Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1856-01-10
From tire Bloomington News-Letter.l
M0Cluva rnnd for T,ibrarieg.

One of the great instruments OF popular ed
%ucation, reaching every family in our State, Is
the Township Library feature, so wisely
adopted in our system of public instruction.
No political community on the face OF the
earth has gone beyond Indiana in this bench
cial provision for popular education, and no
man can estimate the extent or greatness oil
its effect upon the rising generation, and IN
the families of our State.
There is, through the henefcence of a phil
lanthropic individual, a provision of private
bounty, which interests every citizen OF our
State. and which, if wisely and economically
administered, will meet a great want of our
people. This provision is, that for Working
Mems Libraries, through the bequest of the
late Mr.. Mcclure and we'll should the asso-
Citations formed in order to become the reclpl-
ents of the Mcclure benefaction, in accord
ance with the provisions of his will, see to it,
that the fund received is expended in such
way, as best to advance the views of the gen.
erous donor, commemorate his name and do
lasting pubic good. 1t is a sacred public
trust, amounting it is understood, to more than
$4,000, in which every citizen has a deep
interest.
As a citizen, having an interest in common
with my fellow-citizens, | ask to nuke the
following suggestions as to the mode OF max
ing this fund most beneficial.
l. Let a committee say of three well quail
fed men, be selected by the several asSocla-
tons, to select a uniform series of books for
the associations, aud expressly adapted to the
wants and feelings of that class OF readers
VINO are engaged in the active labors of life.
The series should be such as would cost SOU,
the amount allowed from the Mcclure Fund
to each association. Such men as Prof. Mills,
Prof. Larrabee, and Mr.. Dillon would, for such
an object, willingly take the labor of making
the selection without charge. l name these
mon because pre-eminently qualified BY their
knowledge Of books and the book market, to
make the selection.
l would suggest that there be prepared for
the first volume Of the series, a sketch Of the
life of Mr.. Mcclure, containing also his will,
to be bound, or not, of itself forming a volume,
with other biographical sketches.
2. Let the books be bound uniformly and
in good substantial binding, and let there be
stamped upon both covers, the name of the
association, as for example "The Working
Mems Mcclure Library" Of Evansville.
3. Let the contract for furnishing sets OF
these books, for all the associations, be given
to the lowest and best bidder. In order to
effect this, there should be immediate concert
of action among the several associations
The committee Of selection might be author
lied to make the contract in behalf of the
associations.
The advantages ofthis plan are obvious: 1st
To secure the best possible selection of books,
and a suitable and uniform style of binding.
81. To afford the means Of preserving the
books and perpetuatlng the name and gene
rosity of the donor. Sd. To make the most
economical purchase Of books.
Some plan such as the above is ~indispensa-
bic to make the fund as useful as possible
and to prevent its being frittered away for
books, costing double the Legitimate price, OF
voraciously devoured by some unknown adj
venturer who wishes to make a fortune oat OF
this noble bequest.
1t is understood that the attempt has been
made on the part of some such, to impose a
kind of necessity on the associations, to pur-
chase their books at the trade prices of the
book catalogues. These prices, it is well
known, are from rs to 40 per cent above prices
at which the books can be purchased.
In cases where the associations nave been
induced to give an agency for the purchase
of books, at such rates, they owe it to them
selves and this noble fund they represent,
promptly to withdraw their agency and enter
upon such concert of action as will secure the
full benefit of the bequest.
A CITIZEN OF INDIANA.