Part 1 (2/2)

It will be useful to all because of its wealth of material and ill.u.s.tration for expressive and impressive _little, big, ten-minute talks_, whenever opportunity offers.

We commend the book with all earnestness, to these various cla.s.ses of people, and will insist that no father or mother will ever be the poorer, but the richer, who will part with the price and get in exchange for it a copy of this book, as a birthday or Christmas gift to a son or daughter between ten and twenty years of age. It will help parents in the uncertain and difficult problem of rearing their children in a way that will make them and keep them a joy in the home, rather than a heartache, a heart break, and the saddest kind of a bereavement, which is too often the case. Surely a dollar spent which may help avert this, is worth far more than a hundred cents lying unused in a bank.

There are sixty-two picture outlines in the book, and with every picture a ten-minute talk, with chalk ill.u.s.tration, which recites and impresses, now, a great and n.o.ble deed of a truly n.o.ble man; now a kindly act with a double blessing in it; again, a warning to those who unknowingly set foot upon the devil's ground and find it a miry or slimy pit; or, it may be a lesson from one of the world's great poets or historians, for the author has evidently been a reader of great books with a mind to recall many lessons learned therefrom.

THE PUBLISHERS.

INTRODUCTION.

~~The Plan of the Book.~~

In the preparation of this book the author has had two great plans in mind:

To prepare a work which will enable _any person, who can speak to a cla.s.s or an audience, to give a helpful, inspiring ill.u.s.trated talk_; to place in the hands of parents everywhere a book to enable them to teach the children a simple, fascinating method of drawing and, at the same time make the great truths of life a part of their every-day learning.

Clear instructions are given as to the method of doing these two things. Then come sixty-two complete talks of special appropriateness for Christian teaching. If you are included in the following cla.s.ses of workers, the book should be of special value to you:

(a) Speakers who earnestly want to give ill.u.s.trated talks, but who feel that they ”can't draw a straight line.”

(b) Those who are experienced in chalk talk work and are seeking new material.

(c) Teachers of the Uniform Lessons.

(d) Teachers of Graded Lessons.

(e) Sunday school superintendents, for platform work.

(f) Pastors, for use in prayer meetings and many other services of the church.

(g) Temperance workers. In this department of work this book is especially worthy of consideration.

(h) Those who need suggestions to help them work out their own addresses.

(i) Parents for giving instruction in the home. It is a great truth that such teaching is far more effective than any which the church or the schools may provide.

~~The Value of Chalk Talks.~~

Scientists tell us that _nothing which completely occupies the mind for any length of time is ever forgotten_.

This, then, is the reason that the chalk talk method of teaching is so lastingly impressive. People forget everything else while watching a speaker draw a picture. And if they do that, they can never completely forget the words of the speaker or the picture he draws. A baby that doesn't know one letter from another can understand some pictures as well as _you_ can. Try him once and see. And if he lives to be a hundred years of age, he will receive more lasting impressions from pictures than from what he reads. Your audience, therefore, may be depended upon to be ”right with you” from the beginning.

~~The Two-Scene Method.~~

<script>