By Mary Lackie

Workers in a program to challenge students to get the maximum from what they read are mapping plans to get more parochial students involved in it by the time the school year resumes next fall.

The project, called The Junior Great Books Program has drawn interest and active participation from many throughout the archdiocese.

“Six parochial schools in the Atlanta area offer junior great books programs for fifth through eighth grade students, now,” said Sister Marie William, C.S.J., of Blessed Sacrament school and liaison chairman for great books programs in the parochial schools. “Next year there will be sets of books available for third and fourth grades,” she said.

“Beginning next fall, Sacred Heart School in Griffin, and St. Joseph’s school in Athens will offer the program,” the nun said. “But a lack of leaders is responsible for the fact that participation in the program is limited.”

“People may hesitate to take the training course because they feel it is ‘too intellectual’” said Mrs. George Wren, volunteer coordinator for the great books program. Sister Marie William agreed, and added,” I took the course, and found the training program stimulating. I haven’t met anyone who hasn’t benefited from it.’

The aim of the junior great books program is “to develop ability to read thoroughly, to think systematically, to listen intensively, and to express oneself effectively,” said Mrs. Wren.

Mrs. Alex Smith, Mrs. James F. Armstrong, and Mrs. Walter H. Zillessen, Jr. discussed their experiences as leaders of groups at Christ the King.

Mrs. Zillessen: You are shocked to see how regimented the children are in their thinking. At first, they were tuning each other out—and treated us as teachers. They could not understand that this was not a classroom situation.”

Mrs. Smith: Now the attitude has changed from ‘What do you want us to say?’ The children have learned to back up and think through their ideas. They have learned to change their minds and see another side to an argument.’

Mrs. Armstrong: “This is a positive development. But they still hesitate to underline or write in the margins of their books. They haven’t learned that well marked book is a good book.”

Mrs. Smith: “It is hard to evaluate the progress they have made. We can’t see the results that will happen in the future when they recall something from their discussions, or form one of their books.”

“It isn’t just the learning business that’s important,” said Mrs. Armstrong. “The children are learning to carry on a dialogue, and this is important—we are living in an age of dialogue.”

This same observation was made by Mrs. Carroll Corbett and Mrs. Ed Lorenz, co-leaders at St. Joseph’s school in Marietta.

“The children respect each other’s ideas and enjoy challenging them,” Mrs. Corbett said. The co-leaders at St. Joseph’s school sell the sets of books for next year’s program, and “already the children are reading them in preparation for next fall,” Mrs. Corbett said.

Teachers have noted that “The students in the great books program phrase questions in class that reflect their training—one girl will say, ‘Now, to get back to the original point,’ said Sister Mary Elaine, R.S.M., principal of St. John the Evangelist. “The friendliness and encouragement of the leaders has helped to draw out the students. I am going along with this program,” the nun said.

Junior great books members offered their opinion of the program:

“I liked ‘The Education of Cyrus’, said one eighth grade girl, “At first I just thought he was a nice man, but in the discussion, I discovered he was scheming and plotting. We could go on for hours discussing, but the problem is, there is never enough time. I had my own ideas, but discussing them with others brought out things I hadn’t thought about before.”

Said a fifth grade boy: “I’m in the program because it is fun. You can talk right out.” And he has changed: “I used to just read the funnies—now I read about the Israelites and the Arabs, and about Vietnam. I read more library books, too.”

Some members admitted they didn’t like the books they read “but you read them even if you don’t like them. In the discussions, you become more interested.”

“I’ve made up my mind I want to take the course next year,’ said a six grader. “You get more talkative and ask more questions. You learn there really isn’t an answer to some questions,” he said, “That’s what it’s all about—that’s the idea.”

An eighth grade boy said, “We get a better comprehension—in classes, everybody asks more mature questions. They aren’t scared to ask questions in class, now. When I started taking the course, I didn’t think about what fate was, and all that stuff—but we have to give definitions and you learn that there are different ideas.”

A student in the course for three years said, “You look for the important things when you read—and you ask questions.” Observing other members of the group, he said, “There seems to be a better pattern—some started out not talking. They always had good ideas, but now they can express themselves.”

To highlight the end of the program this year at St. Paul of the Cross, discussion members from the fifth, sixth and seventh grades will present two performances of “Rumplestiltskin’, said Mrs. Ruth Reynolds, co-leader with Mrs. Minnie Toure. “I spent most of my time backstage,” she said.

“The only requirement for leading a group is intellectual curiosity, enjoyment of reading and working with ideas, and a respect and interest for the minds and opinions of children,” said Leslie Paul, southeast area director of the Great Books Foundation.

Anyone who can meet these requirements is requested to participate in the leadership training programs offered this summer in three Atlanta locations for a series of eight Mondays beginning June 5.

The locations: Southwest area—College Park Recreation Center, 3636 College St. Time: 9:30-11:30. Chairmen: Mrs. William J. McLouglin and Sister Marie William. Northeast area—Ida Williams Library. Time: 1:30-3:30 p.m. Chairmen: Mrs. B.J. Smith and Mrs. Henry Head. Marietta—St. Joseph’s school, 216 Lacey St. Time: 7:30-9:30 p.m. Chairmen: Mrs. Carroll Corbett and Mrs. John Donovan.