Chapter 1

Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Laura Wisewell, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net

CRAYON AND CHARACTER

Truth Made Clear Through Eye and Ear or Ten-Minute Talks With Colored Chalks

B.J. GRISWOLD

MEIGS PUBLISHING COMPANY INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

1913 First Reprint 1918

FOREWORD.

Any earnest Christian who is capable of addressing an audience or a Sunday school class, can, by the aid of this book, give a helpful chalk talk. The book has been designed to meet a growing need of this important phase of teaching.

Any parent, with this book in the home, can use it not only to teach the boy or the girl a simple method of drawing, but may implant in the life of the child the good seed of the Tree of Life.

In the preparation of these talks, "Life" has been the keyword. The thought permeates both the text and the style of illustration used. It is also a feature of the arrangement of each talk whereby a "developing" or "living" picture holds the attention of the listeners through two "scenes" or "steps" of unfolding.

Many of the time-honored symbols will not be found in these pages. The Anchor as the emblem of Hope, and the Crown as the type of Victory or Kingship have given place to symbols and types from nature and from the every-day life of common folks.

Many a smile has been introduced. And why not? We proclaim the Gospel as the Good News, the message of joy and gladness. The New Testament, with its glad tidings of great joy, is one continuous song. Always, however, it has been the aim to lead the thoughts of the listener to Him whose Light we are to reflect among men.

The title of each chalk talk appears twice in the index, in order to provide a wide range of subjects from which to select an appropriate lesson for each occasion.

In his years of experience as a newspaper writer and illustrator, the author has endeavored to cultivate the art of saying as much as possible in a few words and drawn lines. In this book (and in your chalk talk work) the same thought applies. As a Sunday school superintendent and a teacher, the author hopes that many may not be afraid to undertake the use of chalk after studying the easy method here described. As a means of enlarging your usefulness as a teacher of the Eternal Truth, the book, we believe, contains much that will help and encourage.

Fort Wayne, Indiana.

B.J. GRISWOLD.

"BEFORE TAKING."

There are too many books published which are GOOD for _two things only_:

FIRST--They are good sellers, possibly "Best Sellers."

SECOND--They are good at keeping people out of bed till midnight--because they make such "mighty interestin' reading."

Such books may make their authors famous and their publishers rich, but if that is all they are good for, we would not care to sell, much less to publish, them.

The book which the reader holds is put out, not because it is bound to be a _good seller_ nor because it is _interesting_, but because of its power to HELP Christian work and workers, and of its own ability to give instruction in righteousness to its readers, old and young; to sow seed thoughts of truth in human minds and hearts.

And who will it help?

All Christian platform workers in general and the Sunday School Superintendent in particular.

The Superintendent, especially on all "Special Days."

The Pastor, especially in the prayer meeting where any kind of help, _so it is help_, will be welcomed by most pastors.

It will be useful to all because of its wealth of material and illustration for expressive and impressive _little, big, ten-minute talks_, whenever opportunity offers.

We commend the book with all earnestness, to these various classes of people, and will insist that no father or mother will ever be the poorer, but the richer, who will part with the price and get in exchange for it a copy of this book, as a birthday or Christmas gift to a son or daughter between ten and twenty years of age. It will help parents in the uncertain and difficult problem of rearing their children in a way that will make them and keep them a joy in the home, rather than a heartache, a heart break, and the saddest kind of a bereavement, which is too often the case. Surely a dollar spent which may help avert this, is worth far more than a hundred cents lying unused in a bank.

There are sixty-two picture outlines in the book, and with every picture a ten-minute talk, with chalk illustration, which recites and impresses, now, a great and noble deed of a truly noble man; now a kindly act with a double blessing in it; again, a warning to those who unknowingly set foot upon the devil's ground and find it a miry or slimy pit; or, it may be a lesson from one of the world's great poets or historians, for the author has evidently been a reader of great books with a mind to recall many lessons learned therefrom.

THE PUBLISHERS.

CONTENTS.

Page. INTRODUCTION: The Plan of the Book .......................... 7 The Value of Chalk Talks ...................... 7 The Two-Scene Method .......................... 8 Chalk Work on Paper ........................... 8 Materials Are Cheap ........................... 8 Important to Beginners ........................ 8

EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS: The Drawing Board ............................. 10 The Drawing Paper ............................. 10 The Chalk ..................................... 12

PREPARING TO GIVE THE CHALK TALK: The Method Explained .......................... 12 Outlining the Right Picture ................... 13 Not an Artist, But a Teacher .................. 14 Finishing Part of the Drawing in Advance ...... 14 The Value of Individuality .................... 14 International or Graded Lessons ............... 14 Talks for Special Days ........................ 14 Talk vs. Chalk ................................ 16 Strive Only for Good .......................... 16 Recording Your Talks .......................... 16 A Word to Parents ............................. 16 A Final Word to Pastors ....................... 18

INDEX: Talks for Special Days ........................ 205 Subject Index ................................. 207

His pictured morals mend the mind And through the eye correct the heart.

--GARRICK, _on Hogarth_.

INTRODUCTION.

~~The Plan of the Book.~~

In the preparation of this book the author has had two great plans in mind:

To prepare a work which will enable _any person, who can speak to a class or an audience, to give a helpful, inspiring illustrated talk_; to place in the hands of parents everywhere a book to enable them to teach the children a simple, fascinating method of drawing and, at the same time make the great truths of life a part of their every-day learning.

Clear instructions are given as to the method of doing these two things. Then come sixty-two complete talks of special appropriateness for Christian teaching. If you are included in the following classes of workers, the book should be of special value to you:

(a) Speakers who earnestly want to give illustrated talks, but who feel that they "can't draw a straight line."

(b) Those who are experienced in chalk talk work and are seeking new material.

(c) Teachers of the Uniform Lessons.

(d) Teachers of Graded Lessons.

(e) Sunday school superintendents, for platform work.

(f) Pastors, for use in prayer meetings and many other services of the church.

(g) Temperance workers. In this department of work this book is especially worthy of consideration.

(h) Those who need suggestions to help them work out their own addresses.

(i) Parents for giving instruction in the home. It is a great truth that such teaching is far more effective than any which the church or the schools may provide.

~~The Value of Chalk Talks.~~

Scientists tell us that _nothing which completely occupies the mind for any length of time is ever forgotten_.

This, then, is the reason that the chalk talk method of teaching is so lastingly impressive. People forget everything else while watching a speaker draw a picture. And if they do that, they can never completely forget the words of the speaker or the picture he draws. A baby that doesn't know one letter from another can understand some pictures as well as _you_ can. Try him once and see. And if he lives to be a hundred years of age, he will receive more lasting impressions from pictures than from what he reads. Your audience, therefore, may be depended upon to be "right with you" from the beginning.

~~The Two-Scene Method.~~

Added to this feature of securing strict attention, we find in this book another help in the same direction: Every talk is given in two "scenes" or steps. The speaker draws part of the picture, while he speaks, and then, at a little later period, adds the lines to complete the drawing and bring the scene to a climax. In each talk, the upper picture is the first scene, and the lower picture is the second scene, or completed drawing.

~~Chalk Work on Paper.~~

The book is planned to encourage the use of sheets of book- or news-paper instead of the blackboard. Paper is used by all leading workers with chalk. To discard the blackboard is to take a forward step. However, if you are "wedded" to the use of the blackboard and can handle it effectively, you will find all but a small number of these illustrations adapted to your method.

~~Materials Are Cheap.~~

Probably your school or church is already supplied with the necessary apparatus to do all the work as planned in this book. However, for any who may need to provide for himself a drawing board and easel, instructions for making them are here given. It is only necessary, then, to procure drawing paper and chalk. These are cheap in price and easy to get. You are urged, therefore, to proceed with the use of drawing paper as here instructed, and to lay aside the blackboard for the more advanced method.

~~Important to Beginners.~~

Each drawing in the book, as already stated, is given in two "scenes," in order to show you how your drawing will look _when it is partly finished_ (first scene), and how it will look _when it is completed_ (second scene).

If you are at all "bashful" about taking up the work, let us make this suggestion: In the seclusion of your home or elsewhere, draw the _first scene_ of your talk completely. Thus you will have plenty of time to make it to suit you, with no one to look on and fluster or confuse you. Then cover up the completed work, by placing another sheet of paper over it. When you appear before the audience to give your talk, give your spoken introduction and lead up to the _first scene_. At this point, remove the cover paper and expose your drawing. Proceed with your talk until you reach the climax in the _second scene_, at which time you give the picture the final lines with your crayon. Many will find this an easy, satisfactory way to give these talks--indeed many of the illustrations in the book are most effective if given in this way. Experience, however, brings greater confidence, and many will prefer to do most of their drawing in sight of the audience.

Devote yourself to a thorough understanding of essentials, and you will be pleased at the ease with which the field opens. The encouraging words of your associates and the echoes of the good you are doing will strengthen your confidence.

~~Equipment and Materials.~~

The necessary equipment and materials for the work include the drawing board, the drawing paper and the chalk (or lecture crayons).

~~The Drawing Board.~~

Probably your school has a reversible blackboard mounted on an easel, like that shown in Fig. 1. If so, you will find it amply sufficient for your use. The two or three little holes made by the thumb tacks, to attach your drawing paper to the board, at the top, will not injure it in the least. If you haven't such a board, it would be well to procure one, as it can be used for many purposes. The writer has often used a board of this kind in giving chalk talks. The publishers of this book will be glad to give full information as to size and price of such a board.

Another convenient and cheap equipment is an ordinary square board, Fig. 2. If you take six boards, each 45 inches long, 7 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick, and attach them to two cleats at the back, you will have a good, serviceable drawing board which can be hung against the wall with screw hooks and screw eyes; or, it can be set on an easel or other convenient holder. It is only necessary that the board be smooth and the wood be well-seasoned soft pine or bass wood to keep it from warping. If screws are used to fasten the boards to the cleats, screw them through from the back, leaving the front perfectly smooth. Be sure that the screws aren't too long. It would be well to stain the board brown or some other dark color.

A combination drawing board and easel is shown in Fig. 3, a back view of which is given. Take six boards of well-seasoned soft pine, 45 inches long, 8 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. For the rear legs, use two pieces 5 feet and 8 inches long, 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. A wire should be attached to each rear leg to avoid spreading. Fig. 4 shows this board and easel in use.

~~The Drawing Paper.~~

The most inexpensive paper for chalk talk work is the kind on which newspapers are printed. It may be purchased from printing houses, paper dealers or newspaper offices. A cheap quality of book-paper is also good, and may be bought from printing houses and paper dealers. Ordinary light-colored, light-weight manila paper, such as is used for wrapping, is very satisfactory; it may be procured from paper dealers, or, if you want but a small quantity, probably any merchant would be glad to supply you. The lines which you intend to place on it may be worth infinitely more than the goods he plans to wrap in it.

~~The Chalk.~~

The writer is accustomed to using chalk made by the American Crayon Company, which can be had at any time from the publishers of this book, and, doubtless, from other publishers. Ask for "lecture crayons." A complete price list, together with samples of colors, will be furnished on request. For general work it is well to have on hand a half dozen sticks of black and a stick each of green, brown, red, yellow, orange and blue. The lecture crayons come in two sizes, one measuring one inch square and three inches long; the other is one-half inch square and three inches in length. If you choose the larger size, the sticks can, when advisable, be cut to the smaller size.

PREPARING TO GIVE THE TALK

The instructions here given are for the beginner. Others will follow their accustomed methods. In our introduction we make the claim that any earnest Christian worker, who is capable of addressing an audience or a Sunday school class can, by the aid of this book, give a helpful chalk talk.

Your response may be, "But, I can't draw." Listen! The following instructions will teach you how to do the work without a technical or practical knowledge of drawing. Let us take up the matter step by step. When you understand the process, it will be "as easy as falling off a log," and it won't jolt you half as much.

~~The Method Explained.~~

THE FIRST STEP--Before the time comes to give your talk, attach half a dozen sheets of your drawing paper to your drawing board, making a smooth drawing surface. It is well to use thumb tacks for this purpose. Open the book to page 26, for we will prepare to give the chalk talk entitled "The Two Faces." The upper picture. Fig. 7, shows the picture partly finished; the lower picture, Fig. 8, shows how the picture will look when completed. You will note that the lower picture is cut up into squares measuring one-fourth of an inch each way.

THE SECOND STEP--By the use of a yardstick and lead pencil, draw pencil lines on the large sheets of drawing paper, so as to separate the drawing paper into the same number of squares as there are on the picture in the book. Your paper is much larger than the page of the book; therefore the squares on your drawing paper must be made much larger than the squares in the book. It is easy to calculate the size of the squares you should draw on the paper. Measure the width of the paper in inches and divide by sixteen (the number of squares across the picture in the book), and this will give you the figure representing the size of the squares you are to draw on the paper. If your drawing paper is thirty-two inches wide, your squares will measure two inches each way.

THE THIRD STEP--Select one of the squares in Fig. 8 as a starting point, and then find the corresponding square on your drawing paper. Having done this, draw a pencil line on your drawing paper, which will cross your enlarged squares in just the same places that the line crosses the small squares in the book. Continue the process until both faces have been outlined on your paper in the enlarged form. Then, with a piece of soft rubber, erase all of the straight pencil lines which form the squares, and the remaining outlines of the two faces will stand out clear and distinct. Already you will have found that you are more of an artist than you thought you were! This sheet of paper, with its dim pencil outlines of the picture, is now ready to be brought before your audience. You must, however, be sure of one thing: the pencil outlines must be just plain enough for _you_ to see them without difficulty, but they must be dimmed with the eraser to such an extent that your audience _cannot_ see them. Thus you have before you a complete outline of the picture you are to draw, and, as you speak, you merely trace over these dim pencil outlines with your chalk. Isn't it simple?

THE FOURTH STEP--All of the preparations up to this time have been done in the quietude of your own room. You are now ready to place your drawing board before your audience. After a smile of greeting you begin your talk. "Let us," you say, "talk for a little while about our thoughts," and then you proceed until you reach the reference to the sour-faced man. "Here, for instance," you continue, "is a man with a face something like this:" and you begin your drawing, starting anywhere you choose. Take your time, and when you have finished the sour face, the audience will show its appreciation with a heartily responsive smile. This completes Fig. 7. Proceed then with the talk until you reach the reference to the man with the sunny face. "Here comes a man who looks something like this:" Draw the second face, and you will have completed Fig. 8 and reached the climax of the drawing. As you make the application of the lesson, you will feel that your effort has already repaid you for the work you have undertaken, and each succeeding attempt will make the work easier until it becomes a pleasing habit.

In Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 are shown a section of each of the faces of the talk just referred to. Here they are enlarged four times. A-A shows the preliminary pencil lines forming the one-inch squares, B-B indicates the pencil outlines of the faces, and C-C illustrates the tracing of the pencil lines with the chalk. In this instance black chalk only is required.

~~Outlining the Right Picture.~~

In some of the talks in the book, the dotted squares cover the upper picture; in others, they are drawn over the lower picture. In either case, the one containing the squares is the one to be outlined on your drawing paper.

~~Not an Artist, But a Teacher.~~

There should be no hesitation on your part to trace with chalk the pencil lines which you have placed on your drawing paper. Remember, always, that you are posing as a humble teacher of God's Word and not as an artist. Your pencil outline holds the same relation to your chalk talk that the minister's notes hold to his sermon. Both are prepared in advance to enable the speaker to best present his message. Do not try to conceal your method. There is nothing about it of which you need be ashamed.

~~Finishing Part of the Drawing in Advance.~~

Now that the process has been explained in detail, a thorough understanding of the suggestion under the heading, "Important to Beginners," seems most essential as a still easier way to do the work. Finishing part of the work in advance still leaves the speaker something to do, and the audience will always be interested in finding out what that "something" is to be.

~~The Value of Individuality.~~

It is well for the beginner to cultivate an individual style of speaking. Substitute your own methods of expression in place of the language of the book. The more you do it, the larger will be the feeling that the message is a personal one from you to your hearers. Whenever you can do so, substitute a "home" illustration for the one in the book. As you become more accustomed to the work you will doubtless use pictures and subjects entirely outside of the book. Remember that any outline picture may be enlarged after the method here shown. Cut your picture into squares with drawn lines, and enlarge it in the same manner. Many Bible scenes may be shown in this way.

~~International or Graded Lessons.~~

The book has been provided with two indexes. One directs you to fitting talks for special days. The other serves as a guide to talks and illustrations suitable to the application of any lesson. Determine the central thought of the lesson and consult the Subject Index. It will help you choose a talk appropriate for the day. The talk may need a little revision to enable you to give it the proper application, but the main thought will be readily apparent.

~~Talks for Special Days.~~

The index for suitable talks for special days includes some which are not yet generally observed but which are of growing importance. Introducing some of these into your school or church as novelties, they may become as permanent as Easter, Children's Day, Rally Day and others.

~~Talk vs. Chalk.~~

No matter how little preparation you may need for your talk, remember that the words you speak are of greatest importance. It is to your words that you must give careful study, or your audience may lose the force of your thought while centering their attention upon the developing picture.

Never apologize for the appearance of your drawing or of your ability as an artist. Strive to present truth only. Truth needs no apology.

Do not draw in a sketchy manner. Determine on the place to begin your drawing and then use a continuous, easy line, without lifting the chalk from the paper, except when necessary to start in a new place.

~~Strive Only for Good.~~

The design of this book has been to present brief, impressive talks which hold attention for from ten to twelve minutes. It is advisable never to speak longer than this, especially when children form a part of your audience and are the special object of your words. If you cease speaking just when the audience wants to hear more, you will always be assured of a hearing the next time. If you leave one single wholesome thought with your audience you will have accomplished the greatest good.

Avoid mannerisms. Cultivate an easy style of speaking and working. Don't become discouraged if everything doesn't go to suit you. Your audience is not a critical but a sympathetic one. All are striving to do the Master's work, and the field you have undertaken will bring you the interest and the kindliest co-operation of all who are working with but one great object in view.

~~Recording Your Talks.~~

It is suggested that each talk, as you give it, be so marked in the book as to indicate the time and place of its use, so you will avoid possible repetition before the same audience months or years later.