Vigo County Historical Society

Museum houses books from our past

How early in the development of man did mothers and fathers start telling stories to their children?

Did it start around a warm fire in the evening, when fathers would tell of their hunting adventures of the day? Did this begin the legends and myths that were handed down through the centuries, the millenniums even; legends that modern-day archaeologists are finding to be true? Maybe someday they will find Atlantis.

In the nursery of the Vigo County Historical Museum are several children’s story and poetry books of the 19th century.

The name of one is Belford’s Annual, presented to Minnie Dorley from Santa Claus, Dec. 25, 1892. In it is the poem "The Boy Who Promised Mother" by George Cooper, about the little boy who was tempted by his friends to do something he shouldn’t and each time he replied, "No, I can’t, I promised Mother."

Also included is a story about opera star Jenny Lind, dated 30 years before. She was the most famous woman in the world at that time.

Another poem, "Lena’s Gossip With the Moon" by R.W. Lourie, is a story of the moon talking to Lena and telling all of the things it saw and people it met during its circle of the earth each night.

There also is a short story titled "Common Sense" that begins, "Better to bend the neck than bruise the forehead."

"Routledges Picture Book" is an ABC book, divided into sections, about animals, flowers, boys’ names and girls’ names.

Each section is from A to Z, and each letter being a short poem: "A is for Anemones, telling of spring, and the gladness and brightness that gay colors bring. . . . P is for pigs which have strayed from their sty. . . . And Z is for Zachary, shutting the gate, so good night, little children, it’s getting late."

"Little Footsteps" is a lovely book with beautiful illustrations and simple stories, one about the friendship between a kitten and a black-and-white spaniel and another about a speckled hen.

"Golden Hours" includes the stories "My Friend’s Dog Nic," about a boy and his dog, and another about two birds who lived in a tree and little Nell who brought them crumbs, much like today’s children who take bread to Dobbs Park to feed the ducks.

Two other books are in German, the first one beautifully illustrated in color with gold borders framing each page.

The other also is beautifully illustrated, mostly in black-and-white, and the pictures are so graphic as to tell the story without understanding the German words.

The stories were simple stories, some with a conscience, such as "No, I promised my Mother" and the ABC book dealing with farm animals to the children. There weren’t adventure or scary stories in the nursery of the museum that would keep children awake.

For an adventure of your own, come to the museum to find familiar items from your own childhood or from the stories your parents or grandparents have told you.

The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Previous articles can be read at the society’s Web site, web.indstate.edu/community/vchs.