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Image of book cover.
Copyright, 1918, 1921
by
Laurel Book Company
INTRODUCTION
“Tell us about real folks.” This is the request that comes to usagain and again from children in the upper grades. In response tothis appeal, the authors, in preparing “Modern Americans,” haveattempted to give the pupils the worth-while things they like toread rather than the things adults think they ought to like.
Those who have taught reading very long agree that the old-timehero stories have always had a peculiar charm for pupils. Butall the heroes did not live in olden times; they are with us today.Why, then, isn’t it well to acquaint the children with present-dayheroes? Young people in the upper grades are especially interestedin the men and women who are actually doing things. They desireto study in school the persons they read about in the daily papers.Elihu Root recently said: “It seems sometimes as if our people wereinterested in nothing but personalities.”
To bridge the gap between our schools and practical everydaylife has become one of the chief concerns of the wide-awake teacher.Accordingly, in geography we are studying the industries about us.In English, civics, and history we are devoting an increasing amountof time to a consideration of “Current Events.” All this is in theright direction; for, to create an interest in the men and women ofthe hour and the social activities of the day makes for an intelligentcitizenship. “Acquaint the people with the great men of any periodand you have taught them the history of the period,” says Carlyle.Know the past, if possible; know the present by all means.
At first thought the reader may disagree with the authors in thelist of characters chosen. He may think that many of America’sgreatest men and women have been omitted while others of lessimportance have been given a place. In reply permit us to say thatgreatness of achievement has not been the only consideration inchoosing the character studies. Not all great men and women6have life stories that appeal to children, and unless the stories doappeal, it is better to omit them until the children are older. Then,too, it seemed desirable to select persons in various fields of humanactivity, thus br