DOCUMENT RESUME ED 086 951 CS 000 883 AUTHOR Sebesta, Sam Leaton, Ed. TITLE Ivory, Apes, and Peacocks: The Literature Point of View, Volume 12, Part 2; Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the International Reading Association (12th, Seattle, May 3-6, 1967) . INSTITUTION International Reading Association, Newark, Del. PUB DATE 68 NOTE 148p.; See ED 078 347 for Volume 12, Part 1 of the Proceedings AVAILABLE FROM International Reading Assn. 800 Barksdale Rd., Newark, Delaware 19711(Stock No. 412, $2.50 nonmember, $2.00 member) EDRS PRICE MF-$0.65 HC-$6.58 DESCRIPTORS *Adolescent Literature; *Childrens Books; Elementary Education; Evaluation Techniques; Literary Analysis; Program Evaluation; Reading Centers; Reading Instruction; *Reading Interests; Reading Materials; *Reading Programs; Recreational Reading; Secondary Education; *Teaching Techniques IDENTIFIERS *Childrens Literature ABSTRACT The papers contained in this volume offer the opinions and evidence of sixteen specialists on matters pertaining to literature for children and adolescents--the writing of literature, the selection of literature, and the role of literature in reading instruction. Taken together, they cover a wide range of grade levels and represent many points of view. Divided into three main sections--on appreciation and selection, techniques and types, and programs and projects--the papers include: "Fun and Facts in Writing of the West," "Old Values in New Books," "Selecting and Evaluating Materials for Recreational Reading," "Reading Literature Critically," "Let Them Listen," "Teaching the Reading of Plays," "Improving the Literature Program: Poetry," "The Storyteller's Role," "Gateway English--A Literature Program for Educationally Disadvantaged Students," ',Junior Great Books Discussion Programs," "The Oregon Curriculum in Literature," "A Literature Program Matched to Students' Interests," "The Joy of Reading Rediscovered in High School Reading Centers," and "Sacred Cows: Real and Fancied--Evaluation of the Traditional Literature Program." (RB) r"- U SDEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATIONS WELFARE: NAT IONAL INSTt It/ TE OF Lr EDUCATION CrN Nt !ILENAL PRO I h tt, uL (1 1,1-11 huDY ooAi ,1141,ANI:A1,0r10411.",,, PoI N Is0, OAC.1,N, ON', w 'D [70 NO, NI ,5:,A1, F PAL" t N40.0NAL tl(1{ O E , c)S,1 AV, OR ACI it IVORY, APES, AND PEACOCKS: The Literature Point of View SAM LEATON SEBESTA, Editor University of Washington Volume 12 Part 2 Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual Convention Do INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION Dc, cj INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION OFFICERS 1968-1969 President: LEO FAY, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana President-Elect: HELEN Huus, University of Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri Past President: H. ALAN ROBINSON, Hofstra University, Old Westbury, New York * * * E.ecutii'e Secretary-Treasurer: RALPH C, STAIGER, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware Assistant Executive Secretary: RONALD W. MrrcutELL, International Reading Association, Newark, Delaware DIRECTORS Term expiring Spring 1969 Margaret .1.Early, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York Theodore Harris, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington Eve Malmquist, National School for Educational Research, Linkoping, Sweden Term expiring Spring 1970 Millard H. Black, City Unified School District, Los Angeles, California Amelia Melnik, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona Virginia D. Yates, Metropolitan Junior College, Kansas City, Missouri Term expiring Spring 1971 William K. Durr, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan Mildred H. Freeman, Metropolitan Public Schools, Nashville, Tennessee Ethel M. King, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta * * * Publications Coordinator: Faye R. Branca, International Reading Association, Newark, Delaware * * * ,ERMISSION TO REPRODUCETHIS COPY- RIGHTED MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRAN IED BY International Copyright 1961 by the Reading Association International Reading Association, Inc. Second printing November1968 TO ERIC AND ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING UNDER AGREEMENTS WITH THE NATIONAL IN STiTUTE OF EDUCATIONFURTHER REPRO- DUCTION OUTSIDE THE ERIC L'STCM RE QUIRES °ERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT OWNER" Foreword IN PLANNING THE PROGRAM for the 1966-67 IRA convention in Seattle, the president was especially intm,sted in highlighting children's literature in as many ways anat as many times as possible and yet keep the whole program balanced.All day Friday two sequences were running concomitantly:The Litera- ture Program" and "Lifetime Reading Habits."The speakers were among the best in the nation.Thursday featured a major research report on children's literary choices and an address on ways of selecting and evaluating mazerialsforrecreational reading. Most of the program on Saturday was given over to literature. In the Second General Session, May Hill Arbuthnot eloquently revealed "Old Values in New Books."Then at the annual Book-and-Author Luncheon, Ralph Moody, whose writings are devoted to picturing and interpreting the heroes of the West, told of "Fun and Facts in Writing of the West." Both of these speak- ers received a rising ovation.from their audiences. To Sam Sebesta was given the responsibility and pleasure of assembling the various presentations into this little volume, an offshoot of the annual Proceedings. Those of us who revel in the richness and high quality of publications for children will thor- oughly enjoy what Sam Sebesta has brought to us here. MILDRED A. DAWSON, President International Reading Association 1966-1967 iii Contents Page Foreword iii Introduction vii APPRECIATION AND SELECTION Fun and Facts in Writing of the West by Ralph Moody 3 Old Values in New Books by May Hill Arbuthnot 19 Selecting and Evaluating Materials for Recreational Reading by Sara Innis Fenwick 32 Reading Literature Critically by Charlotte S. Huck 45 TECHNIQUES AND TYPES Let Them Listen by Harryctte B. Ehrhardt . 55 Teaching the Reading of Plays by Thomas J. Sandke 64 Improving the Literature Program: Poetry by George B. Schick72 The Storyteller's Role by Sara G. Dickinson . 80 PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS Gateway Englisha Liorature Program for Educationally Disadvantaged Students by Marjorie B. Smiley 85 Junior Great Books Discussion Programs by Carol K. Wink ley and David Rhoads 94 The Oregon Curriculum in Literature by Albert R. Kitzhaber 103 A Literature Program Matched to Students' Interests by John S. Simmons 113 The Joy of Reading Rediscovered in High School Reading Centers by Brother Casimir Reich lin and Jo M. Stancl,field 123 Sacred Cows: Real and Fanc!edEvaluation of the Traditional Literature Program by M. Agnella Gunn 137 V Introduction THE PAPERS BROUGHT TOGETHERin this volume were read at the Twelfth Annual Convention of the International Reading Asso- ciation, May3-6, 1967,in Seattle. They offer the opinions and evidenceofsixteenspecialistsonmatterspertainingto literaturethe writing of literature, the selection of literature, and the role of literature in reading instruction. Taken together, they cover a wide range of grade levels, from primary to college; and they regard their tantalizing subject from many points of view. What can be gained from reading the set of papers?For the educator or layman, there is, above all, delight.There is the de- light one experiences when he shares an enthusiasm with a fellow enthusiast, similartothat of two travelers comparing their impressions of Greece or Expo67.There is the delight of redis- covering well-loved titles and freshened techniques for teaching. In addition, there is something new to be gained: the special in- sights of Ralph Moody on how fiction and nonfiction blend to produce art; the suggestions of Winkley and Rhoads on how lively questions may be formulated to disclose meanings in litera- ture; the possibilities uncovered by Kitzhaber, Schick, and Huck for enhancing literary enjoyment through adept analysis. And throughout the volume there is the opportunity to en- liven and expand one's operational concept of what the reading of literature is all about. SAM LEATON SEBESTA,Editor vii APPRECIATION AND SELECTION RALmr Monnv, author of the autobiographical Little Britches, Man of the F.onil1, and a :post of other fine books about the West, delivered the follow- ing address from memory at IRA's Book-and-Author luncheon on May 6, 1967, at Seattle Center. Those who attended will long remember the vibrance and humor of the occasion and the special magic of a born author-lecturer. Fun and Facts in Writing of the West L P MOODY Walnut Creek, California NO OTHER AUTHORcould possibly have been as delighted as I at being invited to speak before this convention, for I owe the at- tainment of my goal in life entirely to reading. In the San Francisco area I was for several years Exhibit A for the promotion of adult-education writing classes.They'd stand me up in front of a group of aspiring authorsmost of them ladies about my own ageand tell them, "Look at him! He never went beyond the eighth grade in school, never tried to write professionally until he was fifty, and then wrote a best seller after attending an adult-education class for only six months.If he could do it, certainly you can," and they'd sign up in droves. But I'd often be hemmed into a corner before I could reach the platform; and some nice little lady would ask, "Oh, Mr. Moody, when did you first become interested in writing?" That is the only area in which I am unique as an author, for I alone can give an exact answer.I first became interested in writ- ing in 1903, on the sixth day of June, at three-forty in the after- noon.That