Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 20 March 1949 — Page 15

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|} THE STORY LADY Miss Marjorie Ceobson at th Prospect Street Branch, Indianapolis Fublic Licrary

By JEAN MANEY (ONCE UPON A TIME, in the never-never land, there were a little boy and girl who didn’t like fairy tales. But this reaction to stories of handsome princes and fabulous princesses is non-existent in Indianapolis. The members of the local younger set are great fans of Cinderella and they hate evil stepmothers with a bitter passion. Most of the children prefer fairy tales to any other type of story and they flock to the story hours held each Wednesday afternoon in the branches of the Indianapolis Public Library. In their games the youngsters often relive the adventures of their favorite heroes and heroines. The story hours also have

the effect of “coming attractions” for they spur the beginning readers to follow up the stories in book form.

- ” » » » ” - THE PROGRAM HERE IS MOST successful. Indianapolis children read on an average of 25 books a year. The library has one of the largest juvenile circulations in the nation—last year more than one million books were taken home by the youngsters. The part the “story lady” plays is very important. 3 She must be able to make the characters come-alive for her 3 ; - listeners. Her job is doubly hard these days for her heroes ; HH + + such @ ; : 7 ; 3 ¥ i Y have to compete with the comic books — they must combine . £8 i 1 | low price. LC : {2 pi £ daring with chivalry and goodness. t= Vr, ated fixture ‘, : . Zh BESIDES THE STORY HOURS, the library also stimulates Re ey reed Stem fin- - ’ interest among school children by taking carefully selected books vio UME: Shirley Uennison ar. a Delle Long. is pleated od fh ian 5 a to the classrooms. A staff of librarians visits each city school These. ore | : Te : regularly and distributes the books. The pupils return them to might mot -y ‘ eo nad ; pr ; N p their teachers after reading them and often make reports on plaster dust ey ps : Be ray oT : p their favorite stories. vay for only ’ peeing : y ; Miss Marjorie Dobson is the chjldren’s librarian at the Prospect Street Branch, Indianapolis Public Library. Her story hours are opened with the lighting of a candle by the boys and girls who have birthdays that week. The expressions on the listeners’ faces are proof of the success of the project—the youngsters share every danger with the story -book principals and are invariably relieved when the happy ending comes. Photos by John Spicklemire, Times Staff Photographer.

MAN'S IN TROUBLE James Merchant and

Richard Deckard.

SCHOOLROOM

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