The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-03-22
GCoMMuNIcATroN.1
To the members Of The Teachers Association, Of
Col.mbia County.

To the members Of The Teachers Association, Of
Columbia County.
Owing 10 the amount OF business 10 be
disposed of at the Conventions Of the Asso.
citation, and The short terms OF the sessions,
it is thought proper 10 pursue this course,
in order 10 bring before you an item, for
your consideration. Seeing the hourishins
condition Of our Institution. and that it bids
fair 10 grow yet larger ard s,roager; and feel
ing like pushing onward this noble enter
prize, I would offer a suggestion 10 you, hop
ing that it may meet with your appreciation.
The importance of having access 10 a good
collection, Of the valuabls and useful publ
cations Of the day, is no doubt felt by many
Of the association who are DESTROYS to attain
an extensive and we'll founded education, or
TO be the possesscrs of a ready and well
stored mind. They must be ware that the
intellectual faculties, like The physical, in
order 10 become improved and strengthened,
mus, receive nourishment. This Institution,
founded as it has been, for wise and noble
purposes-ihe advancement of education,
aud The improvement of those directly con
necied with it-couli not accomplish THE
end more e%ffectually than by having con-
necied with it, a library containing history,
biography, and the scientific productions OF
our best authors. Good books if perused
for a good purpose, will not only open a
source of happiness TO the studsn5 but stand
as faithful monitors 10 guide the mind in its
explorations Of knowledge. # is strikingly
true that with our books we are al once en-
abled 10 place ourselves in possession of
such knowledge as others only acquired by
long years Of labor and patient study. From
history we learn the errors and vices which
have oveIthrown Empires and desolated
cities, and the virtues which raised up 9th.
ere, az # in strange countries and in unfre.
quenied lands. In reading Biographies OF
good men We learn how TO live, how to labor
in the cause OF truth-from the early chris.
tians how 10 suffer, and from the martyrs
how 10 die. From works of art and science
We should learn TO employ our minds in
such studies as would be useful and profit
able 10 Us, as we'll as render ourselves bene-
fetal 10 those around us. In making proper
use of our intellectual powers 10 scientific
researches, we might penetrate the rocky
dens Of the mountain, and there behold the
wisdom Of the great Creator. We might
wander in the field and the valley, and
there in the tints Of the rose behold his good
ness; or on the wings of imagination we
might soar into the fields of air aud there
behold his greatness spread out in the i'm
mensily OF space I; or IN a word,
'look up through nature to natures god"
II such are the aspirations with which we
look upon the acquisition Of a library and
deem it necessary to. our Institution, we
should no doubt by properly uniting our eff.
forls, realize The full extent of our most af-
fluent hopes. Innumcrable as the aivan-
tages would be 10 such an enterprise, il
istenee and prosperity Of the Institution, in
which ii should be hailed as tie pole star
Guiding the steps of the siudenttc a. higher
and brighter emiaence in the temple OF lii.
erary fame. This should be our raIlyiug
point-our Intellectual armory from which
10 gather weapons TO beat back the assaults
of error and ignorance. In this enierprising
day, when books and productions OF the hu.
man mind ire thrown out as it by magic,
we ask, can we not accomplish this obiecli
May we moi with confidence take an inter-
est in this noble enterprise, and call upon
the learned, and the friends of learning, TO
come TO our assistancea May we not ask
those who'll have It in their power 10 help US
in securing SO desirable az end1 Let US
hope for . prompt and noble response and
with our united energies establish a library
which shall be an honor 70 tho Institution,
aud The means Of making many wiser and
more useful. TEACHER.