature story； all types
of story share in some degree the powers of each。 But each has some
especial virtue in dominant degree； and the nature story is； on this ground；
identified with the thought given。
The nature story shares its influence especially with
THE HISTORICAL STORY
As the one widens the circle of connection with other kinds of life；
the other deepens the sense o