Project Gutenberg's Our Home and Personal Duty, by Jane Eayre Fryer This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. Title: Our Home and Personal Duty Author: Jane Eayre Fryer Illustrator: Edna A. Cook Release Date: December 3, 2016 [EBook #53653] Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OUR HOME AND PERSONAL DUTY *** Produced by Emmy, MFR and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) cover YOUNG AMERICAN READERS OUR HOME AND PERSONAL DUTY BY JANE EAYRE FRYER AUTHOR OF “THE MARY FRANCES STORY-INSTRUCTION BOOKS” ILLUSTRATIONS BY EDNA A. COOKE AND FROM PHOTOGRAPHS girl, boy, doll and dog all reading large books In these vital tasks of acquiring a broader view of human possibilities the common school must have a large part. I urge that teachers and other school officers increase materially the time and attention devoted to instruction bearing directly on the problems of community and national life.—Woodrow Wilson. THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY, Publishers PHILADELPHIA CHICAGO [i] Copyright 1918 by The John C. Winston Co. —————— All Rights Reserved [ii] CIVICS FOR AMERICAN CHILDREN The notion of what constitutes adequate civics teaching in our schools is rapidly changing. The older idea was based on the theory that children were not citizens—that only adults were citizens. Therefore, civics teaching was usually deferred to the eighth grade, or last year of the grammar school, and then was mostly confined to a memorizing of the federal constitution, with brief comments on each clause. Today we recognize that even young children are citizens, just as much as adults are, and that what is wanted is not training for citizenship but training in citizenship. Moreover, we believe that the “good citizen” is one who is good for something in all the relationships of life. HABIT FORMATION Accordingly, a beginning is being made with the early school years, where an indispensable foundation is laid through a training in “morals and manners.” This sounds rather old-fashioned, but nothing has been discovered to take its place. Obedience, cleanliness, orderliness, courtesy, helpfulness, punctuality, truthfulness, care of property, fair play, thoroughness, honesty, respect, courage, self-control, perseverance, thrift, kindness to animals, “safety first”—these are the fundamental civic virtues which make for good citizenship in the years to come. Of course, the object is to establish right habits of thought and action, and this takes time and patience and sympathy; but the end in view justifies the effort. The boy or girl who has become habitually orderly and courteous and helpful and punctual and truthful, and who has acquired a fair degree of courageous self-control, is likely to become a citizen of whom any community may well be proud. DRAMATIZATION The best results are found to be secured through stories, poems, songs, games, and the dramatization of the stories found in books or told by the teacher. This last is of great value, for it sets up a sort of brief life-experience for the child that leaves a more lasting impression than would the story by itself. Most of the stories told in this reader, emphasizing certain of the civic virtues enumerated above, will be found to lend themselves admirably to simple dramatization by the pupils, the children’s imagination supplying all deficiencies in costumes, scenery, and stage settings. Moreover, the questions following the text will help the teacher to “point the moral” without detracting in the slightest degree from the interest of the story. COMMUNITY SERVANTS The basis for good citizenship having been laid through habit-formation in the civic virtues, the next step is for the children to learn how these virtues are being embodied in the people round about them who are serving them and their families. The baker, the milkman, the grocer, the dressmaker, the shoemaker, the carpenter, the plumber, the painter, the physician, the druggist, the nurse—these are the community servants who come closest to the life-experience of the children. How dependent each member of a community—especially an urban community—is on all the rest, and how important it is that each shall contribute what he can to the community’s welfare, are illustrated by the stories of the Duwell family. Here a typical though somewhat ideal American family is shown in its everyday relations, as a constant recipient of the services rendered by those community agents who supply the fundamental need of food, clothing, shelter, and medical attendance. The children in the class will learn, with the Duwell children, both the actual services that are rendered and the family’s complete dependence on those services. Moreover, they will acquire the splendid working ideals of interdependence and coöperation. And, finally, they will discover that the adult citizens who are rendering them these services are embodying the very civic virtues in which they themselves have been so carefully trained. PUBLIC SERVANTS The pupils are now ready to follow the services rendered by public servants such as the policeman, the fireman, the street cleaner, the ashes and garbage collector, the mail carrier; and by those who furnish water, gas, electricity, the telephone, the trolley, etc.; and these are presented in civics readers that follow this one. The civic virtues previously considered are again found exemplified to a marked degree; and the threefold idea of dependence, interdependence, and coöperation through community agencies finds ample illustration. TRAINING FOR CITIZENSHIP But it is not enough for the pupils to stop with finding out what the community is doing for them. The essential thing in this citizenship-training is for the young citizens to find out what they can do to help things along. Civic activities are suggested both in the stories, poems, etc., in these books, and in the suggestive questions at the close of each chapter. Like all texts or other helps in education, these civics readers cannot teach themselves or take the place of a live teacher. But it is believed that they can be of great assistance to sympathetic, civically minded instructors of youth who feel that the training of our children in the ideals and practices of good citizenship is the most imperative duty and at the same time the highest privilege that can come to any teacher. [iii] [iv] [v] [vi] J. Lynn Barnard. Philadelphia School of Pedagogy. April 1, 1918. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Special thanks are due to Doctor J. Lynn Barnard of the Philadelphia School of Pedagogy, for valuable suggestions and helpful criticism in the making of this reader; also to Miss Isabel Jean Galbraith, a demonstration teacher of the Philadelphia School of Pedagogy, for assistance in preparing the questions on the lessons. For kind permission to use stories and other material, thanks are due to the following: The Ohio Humane Society for “Little Lost Pup,” by Arthur Guiterman; Mrs. Huntington Smith, President Animal Rescue League of Boston, for “The Grocer’s Horse,” and to her publishers, Ginn and Company; Mary Craige Yarrow for “Poor Little Jocko”; Houghton Mifflin Company for “Baking the Johnny-cake”; The American Humane Education Society for selection by George T. Angell; and to the Red Cross Magazine for several photographs. wheel of words A BIRD’S-EYE VIEW OF THE PLAN OF THE YOUNG AMERICAN READERS It may be said that a child’s life and experience move forward in ever widening circles, beginning with the closest intimate home relations, and broadening out into knowledge of community, of city, and finally of national life. A glance at the above diagram will show the working plan of the Young American Readers. This plan follows the natural growth and development of the child’s mind, and aims by teaching the civic virtues and simplest community relations to lay the foundations of good citizenship. See Outline of Work on page 231. [vii] CONTENTS PART I CIVIC VIRTUES Stories Teaching Thoroughness, Honesty, Respect, Patriotism, Kindness to Animals. Thoroughness PAGE The Little Prairie Dogs and Old Mr. Wolf 3 Don’t Give Up, Phœbe Cary 8 The Bridge of the Shallow Pier 9 The Thoughtful Boy 16 Grandfather’s Story 17 Honesty Honest Abe 23 I. The Broken Buck-horn 23 II. The Rain-soaked Book 24 III. The Young Storekeeper 26 Dry Rain and the Hatchet 28 I. How Dry Rain Got His Name 28 II. Dry Rain Goes Trading 29 The Seven Cranberries 32 The Donkey’s Tail 36 Hurting a Good Friend 39 Respect A School Without a Teacher 42 Our Flag 47 Scout’s Pledge 48 My Gift 49 Flag Day 49 How Our Flag Developed 52 The Flag of the U. S. A. 54 The American Flag, Joseph Rodman Drake 55 Kindness to Animals The True Story of Cheesey 56 I. The Dog and the Policeman 56 II. The Policeman’s Story 57 III. Cheesey’s Christmas Presents 58 The Chained Dog 60 Little Lost Pup, Arthur Guiterman 62 Picture of Red Cross Army Dogs 64 The Hunting Party 66 The Lost Kitty, Ella Wheeler Wilcox 67 My Peculiar Kitty 68 Poor Little Jocko 69 Robin Redbreast 74 Who Killed Cock Robin? 75 My Friend, Mr. Robin 77 If All the Birds Should Die, George T. Angell 78 Furry 80 The Grocer’s Horse (adapted), Mrs. Huntington Smith 83 I. The Careless Driver 83 II. What Happened in the Barn 86 A Letter from a Horse 88 A Plea for the Horse 89 [viii] [ix] [x] [xi] PART II COMMUNITY OCCUPATIONS Stories about People Who Minister to Our Daily Needs. People Who Provide Us with Food The Baker 95 I. An Early Call 95 II. The Staff of Life 99 III. A Visit to the Bakery 101 IV. Where the Wheat Comes From 107 Baking the Johnny-cake 111 The Milkman 115 I. Before the Sun Rises 115 II. Milk, from Farm to Family 119 The Grocer 122 I. The Old-time Grocer 122 II. The Modern Grocer 125 People Who Help Clothe Us The Tailor 127 I. The Accident 127 II. At the Tailor Shop 129 III. What the Tailor Saved the Duwell Family 132 The Dressmaker 134 I. An Invitation to a Party 134 II. A Disappointment 136 III. At the Dressmaker’s 137 IV. The Party 142 The Silk Dress 144 The Shoemaker 145 I. The Worn Shoes 145 II. Shoemakers Who Became Famous 150 III. At the Shoemaker’s Shop 152 People Who Supply Us with Shelter The Carpenter 154 I. A Trip into the Country 154 II. The Sawmill 158 III. The Carpenter 161 IV. The Wolf’s Den 163 V. The Cave Dwellers 165 The Bricklayer 168 I. The Fallen Chimney 168 II. The Bricklayer 172 III. After School 173 The Plumber, the Plasterer, the Painter 176 I. A Visit to a Little Town 176 II. At Home 178 III. The New Kitchen 179 People Who Supply Us with Fuel The Coal Man and the Miner 181 I. Black Diamonds 181 II. In a Coal Mine 183 [xii] People Who Care for Our Health The Dentist 187 I. Why Ruth was Afraid 187 II. At the Dentist’s 190 The Druggist, the Nurse, and the Doctor 192 I. The Sick Baby 192 II. The Druggist 194 III. The Trained Nurse 196 IV. The Doctor, a Hero 199 One for All and All for One (a play) 201 PART III THE AMERICAN RED CROSS Junior Membership and School Activities. The Junior Red Cross 209 The President’s Proclamation 210 The American Red Cross in Times of Peace 211 The American Red Cross in Times of War 215 Before the Days of the Red Cross 215 Florence Nightingale 216 How the Red Cross Came to Be 219 How I Can Help the Red Cross 222 The Lady of the Lamp (a play) 224 Act I. The Sick Doll 224 Act II. Good Old Cap 225 Act III. The Lady of the Lamp 227 You and I and All of Us 228 [xiii] PART I CIVIC VIRTUES Stories Teaching Thoroughness, Honesty, Respect, Patriotism, Kindness to Animals These stories also teach, incidentally, the co-ordinate virtues of obedience, cleanliness, orderliness, courtesy, helpfulness, punctuality, truthfulness, care of property, and fair play. [1] Wolf at Prairie Dog's door THE LITTLE PRAIRIE DOGS AND OLD MR. WOLF I. Once upon a time, three fat little prairie dogs lived together in a nice deep burrow, where they were quite safe and warm and snug. These little prairie dogs had very queer names. One was Jump, another was Bump, and another was Thump. Well, they lived very happily together until one day Jump said, “I believe I would rather live up on top of the ground than in this burrow.” “I believe I would, too,” said Bump. “I believe I would!” said Thump. “I’ll tell you what we can do! Let us each build a house!” “Let us!” cried Jump and Bump, and away they all scampered up out of the burrow. Each one ran in a different direction to hunt for something to use in building a house. Jump gathered some straws. “These will do,” he thought. “I shall not bother to look for anything else. Besides, they are very light and easy to carry.” So Jump built a little straw house. Bump gathered some sticks. “These will make a nice house. They are quite good enough,” he said. So Bump built a little stick house. Thump saw the straw and the sticks, but thought he might find something better. Pretty soon he came to a pile of stones. “My, what a fine strong house they would make!” he thought. “They are heavy to move, but I will try to use them.” So he carried and carried and worked and worked, but finally he had a stone house. II. The next morning when old Mr. Prairie Wolf awoke and stretched himself, he saw the three little houses in the distance. “What can they be?” wondered old Mr. Wolf. “Maybe I can get breakfast over there.” So he started toward them. The first house he came to was the straw one. He peeped in the window and saw little Jump. He knocked on the door. “Mr. Jump, let me come in,” said he. “Oh, no, by my bark—bark—bark! you cannot come in,” barked little Jump, pushing with all his might against the door with his little paws. “Then I’ll blow your house over with one big breath!” growled old Mr. Prairie Wolf. [2] [3] [4] [5] So he blew one mighty breath, and blew the house over, and ate up poor little Jump. On his way home, old Mr. Wolf stopped to look in the window of the little stick house. He saw little Bump. “My, what a good breakfast I shall have to-morrow!” he thought to himself. The next morning he came early and knocked on the door of the little stick house. “Mr. Bump, Mr. Bump,” said he, “let me come in.” “Oh, no, by my bark—bark—bark! you cannot come in,” barked little Bump, standing on his hind legs with his back braced against the door. “Then I’ll throw your house over with one blow of my paw,” growled old Mr. Prairie Wolf. And he did, and ate up poor little Bump. III. On his way home, he stopped to look in the window of the little stone house. Thump sat by the fireplace toasting his feet. “My, my!” chuckled old Mr. Wolf, smacking his lips, “he is the fattest one of all. What a fine breakfast I shall have to-morrow!” The next morning he came earlier than ever, and knocked on the door of the little stone house. “Mr. Thump, let me come in,” said he. “All right,” called little Thump, “when my feet get warm.” So old Mr. Prairie Wolf sat down to wait. By and by, old Mr. Wolf knocked on the door again. “Aren’t your feet warm yet, Mr. Thump?” he growled. “Only one,” called Thump; “you will have to wait until the other one is warm.” So old Mr. Wolf sat down to wait. After a few minutes had passed, he knocked on the door again. “Isn’t your other foot warm yet, Mr. Thump?” he growled. “Yes,” called Thump, “but the first one is cold now.” “See here, Mr. Thump,” growled old Mr. Wolf, “do you intend to keep me waiting all day while you warm first one foot and then the other? I am tired of such foolishness. I want my breakfast. Open the door, or I’ll knock your house over!” “Oh, all right,” barked little Thump, “and while you are doing it, I shall eat my breakfast.” That made old Mr. Prairie Wolf very angry, and he kicked at the little stone house with all his might; but little Thump knew he could not move a stone. Prairied dog rocking in chair in comfort After a long while the noise stopped, and little Thump peeped out of the window. He saw old Mr. Wolf limping painfully off; and that was the way he always remembered him, for he never never saw him again. [6] [7] [8] This story, which is built on the framework of the old classic, “The Three Pigs,” lends itself readily to dramatization. Let the four characters take their parts as they remember the story. By no means have them memorize the words. QUESTIONS Which little prairie dog worked hardest to build his house? The others had an easy time, didn’t they? But which one was happiest in the end? Why? DON’T GIVE UP If you’ve tried and have not won, Never stop for crying; All that’s great and good is done Just by patient trying. Though young birds, in flying, fall, Still their wings grow stronger; And the next time they can keep Up a little longer. If by easy work you beat, Who the more will prize you? Gaining victory from defeat, That’s the test that tries you! —Phœbe Cary. boy playing in creek THE BRIDGE OF THE SHALLOW PIER I. Once upon a time, a mother loved her little boy so well that she made the mistake of offending one of his good fairies. This was the fairy of carefulness. The mother made the mistake of trying to do everything for her little son. She even put his toys away when he was tired of playing. After the boy grew older and went to school, she did many of his lessons for him. His daily marks in arithmetic were good, for much of his work was done by his mother at home. Of course his teacher did not know this for the boy copied his mother’s work. Now, just as you would expect, this made the boy very careless. But he was really a bright boy, and even though he did not do well, he managed to pass his examinations. “If you would only be more careful,” his teachers would say, “you would have the highest marks.” When his mother saw his reports, she would say: “Oh, isn’t this too bad, son; I know you will have better marks next time.” So, when the boy became a man he did everything in the same careless manner, forgetting that other people would not excuse him as his mother had done. Now the good fairy of carefulness was very much offended at the way in which the mother spoiled her little son. So she said to herself, “I must, I must teach that boy a lesson!” Fairy on left; bably with ball on right II. When he was little, this boy was very fond of playing at building bridges. After he was grown up, he became a builder of real bridges. At first, he built only small bridges over the brooks and little streams, but one day an order was given him to build an important bridge over a large river. Just as you might guess, this pleased the man very much, and he was glad to begin the work at once. Soon his men were busy, putting in the piers for the new bridge, and he was hurrying them as fast as he could, in order to get the bridge built on time. Every day he sat in a rowboat calling to his men. They were about to begin work on the middle pier when the foreman of the workers came to him. “Mr. Builder,” he said, “I think we shall have to wait for more material if we go down to the right depth for this pier.” “Nonsense, man,” said the builder, “we have no time to wait. There is a pretty good bottom under that place. Don’t go so deep. Get along with the material you have.” “But, sir,—” began the man. [9] [10] [11]