y.

To the HOWARD UNIVERSITY PRINT, Washington, D.C., for Jeremiah
Rankin's little poem, "The Babie," from "Ingleside Rhaims."

To the heirs of MARY EMILY BRADLEY for "A Chrysalis."

To HENRY HOLCOMB BENNETT for "The Flag Goes By."

PREFACE

Is this another collection of stupid poems that children cannot use?
Will they look hopelessly through this volume for poems that suit them?
Will they say despairingly, "This is too long," and "That is too hard,"
and "I don't like that because it is not interesting"?

Are there three or four pleasing poems and are all the rest put in to
fill up the book? Nay, verily! The poems in this collection are those
that children love. With the exception of seven, they are short enough
for children to commit to memory without wearying themselves or losing
interest in the poem. If one boy learns "The Overland Mail," or "The
Recruit," or "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod," or "The Song in Camp," or "Old
Ironsides," or "I Have a Little Shadow," or "The Tournament," or "The
Duel," nine boys out of ten will be eager to follow him. I know because
I have tried it a dozen times. Every boy loves "Paul Revere's Ride"
(alas! I have not been able to include it), and is ambitious to learn
it, but only boys having a quick memory will persevere to the end. Shall
the slower boy be deprived of the pleasure of reading the whole poem and
getting its inspiring sentiment and learning as many stanzas as his mind
will take? No, indeed. Half of such a poem is better than none. Let the
slow boy learn and recite as many stanzas as he can and the boy of quick
memory follow him up with the rest. It does not help the slow boy's
memory to keep it down entirely or deprive it of its smaller activity
because he cannot learn the whole. Some people will invariably give the
slow child a very short poem. It is often better to divide a long poem
among the children, letting each child learn a part. The sustained
interest of a long poem is worth while. "The Merman," "The Battle of
Ivry," "Horatius at the Bridge," "Krinken," "The Skeleton in Armour,"
"The Raven" and "Herve Riel" may all profitably be learned that way.
Nevertheless, the child enjoys most the poem that is just long enough,
and there is much to be said in favour of the selection that is adapted,
in length, to the average mind; for the child hesitates in the presence
of quantity rather than in the presence of subtle thought. I