ctions
entitled _Close Reading_ in this volume.

CHAPTER XVII

JOURNEYS THROUGH BOOKLAND IN ITS RELATION TO THE HIGH SCHOOL

_Introduction_

All high school students are expected to be well grounded in good
literature. It is part of every well planned course of study and the
basis of much of the work in every year. Yet very few high schools are
able to furnish the material for every student to read, and often the
methods of instruction are inadequate to the large classes or fail in
character and execution. There is contained in _Journeys_ practically
all the real literature that is necessary for the foundation of a broad
culture, and though much of it is simple and elementary, it is no less
interesting and valuable. As a matter of fact, few high school students
have ever read the simpler classics in a manner that brought to them the
full message of the selections. Accordingly the most elementary things
are often the newest and the most valuable. The simplest of the nursery
rhymes, as may be seen by the comments and explanations given in another
part of this volume, are full of interest to high school boys and girls,
and in not a few schools form the basis of many serious lessons. The
fables, the myths and the literature of the legendary heroes are not
only interesting, but are of sufficient breadth in meaning to justify
hard work on the part of anyone who has not already mastered them. It is
a mistake to think that the simple things do not interest young men and
young women. The people who scorn the elementary literature of nursery
rhymes, fairy tales and fables are the immature boys of thirteen or
fourteen years to whom everything juvenile seems beneath their dignity
and newly acquired independence.

The reader of _Journeys_ will notice, however, that the quantity of
matter that may be called really juvenile is small in comparison with
the grand total. As a matter of fact, the selections of the last six
volumes are worthy the reading by anyone, old or young, at any time, and
to be fully appreciated they must be read with care and discrimination
by everyone. The sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth volumes are all
high-class literature for adults as well as young children and the
studies are worthy a place in any high school.

The older a person grows the more he loves the things that were a
delight to his childhood and the more keenly he realizes his loss if he
never had the opportunity to become well acquai