Part 2

Thus we might talk on and on, without being able to tell all about the Pilgrim forefathers and foremothers and what we owe them. Stories and poems have been written about them, and artists of many countries have painted us beautiful pictures of them. We can not look over the books in any good library without finding much about the brave and upright, God-loving Pilgrims. We can not go into any of the large galleries where hang rows and rows of fine paintings, and not see pictures of Pilgrim scenes. As you grow older you will hear more and more of them.

Some day you may be able to go to Plymouth, the very town which these brave people began to build almost three hundred years ago. There you will have pointed out to you the very Plymouth Rock on which they landed; perhaps you will visit Burial Hill, where sleep their noble dead; you will see the first street laid out, the spot where the first house was built, and the monument erected to the Pilgrims’ memory. The townspeople will take pride in telling you how long it took to build the marble giant, and how much money it cost.

They will direct you to Pilgrim Hall, which is filled with things which were once used by the Pilgrims, or have something to do with them. Here you may see among other things a chest and a chair which once belonged to Elder Brewster, whose black-gowned figure we see in so many pictures, Governor Carver’s chair, a dinner pot, and the sword of Miles Standish. Here, too, hang a number of the Pilgrim pictures, which our country wishes to keep forever, if possible.

SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS

Take plenty of time. The first of November is none too soon to begin.

Tell a little each day, showing but one picture at one lesson (excepting pictures which are in some way closely related; as, for instance, the Comanche and the Arapahoe Indian Camps, which are but different views of everyday Indian life).

When a point which can be illustrated has been made, show the picture. In getting out of the picture what she can for the children, each teacher must use her own good judgment considering the grade and general intelligence of her class.

After it has been handled to the best possible advantage, hang the picture low on the wall, where it will be convenient for the pupils to look at it at odd times. When another has been introduced, hang it near. By the time the story is ended, the entire series will be on display.

Encourage pupils to look at them before sessions, at intermissions, and at other chance times. They will do it; and without the class restraint, will examine them together, and will give the teacher opportunities to talk with them in small groups. In this way, the children may be led to form the beginning of worthy acquaintances. When later and in other places they come across these same pictures, their faces will light up as at sight of old friends.

After the story has been well told in parts, tell or read it as a whole at least once,—twice or thrice is better.

As, in both content and vocabulary, there is much in the story that is new for ordinary public school little ones, it is more profitable for teachers, especially of the lowest primary grades, to use the time in repeating the story over and over, until the tale and the expressions have been caught, before demanding much oral reproduction in class. If the child is attracted, it will without conscious effort absorb, and more will come from the work than is in evidence in the schoolroom.

As to the pictures,—so that they are good copies, it matters not whence they come. Among those which I am using are some sent out with Sunday city papers, educational and other publications, a few magazine illustrations, and the Perry pictures. Numbers in this work refer to the Perry catalogue.

Gray is a serviceable color, does no violence to the eyes, and brings out the tones well. For these reasons, gray cardboard makes a good mounting.

FOOTNOTE:

[1] The people of Holland are called Dutch, but you must not confuse them with the Germans, whom some persons call Dutch by mistake. The people of Germany speak German, which is quite different from Dutch, the language of Holland.

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Transcriber’s note:

Obvious errors were corrected.