Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-04-15
70 TIE Editors eftAe Independent !:

An OlO DUnJeCt Awe AGAIN.
To the Editors efAe Independent
How often have you been "com-
municated to" in reference to the
founding of a library in Martins
burg? This you cart tell. /
knew you couldn't.
This town is said to contain T.
600 inhabitants. Let me be char
liable in supposing that there are
at least 500 reading people living
within the corporate limits. These
five hundred need food-intellec-
tual food. Where are they to pro-
cure it? Not at the grocers, not
at the butchers-not at the book
stores. The grocer and butcher
keep only f0ed for the sustenance
of the body, while the booksellers
retail food in the shape of books
which is not assimilated into blood,
bone and muscle But his food is
too expensive. Two dollars, the
price of an ordinary book, would
be sufficient to pay a weeks rent
for family in certain parts of our
town. Two dollars would buy
several pounds of beef, or large
quantity of flour. There are many
persons, | am sure, in this town,
who would buy a two dollar book
for ten cents, if they could, not for
the purpose of forming library,
but simply for the reason that they
are tbirsting for its contents. For
instance, a person who has fire.
quently heard of "Roughing It,"
by Mark Twain, if he possesses a
taste for reading, has a desire to be-
come acquainted with the contents
of this book. He first tries to bor-
row the book, but not knowing
any one who has a volume, he is
strongly tempted to purchase, but
he knows that the book costs $1.00
or $500. This fact discourages
him; and deprives him of forty
eight hours of pleasant reading -
1t adds rather to the stock of igno-
rance. For as the philosopher
says, we know that we don't know
what we should know. He does
not seek the book for its cover nor
for the space il would occupy on
his shelf. but for the contents.
Now if there was library in
this town, this book, which would
otherwise cost $500, could be had,
or in other words, its contents
could be had for ten cents. In one
month six persons at least would
become acquainted with the con-
tents. Six times ten are sixty
this would be sixty cents towards
the purchase of history, biography
or science. Books of miscellane-
Gus literary character would be
the most suitable for public Ii
brary. Scientific works, such as
legal or medical lore, should be
owned by those of the medical or
legal Observation-Disclosures they
are out of place on the shelves of
a small public library.
To start library requires funds,
Of course, but not so much money
as persons imagine is needful to
form nucleus fund. A library
can be started with a hundred
well selected works. Contribu-
tons of money or books may be
received. Who is it that has not
a volume of history, poetry, trav-
els, or even standard romance,
that he will not part with to en-
rich the library? lam sure there
is not man or woman of taste in
town that would not thus contrib
ute his or her mite. AS for my
self, ] would be willing to furnish
at least five volumes of standard
character. / do not write to see
my letter in print. but / am in
earnest. / have lived in several
northern towns and helped to form
libraries. We succeeded too. /
would like to see something of the
kind in my native county of Ber-
kelley.
All that are in earnest send your
names to the editors of the hide
pendent; we will have a meeting,
and / guarantee that I will devise
a means for raising funds; and
furthermore, if assisted, will, with
in six months from this date, point
out a library of two or three hum
dred volumes to the incredulous.
GALE HARRINGTON.
~. .Uyn