The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, May 02, 1994, Page 3, Image 3
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.