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Chinese culture a hit at libraries Photo by Ray Pettengell Sabrina Rode, youth programs coordinator for the Southern Oregon Historical Society, directs a Chinese dragon full of children Friday at the Eagle Point library. The society's summer history and reading program focuses on the influence of Chinese culture in Southern Oregon history, and includes stories, Chinese fortunes and building lanterns. Program combines history with annual summer reading By VICKI GUARINO If you go "A Dragon's Tale: The Chinese Influence in Southern Oregon" continues over the next two weeks at Jackson County libraries. Ruch, 1 p.m., July 14 Shady Cove, 10:30 a.m., July 15 Butte Falls, 1 p.m., July 15, at the Big Butte Historical Society Prospect, 1:30 p.m., July 16 Medford, 10:30 a.m., July 21 Talent, 1 p.m., July 21 Phoenix, 11 a.m., July 22 Ashland, 1 p.m., July 22. For additional information about the program, and other summer youth activities of the Southern Oregon Historical Society, call 773-6536. EAGLE POINT -- Youngsters folded fans of ornately printed paper, clipped colorful lanterns, and heard the tale of how a resourceful Chinese youth used history to defeat a fire-breathing dragon. Kids even crawled inside a costume dragon of cloth and paper as part of the Southern Oregon Historical Society's summer history and reading program -- A Dragon's Tale: The Chinese Influence in Southern Oregon. The 52 elementary and preschoolers who packed into the Eagle Point Library for the program Friday were among some 200 kids across Jackson County last week who listened and played in the annual SOHS program. Sessions continue in county branch libraries this week. SOHS youth programs coordinator Sabrina Rode said the Chinese culture program has been the most popular in the three years she has been leading the sessions. Each summer, the society picks a history topic to tie in with the county library's summer reading campaign. The adventure quest theme of the reading campaign this year seemed to fit with the mythology and culture of early Chinese residents, Rode said. Eagle Point mother Elisabeth Boyd said the session was a surprising hit with her two children, especially cranky 2-year-old Amber. "I was very impressed they could get her attention," Boyd said during the crafts segment of the program. "Plus, this is about learning." Eagle Point sixth-grader Nicole Shuey said she has read a few Chinese folk tales. "I like them," Nicole said, "I don't know why -- they're different, I guess." Her younger brother, sixth grader Nathan, was simply enchanted by dragons. "Just the way they look, it's neat," Nathan said as he put together a dragon puppet. The story Rode and three young SOHS staff members recited and acted out told how Mi Fey used the wisdom of historical scrolls to outwit the threatening dragon. The fan and the lantern were Mi Fey's answers to the dragon's command to bring him the wind and fire wrapped in paper. The tasks seemed impossible until Mi Fey read the scrolls. Paper, which carried the history Mi Fey consulted, was society's most important invention, the young man had told the dragon. Rode combined the ancient story with more recent, local history. Using SOHS photographs and documents, she told kids about the Chinese who came to Jackson County to mine gold and find work on the railroad. And she talked a bit about how culture distinguished the Chinese. Her goal is to spark interest in history and culture, and reading in general. And the story of Mi Fey, Rode told curious listeners, "is one we got from the library." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA