University of South Carolina Libraries
Storytelling, From Staff Reports If your rendition of "Goldilocks" includes theatrics like a deep, gruff growl for Papa Bear and a highpitched squeak for Baby Bear, then you're robbing your child of that story's power, said storyteller Augusta Baker. Baker, storyteller-in-residence at USC, is nationally known for her craft, and she believes that theatrical gimmicks erase a story's joy and decrease a child's interest in books and reading. "If vou're busv Duttine on a show when you read or tell stories, then children pay attention to you, not the story," said Baker, who spent 37 years with the New York Public Library system as a storyteller and administrator for children's services before coming to USC in 1980. Storytelling and reading aloud give children access to material that they either cannot or may not read on their own. Folk tales, for example, are a good medium for introducing children to other cultures, Baker said. And hearing a story read aloud helps a child master the art of listening, teaches them new words and gives them practice in visualization, she said. Reading to children also increases the likelihood that children will be attracted to books and become early readers, Baker said. Baker advises parents to choose carefully to stories they will read aloud. Pick a story that appeals to you. Otherwise, children will sense, and share, your disinterest, she said. A good story is one that has something to say. A story should express ' sound values - compassion, humor, love, resourcefulness, kindness, C nraHaLr" 11 oar in< for Ada ? Visa U.S.A. Inc. 1994 \JW1UUU1 VJ u^ui From Staff Reports McKissick Museum and Thomas Cooper Society will sponsor a lecture and exhibit honoring the work of artist Francis Coradal-Cugat. An exhibit of Cugat's artwork will be on display May 1-June 26 at McKissick Museum. A lecture on his k life and work is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday, May 8, on the first floor of the museum. A reception will follow from 4:30-6 p.m. The May 8 lecture will include remarks by Lynn Robertson, director of McKissick Museum, on the history of the exhibit and a presentation by Erica Hennig, a USC art history master's candidate, whose thesis is based on the Cugat s work. Hennig will share I, * rrr iw< not theatrics, courage, kinship with nature, zest for living - but they should be implicit. Heavy-handed moralizing can ruin a good story, Baker said. A well-developed plot, believable characters, vivid word pictures, a pleasing rhythm and dramatic appeal are features that attract children to a story. "If you're busy putting on a Ar*r trnn r\ jiiuw wiicn juu iv.au ui iuii stories, then children pay attention to you, not the story" Augusta Baker USC storyteller "Don't waste your time or your child's time by reading dull, ordinary, uninspiring or vocabulary-controlled stories. Pick something delightful," Baker said. Once you choose a story, read it to yourself several times before reading it to an audience. Get a feel for the story's words and rhythms and develop a sense of timing, which is the key to good storytelling. Setting the mood with the right atmosphere is another key. If you're reading to a small child, for example, you may want to put him on your lap in a rocking chair. "Children love to be hugged and cuddled, and their eniovment of a sto ry's sounds and rhymes are enhanced by the pleasure of close body contact," Baker said. exhibit premier her research findings and provide a glimpse into the detective work when documenting the artwork of a lesser known artist. Cugat, a native of Cuba and watercolorist, is often recognized for his most famous work, the dust jacket cover for "The Great Gatsby." As a young artist, Cugat was inspired by the dramatic colors of stage and costume design for early 1900 Droductions of the Ballet Russes. Most of his career was spent working for New York motion picture companies and producing posters for Chicago Opera performers. It was Cugat's close association with theater and film that led him to design, in classic Art Deco style, the 3 e&Bei ' a p date: ?i te and It's ever you "wa best for kids If you're reading to several children, gather them around you in a circle, sitting on cushions on the floor, making sure that everyone is comfortable and settled. Baker also likes to use a "wishing candle," a tall taper that's lit before the story begins and blown out with a wish when the story's over. "The candle sets the mood, signaling that something special is about to happen," she said. Once you begin a story, read in a nohiwl irr\?Vo Kilt" nritk ort/i iiaiuitu vulvae, uui wiui uvpivooiuu <uiu feeling. "Resist the urge to overplay the narrative," she said. "There's a magic quality in the spoken word that doesn't need to be adorned by theatrics." Stay true to the text and do not change strange words. The context of the story and the child's imagination are enough to supply definitions. And in some cases, the author's words give atmosphere, and it doesn't really matter what they mean, Baker said. "It's important that you not turn storv time into a vocabulary lesson. Don't stop and define big words or ask the child if he understands. Doing this interrupts the flow of the story and takes away the magic." When the story is over, honor it with a minute or two of silence. Do not ask questions or try to solicit comments. Leave the child with his own private thoughts. Good stories, Baker said, draw the teller and child closer together and create a bond. And, at 84, Baker has created a bond with thousands of children. "The impact storytellers have on children is tremendous. We turn them on to books and reading as a source of lifelong pleasure." es at McKissick Great Gatsby's dust jacket cover. He also created a series of watercolors depicting his worldwide travels during the 1930s and 1940s. Cugat died in 1981. Artwork for the exhibit was donated by Cugat's sister-in-law, Lucille Lortel, and Blanche Marvin, a well-known theater critic. A number of national collectors of the Cugat's artwork are expected to attend the May 8 lecture and reception. McKissick Museum is open free to the public 9 a.m-4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1-5 p.m. Saturday and Sundays. For more information, call 777 7251. itial ntg JgM? rec!t [ tHis. I y where .nt to be rMb If you want to be a part ofr Wednesday night is your nij editorial board staff is requ invited to come meet The Gt meeting will be held at 6 p House room 321. Call L< information on how to be a p linei ' 6aii There': tim I - : ? J.I /- ~ r-t-^4 juin ine buiimici sicu Community over the dog days 544-2296 and say, "I want t Gamecock!" You'll have a gre experience#Take DOH'T DRII BHgSH . ' OP^reiD AT THEATRES ohonVM t ucmy; rhe Gamecock's fall staff, jht. The attendance of new ested and everyone else is imecock's new leaders. The .m. Wednesday in Russell je at 777-7181 for more >art of The Gamecock's new jp!. w-rrtrlt IIUCIV I S ^TILL gr T i . UmSmm ? ^ltSs M I f I If | f and help inforfi theCarolina ; of summer. Call 777-7726 or o be a part of the summer . . ? ?i hi ?J. j. tax lime, ana you n yei yreai our word for it! UK ft DRIVE I gmpp^.;. ^ IjasaillliBBfiS AY, MAY 13TH, EVERYWHERE.