Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-10-05
Is IT CHARITY:
Loanlns Books 10 fublic School
Children.

Children.
! For the INTELLIGEscER
This questionable piece OF economy may
be expedient, but it is not right. Who
would think of loaning his dictionary? or
who would wish to borrow his neighbor's
borrower and lender would be mutually
embarrassed. A Bible and a dictionary
are not the sort of books to borrow or lend,
for very plain reasons and school text
book should be relieved of the suspicion
of loan, after it shall have been decided
by the guardians of this species Of aims
that the applicant is proper subject and
just here charity can find fitting express
sion. Charity will not wound the feel
ings of child by putting it in the hands
of his teachers and companions to remind
him of his disadvantages, and humiliate
him for accepting their favors.
If it is disgraceful and a matter requir
ing the most careful scrutiny TO give a
book to an applicant, it must be SO because
| it is supposed to cmbarrass the school fund
and suggest that taxpayers are not will
If 50, can We not have Garfield fund for
the benefit of our "poor" children? Ben
efactions for educational purposes are com
mon enough. Gifts Of money, land and
buildings, other than government. state Or
municipal aid to 1876, show tho following g
summary California, 81. .0s2 900 Connec-
ticut, s773, ,GO7; Delaware, $4,000; Dis
trict of Columbia. $1,000 Georgia, sGS,
500; Illinois, 81. 2.644, $50; Indiana, $3.50, 600
Iowa, s13,s5O; Kansas, $500; Louis
lana. $4,000; Maine, sl35,95O; Mary
land, s1,4s6, 500; ; Massachusetts,, s2,94s,
e7s Minnesota, S15, 300 =; Missouri, 1884,
GS7 Nebraska, 81, 100; New Hampshire.
s5s,379 New Jersey, s416,7Oo; New
York, ss,942, ,27s; Ohio, s197, 500; Orc
gon, $3.50; Pennsylvania, s1,44S, 473
Rhode Island, 1924, 7s1 South Carolina,
s35, 900 Tennessee, $3.50 Texas, s1S, 900 ;
Vermont, s74,3OS; Virginia, ssS, 900 :;
Wisconsin, $1,000. Total for the United
States, s14,92O,637. To these statistics
the bureau of education, adds: "It is
fairly estimated that Of the gifts of money,
land and buildings above recorded, at
least fivc-sixths have been received within
the last thirty five years."
The figures quoted arc for donations to
public libraries only. have no tabulated
statistics at hand from which to estimate
the sums donated for colleges, schools, ETC.,
but these are sufficient for tho intention
The will Of Smithson bequeaths to the
United States of America, "to found at
Washington, under the namo of the
the Smithsonian Institution, IN establish
ment for the increase and diffusion of
knowledge among men," The amount of
the bequest was $5l5, 100.
These gifts Charity owns not for the
large sums, but the large spirit of good
will which Influenced the donors whose
names have been recorded by tile angel on
the scroll among those who love their fel-
low men. But she refuses the corner Of her
mantle to such as would harass child
or his mother with hateful inquiries
Or all comprehensive blanks blottcd and
blurred with thrifty meanness, while ex-
tending Il loan of fraction-O a-dollar-
book or slate. Careful methOdical bust
ncss-likc script on the fly leaf announces
aud advertises the relation of tho child to
the book and the book to the child, and
thus oar "poor' get "aa education" of a
most impressive sort. L.