The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-11-07
LIBRARIES.

1t requires no force of logic to induce
any intelligent person to believe that Ii
hraries arc necessary to the intellectual
growth and refinement of a community.
This fact has been demonstrated so often
and so clearly that to attempt it again
would be throwing time away People
are usually judged by the information
and culture they possess, not by the dol
lars in their pockets. Governments have
come to look upon popular education as
the cheapest and best means OF protect
ing their own interests and in securing
the happiness and well-being of their
subjects. Large sums OF money are OK
pended annually for public schools, col
leges and other institutions of learning
In addition to what are known as strict
ly educational institutions there are 9th
ers which claim support from govern
ment and have their claims allowed
These are museums, art galleries and
public libraries, all of which educate
the people, and many more than could
be educated in our higher institutions of
learning. The pupil going 10 school to-
day gets bat the alphabet of learning in
the public schools. In academies and
seminaries he gets the rudiments of an
education; in colleges and universities
he lays the foundation for complete
education, but never finishes it there.
The great treasures Of nature must be
studied outside of college walls, and
storehouses of other mems thoughts and
research must be resorted to. The pub
lie library opens its doors to all; the
plebian and the prince alike can there
feast upon the best thoughts of the best
men, and he who gets the most is the
best man.
The masses of the people cannot afford
to buy such books as they desire: they
can not go to college nor can they be
satisfied without them. The world
would have lost many of the brightest
names in history, had it not been for
public libraries. Elihu Burritt owed
his wonderful learning to the public
library of Hartford. Anna Dickinson
owed much of her fame to the public
Libraries of Philadelphia, and thousands
OF others could say the same. Millions
ofpeOple spend their leisure time in read.
ing in the public libraries and reading
rooms iii the United States who might
otherwise spend it where too many do.
In places of amusement, but not i'm
proyement.
have compiled a few figures on
libraries from different sources, which
may not be within reach of every one.
History tells US of many very important
Libraries among the ancients, thus show
ing that the people began to appreciate
collections of books as soon as thew had
learned to make them The first library
mentioned in history. is that of the
Ramesseum, Il temple founded in Thebes
by Rameses II. Memphis also had a
large Library at very early date, but the
largest and most important Egyptian
library was the Alexandrian, founded in
the third century B. c., and is said to
have contained 100000 volumes. The
destruction Of this library was great
loss to the world.
Next to the Alexandrlan library was
that founded by Eumenes, II, king of
Pergamus, the most important of antiqui-
ty, and contained 10000 volumes. The
library of Constantinople, founded by
Constantine, contained 10000 volumes
when it was partially burned. Europe
made no very large collections of books
until after the reformation At the time
of the C9sar's Rome possessed several
libraries, none of which would be noted
now fer their great numbers. At one
time before the downfall of the
Roman Empire, there were twenty-eisht
public libraries, but the northern barba-
rians destroyed and scattered them, so