FEBRUARY: THE KINDNESS OF GREAT MEN For the Teacher: The bravest are the tenderest, The loving are the daring. BAYARD TAYLOR. Suggestions for morning talks Tell the children the story of "The Ugly Duckling." Hans Andersen, the author, wrote it to show how greatly kindness is needed everywhere. He became a great and honored man who was always kind to the unfortunate. Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday we remember this month, had a heart brimful of kindness. His heart was filled with pity for the poor black slaves, and he caused them to be freed. He was always good to his mother. Once he said, "All that I am, I owe to my mother. Henry W. Longfellow showed his kindness to every one, friend, neighbor, and stranger alike. Listen to the poem called "The Children's Hour." What does it show us about his own children? Hundreds of years ago an English soldier named Sir Philip Sidney was wounded in a battle. He was suffering terribly and was almost dying of thirst. Some one took him a cup of water. Just as he was going to drink it, he saw another poor wounded soldier look longingly at the water. Sir Philip gave it all to him saying, "Take it, your need is greater than mine." What made him give away the water he wanted so much? Robert Louis Stevenson wrote poems that all children love. For many years he lived far away from his home on an island called Samoa. The people were brown there. They were poor and humble and had no money or rich gifts to give Mr. Stevenson to show their love for all his daily kindness to them, so they built a long, long road straight up the hills from the sea to his home. Mr. Stevenson was delighted to have a beautiful smooth road to ride on, and he called it "The Road of the Loving Hearts." Why? Hundreds of years ago a great man called St. Francis was so kind to all, that people said even a big gray wolf stopped killing the sheep of the poor peasants because St. Francis asked him to. (Read extracts from Everybody's St. Francis, Maurice F. Egan. The Century Co.) How could a man have so much power with wild beasts? THE WOLF OF GUBBIO 1 What time St. Francis abode in the city of Agobio (Gubbio) there appeared in the country an exceeding great wolf, terrible and fierce, which not only devoured animals but also men, so that all the city folk stood in great fear; none durst go forth of that place. St. Francis, having compassion on the people, went forth with his companions, putting all his trust in God. And the others misdoubting to go further, St. Francis took the road to the place where the wolf lay. In the sight of many of the townsfolk that had come out to see this miracle, the wolf made at St. Francis with open mouth. St. Francis called to him: "Come hither, brother wolf: I command thee in the name of Christ that thou do no 1 Abridged from The Little Flowers of St. Francis. The Macmillan Co, harm, nor to me nor to any one. O wondrous thing! the wolf shut his jaws and stayed his running, and when he was bid, came gently as a lamb and laid him down at the feet of St. Francis. Thereat St. Francis thus bespake him: "Brother wolf, much harm hast thou wrought in these parts, spoiling and slaying the creatures of God, without His leave: But I would fain, brother wolf, make peace between thee and these; so that thou mayest no more offend them, and they may forgive thee, and nor men nor dogs pursue thee any more. "The wolf with movements of body, tail, and eyes, and by the bending of his head, gave sign of his assent, and of his will to abide thereby. Then spake St. Francis again: "Brother wolf, sith it pleaseth thee to make this peace, I will see to it that the folk of this place give thee food so long as thou shalt live; for I wot well that through hunger hast thou wrought all this ill. But I will, brother wolf, that thou promise me to do none hurt to any more; dost promise me this?" And the wolf promised. Then quoth St. Francis, "I will that thou plight me troth for this promise," and stretching forth his hand, the wolf lifted up his right paw and laid it gently on the hand of St. Francis. Then quoth St. Francis: "Brother wolf, I bid thee come now with me and let us stablish this peace in God's name. And the wolf obedient set forth with him; and straightway the bruit of it was spread through the city, so that all the people, men-folk and women-folk, great and small, young and old, gat them to the market place to see the wolf with St. Francis. And St. Francis said to them; "Brother wolf hath promised me to offend no more in any thing; and do ye promise him to give him every day whate'er he needs." Then promised all the folk with one accord to give him food abidingly. Then quoth St. Francis: "And thou, brother wolf, doth thou promise to keep this pact of peace?" And the wolf knelt him down and bowed his head. Therewith all began to lift up their voices blessing God, that had sent St. Francis unto them, who by his merits had set them free from the jaws of the cruel beast. And thereafter this same wolf lived two years in Agobio; and went like a tame beast in and out the houses, from door to door, without doing hurt to any or any doing hurt to him, and was courteously nourished by the people; and as he passed thuswise through the country and the houses, never did any dog bark behind him. At length, after a two years' space, brother wolf died of old age: whereat the townsfolk sorely grieved, sith marking him pass so gently through the city, they minded them the better of the virtue and sanctity of St. Francis. MARCH: GENEROSITY For the Teacher: Dust as we are, the immortal spirit grows Within my mind, should e'er have borne a part, WORDSWORTH, The Prelude, Suggestions for morning talks Book I. Read Phoebe Cary's poem "A Legend of the Northland." Be sure that the children's ideas are clear concerning the details of the story. Try to have them find the truth underlying the make-believe. What kind of a country is the Northland? What is the reindeer used for? Where do the children get their clothes? What was the good saint doing? Why did he ask the woman for a cake? Why did she make a small one, and still a smaller? Why did she keep them all? Do we like stingy people? Do we want to be stingy? What was her punishment? Contrast this story with the true and well known devotion of the eider duck that plucks the down from her own breast to line the nest and keep her babies warm in the cold land of Labrador. Why do we love this bird? How can a child be generous? Sharing his pleasures. Letting other play with his toys. Letting his playmate or little sister have the prettiest apple, or the largest piece of cake. By not taking up too much of the teacher's time from the rest of the class. Letting some one else have the first chance on the swing. By refusing to take all the good things, even if they are offered to him. Poems and stories to read or tell to children "I Love You, Mother," Joy Allison. See Grade III, p. 91. "Little Bell," Thomas Westwood. Fireside Encyclopædia of Poetry. H. T. Coates & Co. |