The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 26, 1986, Page 8, Image 8
Librarian swi
USC's storyteller-in-resideni
of making reading enjoyabh
By JANIE BROOKS
Staff writer
Augusta Baker has been an educator, author,
folklorist and librarian. Now she works in an area
closcr to home.
Baker is USC's storyteller-in-residence, as well as
one of the nation's leading authorities in children's
literature and librarianship.
"The aim of storytelling is to form images in
children's minds. We underestimate the intelligence
of children," Baker said.
Baker seems to have an innate talent for weaving
images into her listeners' imagination, and she never
underestimates her young audience.
When telling stories, she often draws from
folklore, a method that commands rapt attention
from her audi-uice. She is a witty, vivacious woman
and expresses her ideas directly and enthusiastically.
It was during her 37 years as a children's librarian
at the New York City Public Library that she began
storytelling.
"Many storytellers have come out of the public
library," Baker said. "The sharing of stories
should be a pleasurable experience for the child."
n..i. '
uiiKc-r realizes, However, that children don't
always associate reading with pleasure. She stresses
the importance of not making reading and listening
a chore for children, but a spontaneous and enjoyable
experience.
"If reading is used merely as a tool for teaching,
the child will associate storybooks and stories with
the formal learning experience," Baker said.
f or the past 15 years she has administered
workshops in areas such as Las Vegas and Texas
Women's University.
Baker said she sees her position at USC as serving
two purposes: to tell stories and to train future
Review .tBI
it
Chicago City Ba
I -
provides three d
By EDWARD BOHAN music by Tschail*
Staff writer Krish and Sherry
'Different' would he the word the leads. This <
to describe the Chicago City traditional dram;
Ballet's exhibition at Columbia's entire company'
Township Auditorium Monday was more inspire*
night. The third and
The troupe, under the artistic seemed to be th
direction of Maria Tallchief and with the audienc
Paul Mcjia, presented three brassy, almost bi
distinctly varied sets in their called Joiede Vivi
repertoire. Jacques Offenbac
The first, A I.it tic Mozart, with The dance feati
music from l.es f\*titv Ricns was uniformed sailors
a vapid display of symmetry. dancing with ' itI
Nevertheless t lw ?*" ? 1?
1 >"VH JWUIlg llllllj
technical aspcci \\us generally was never mad
very good, particularly the short series of comical i
piece performed by Sherry Moray ed a competitio
and Garrison Clarke, who seem- sailors for the r
ed to express the most feeling. young lady and a
While they were dancing with by the girls. At
each other, the others looked like sailor Hung inst,
they were dancing around each he'd just taken o
other. the audience, enc
The second set was the death the spectators into
scene from Romeo and Juliet, unlike those seen v
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tches from sh
:e stresses importance
3 experience for childrentcachers
and librarians to deal with children.
"The reason behind storytelling is to motivate
children to read, to lead them to the book. Children
read what they arc exposed to. It is a story told well
r?r !? hnnl rm/l "'"II
v,, .ulu ?vu wun.il win arouse me child's interest
in a book," she said.
Baker's honors include the Parent's Magazine
Medal Award in 1966 "for outstanding service to
the nation's children" and two books she coauthored
on storytelling. Baker has also collected 15
out-of-print stories in an anthology, "The Talking
Tree."
Born in Maryland, Baker received degrees in
education and library science from the University of
New York in Albany.
After retiring from the New York City Public
Library, Baker came to USC in September 1980.
She brought her family to Columbia, and her granddaughter,
Pamela Augusta Baker, is a USC
freshman.
Baker defines her position as storytcllcr-inresidence
as unique, and when a student has the opportunity
to see Baker practicing her art, one feels
she wouldn't trade places with anyone else.
Baker recently narticinated in Coi>ir,in?
, g ... u ^MIUI UUJ
storytelling program with artist Eddie Arning in
McKissick Museum.
Addressing her audience of five- to seven-yearolds,
Baker wove verbal and visual magic for them
using Southern folktales.
Reading and storytelling, Baker said, is not merely
a tool for learning. And as one listens to her tell
stories, clearly and effectively, one can't help but
agree.
In the hands of a master, storytelling becomes an
art.
rtmfti l
illet exhibiton
LiL.l
isimui siyies
;ovsky. MichacI Hies into the stands. The spec'
Moray danced tacle ended with a Chorus Lineset
was a more like strut and a flag - waving
atic ballet. The goodbye.
s performance Overall the dancing was conJ
and fluid. sistcntly strong, becoming more
final set, which spirited as the evening progresse
most popular ed. The gentlemen did, however,
e, was a loud, tend to outshine the women,
irlcsque routine Perhaps the troupe was limited
re with music by by the Township Auditorium's
h. small stage.
ired a group of
on
ler hookers or
?s ? the point I I
e clear. The g ft ft A
outines includ- I I UU IMi
n among the
nost appealing Wk m M B
wa C|4
amatic photos WW 9 ^
t the girls into
-iting some of ^ jCcJn? NX
a scramble not CU'??+
vhen a baseball ^NirtS
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Former librarian Augusta Baker spends
Third annual 5
Rv 1TI PHAMRIICC
Assistant Spotlight editor
With the showing of Bless
Their Little Hearts this week,
the third annual Southern Circuit
1986 film festival begins.
| The Southern Circuit offers
patrons the opportunity to see
the work of six internationally
recognized independent film
and video makers.
The tour was kicked off at
North Carolina State University
in Raleigh and continues
until the end of October. The
circuit also includes the Capri
Community Film Society in
Montgomery, Ala.; the High
M u s e um and Image
Film/Video Center in Atlanta;
| the Appalshop in Whitesburg,
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idge, 5 mins. from USC
i spinning
4 I .tfWfir
her time as USC's resident storytellers
Southern film fi
Ky.; and the Contemporary
Arts Center in New Orleans.
In Columbia, the six films
or video works will be shown
at the Bijou Theater at the
Bazaar in Five Points. The
Columbia schedule is as
follows: March 18, "The Old
Forest" bv Steven I Rn?'
April 8, a collection of short,
humorous films presented by
Caroline and Frank Mouris;
September 16, Anthony
Slone's "Sunny Side of Life";
"looks like Benny's going to pi
Ii/imiiya;, li
r> ?_.
Irnnesb VA:IIU:J
spon
"The Columb
Compel
$4000 in cash
"1 _ i T~">
Iisc rnze
2nd Prize 3rd
Prize 4th
Prize
For Detai
(803) 73
Wr\1irlcnr T
i
I stories
estival begins
Octobcr 1, "Sister Susie
Cinema" by John Sanborn;
and Oetobcr 27, "Raw Mash"
by Blaine Dunlap.
Eaeh of the artists will ^
screen and discuss his work w
with the audience in each location.
The circuit is a program
of the South Carolina Arts
Commission Media Arts
Center, the National Endowment
for the Arts, the
Southern Arts Federation and
local sponsors.
ay j
vin& Well I ?
r and WZLDj
lia Aerobics I
tition" I _
9
i and prizes. I
$2000.00 I
$ 500.00 1
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