March is National Reading Month. The National Education Association (NEA) launched an early version of this month-long promotion of reading in 1994 as part of its literacy education efforts. However, it has since transcended its origins as an NEA event and has become a true national celebration of reading. For more information about National Reading Month, please click on the following link: https://nationaltoday.com/national-reading-month/
One of the goals behind National Reading Month is to encourage a lifelong interest in reading. Organizers of this event argue that if children develop a love of books and reading while they are young, they are more likely to continue reading as adults. Childhood reading, in other words, can have a lasting impact on a person’s adult life. I completely agree with this point.
President Theodore Roosevelt is a perfect example of someone whose childhood reading shaped his adult life. I happen to know something about Roosevelt’s reading practices as a result of editing a book titled Theodore Roosevelt on Books and Reading. I just put the finishing touches on the index this past weekend. For authors and editors of scholarly books, compiling an index is the last hurdle that needs to be cleared before the book is published. For more information about this forthcoming book, please click on the following link: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538175460
In his autobiography, Roosevelt recalled that his parents provided him with a wide variety of books throughout his childhood. He wrote, “There was very little effort made to compel me to read books, my father and mother having the good sense not to try to get me to read anything I did not like unless it was in the way of study. I was given the chance to read books that they thought I ought to read, but if I did not like them I was then given some other good book that I did like.” Among the many books that Roosevelt read as a child were adventure novels set in the American West, books about animals and their habitats, and myths and sagas from around the world.
Many of Roosevelt’s adult interests can be traced back to the books he read as a boy. The stories that he read about the American West contributed to his decision to move to South Dakota as a young man. He went on to write several books about the history of the West. The animal books he read as a child caused him to take a scientific interest in natural history. In fact, when he entered Harvard, his intention was to study zoology. He eventually switched his emphasis to history, but he remained interested in natural history for the rest of his life. His childhood interest in myths and sagas from many lands played a role in his ongoing fascination with world history. Throughout his presidency, he often drew on his deep knowledge of world history when making decisions and engaging in international negotiations.
When Roosevelt’s parents provided their young son with a wide variety of books, they helped Roosevelt develop a lifelong interest in reading. They also helped prepare Roosevelt for his career as a statesman and as an author of more than forty books.
Of course, providing children with books is no guarantee that they will grow up to become president, but it does help all children realize their potential. As we celebrate National Reading Month here in Storied Charlotte, it is important to remember that reading can be a transformative experience.