THE STORY METHOD

The use of the story method of instruction has been mentioned many times in the course of our discussion.  It will still be worth while, however, to note a few of the principles upon which the successful telling of stories depends.

First of all, a story is—­just a story!  It is not an argument, nor an explanation, not a description, nor a lecture in disguise.  A story is a narrative of a series of events, which may be either real or imaginary.  These events are so related as to form a closely connected unity from beginning to end, and they are of such nature as to appeal to imagination, interest, and emotion more than to the intellect.  The successful handling of the story depends on two chief factors:  (1) the plan or arrangement of the story itself, and (2) skill in telling the story.

The story itself.—­The story must not be too long, or interest will weaken and attention will flag.  It must have an interesting beginning, so that attention and anticipation are aroused from the very first sentence.  “Once upon a time...”  “A long time ago when the fairies...”  “There once lived a king who...”—­these all contain a hint of mystery or of interesting possibilities certain to invite response from children.  The commonplace beginning is illustrated in a story in a primary leaflet which starts, “There was once a mother, who loved her child as all mothers do.”  There is no invitation here to imagination or anticipation, and the evident attempt to enforce a moral truth in the opening sentence detracts from its effectiveness.

The major characters of the story should be introduced in the opening sentences.  The story should possess a close-knit unity, and not admit incidental or supplemental characters or events that play no direct part in the sequel.  It must be so planned as to proceed to a climax, and this climax should be reached without unnecessary deviations and wanderings.  We all know that type of story in which the main point is all but lost in a multiplicity of unnecessary details.  On the other hand, points necessary to the climax must not be omitted.  The climax may be the end of the story, or an ending may be provided following the climax.  In either case the ending should leave the mind of the listener at rest as to the outcome.  That is to say, there should remain no mystery or uncertainty or unpleasant feeling of incompleteness.  The ending of a story should be as carefully phrased as its beginning.  Even if the story has a sad ending, which is usually not best in children’s stories, it should have some element in it which makes such a conclusion inevitable, and so leaves the mind in a sense satisfied.

Guiding principles.—­The rules to guide in planning the story itself may, then, be stated as follows: 

1.  Decide on the truth to be conveyed, and make the story lead up to this.