Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-10-25

| NAY oC ioullcu W luc Stiit''t"' q
, tel through them among all the families oil
the districts. Some of the considerations
whicn have led the Society to attach special
importance to this plan, are the following !:
l. The social, circulating library is an.
questionably the most economical and eff
cient mode of supplying the means of
knowledge, TO the large massof young per.
sons between the ages Of ten and twenty, in
in the common school districts, throughout
the country, now almost wholly unprovided
with books of genera! information.
9. This class Of persons ar a period
o(lise in which the means of kr ow!edge are
Of tie highest interest and value. In youth,
the powers Of the mind are all in active
exercise. Curiosity is awake memory is
faithful the attention, MOI yet distracted
by the engrossiug cares Of active life, gives
IFS If wholly to its work. There is an ar.
dor in the thirst for knowledge, which shows
Itself In the intense eagerness TO hear and
know and many would seek constant graf.
l6cation from books, ifbooks could be ob.
aiped, of a character adapted to their taste
and age. .Esas period is tiss si5esf tihhs, in'
Ita for storing the mind with knowledge,
and almost the only time 10 acquire taste
for its attainment in future years.
3. Such library will be the means Of
great advantage and improvement to the
schools with which they are connected. 1t
will, in fact, add new deoarlmeni to the
system of education, the induence of which
will ex end to the whole po. uIation. 1t
will concentrate interst in the shoots, enlarge
the sphere of the teachers instruction and
influence elevate his employment and Office
connecting pleasant associations With it
in the minds ofthe pupils, and in the fami.
lies TO which they belong. 1t will raise the
tone of literary interest and ambition among
pupils, and relieve the dull routine of nicer
elementary instruction, BY the pleasures Of
entertaining and useful knowledge. II will
be d k,nd of connecting link to unite the
school with society around, and will natur.
ally form the nucleus fan extended popu.
lar library, which by subsequent yearly ad.
diiions, will contain the materials for gen.
eral acquaintance with all subjects o. inter.
terest and benefit to the community.
4. 1t seems NJ cessary, in order to carry
ont and complete the work ofschool educa.
ton, to provide some such supply ofjuvenile
reading. The elemen ary branches taught
in the classes are rather the instrupents by
which K koxedsr is to be acquired, than
the acquisition itself. They cons;itu, he
preliminary training of the mind ;and when
this is. in ,me good degree accomp!ialeS
how important that the pupil shouldhavsop.
portunity to employ his powers, in exploring
the field acknowledge. The school teaches
the boy 10 read, and gives him some ele-
nentary knowledge Of vario Ells which
enables him 70 TN erstand books. When
this is acquired, we must give him the
books, or our workis sincomsiete. ssvs !
5. Such library Of simf ie, interesting
and instructive works, would exert a rast
influence in preserving the morals Of the
community. An entertaining book is one
of the strongest keepers child can aive.
lis chain is invisible and it neither chafes
nor annoys the wearer. But 1t is more ef-
fec,ual than almost any other res rtlnt.
How many hours would such lbrariesres.
cue from idleness from wicked converse.
ton from open dissiplion and vice !!
How many from noisy brawls and savage
fights? And this too, just in the most I'M
portant crisis; fori young mans charac-
ter is saved till he is twenty -one it is in gen.
eral saved for fife. This plan also, bypro-
viding source of enjoyment and improve.
ment for all the members of a family at
home, will strengthen the domos real ons
ana tend to review and restore the love OF
domestic pursuits and pleasures. The ex-
perience of ages shows that mankind can
exist safely and in happiness, only in the
form of vast congeries offamities and
the more we can strengthen the lOOs othome.
and bring means Of Improvement and hap
piness to every mau's frcs;de, and keep the
inma es of the household at home, the better
for the virtue and solid happiness ofthe com.
muniy.
6. it will bo a very efIectua mode Of
supply ing the population generally with the
means of knowledge. Through the schol-
ars, the books witt find their way, in con.
stant rotation, TO all the families around, and
many circumstances will conspire to cause
them to be extensively read, by the adul,
population. Parents are always, specially
interested 70 their chi!dren's pursuits, and
often like TO read themselves what tn r
chiIIren are reading. And the interesting
nature oft'e subjects, the simp!ici:e|y and
drtctn:ss OF the style, aud the practical al.
iii V which will every w;e.c be aimed at.
will fit those works peculiarly 10 the wants
of Il large class of our population, too much
engrosscd with cares, or wearied with the
tolls of life, or too little mental cul lvation
to engage in more extended studies.
7. The plan is very economical one.