Omaha daily bee., 1883-04-11
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
How It's Advantages May Be
Enjoyed by Pupils.
A Real University Without
Money and Without
Price.

tees of the public library oalle'
special attention to the fact that man,
scholars In the public schools her
were reaping the advantage Of TIL
collection Of books, by puruuinI
courses of reading under the guidanc,
of the hands Of Wise teachers, ant
consulting freely reference books oil
topics In connection with their daily
studies. The broadening and inspira
tional effect to their youthful intel
lects Of thus getting away from mer'
text books, has attracted sufficient at
t~ention already to cause comment sne
commentator. II seems desirabl,
that this drift Of educational In
Auenoes be more sharply deiued ant
more clearly guided.
This use Of the public library IL
connection with the schools has ct
tracted attention and excited though,
in other cities, and from action taker
else where and the experience of Other
cities G )uncIl Bluffs may learn some
profitable facts.
In Chicsgo, a few days ago, q con
ference was held between the member,
Of the school board and the trustees
Of the public library, ct which this
matter was discussed at length. A
similar conference would be desirable
here, and might result In much good
by bringing into force harmonious
plans mutually aided by both boards.
Librarian Poole delivered at that
conference an able address, q synopsis
Of which will BIZ read with interest and
profit by oil. He said In substance
that the public library Is supported by
the same constituency, by the same
method Of taxation, and for the same
purpose % are the public schools, and
that purpose IL the education of the
people. The public library comes In
to supplement the work OF the public
schools; to give q broader education
than the schools can give, and to fur.
nish the. opportunities Of study after
the pupils have left school and gone
into the practical work of life. 1t Ia
the experiences to every person who
becomes Q scholar, that when he
left school, or sven college, he
knew very little. He had learned
how to study, how to think, how to
reason and how to acquire, bat he
had as yet acquired only the ,udl.
ments Of knowledge. His real edu.
cation, II he ever had any, now
begins, and With the use of books, he
carries 1t on with no other teachers
than these silent monitors. The CHI
zens Of Chicago In the public library
have the opportunities OF a "resl
university" as Carlyle puts 1t, with
out money and without price. This l,
no fancy sketch. l know young msr
In Chicago who, while pursuipg theiI
daily %avocations on which they de
pend for q livelihood, have obtained
broader, more thorough, and practics
education than have %nine-tenths o
the graduates Of Harvard and Yale.
Wish there were more of these Ia
stances, and l suspect there would b,
II the graduates OF the high and gram
mar schools were better fitted for GU
local university, the public library
But where In our system IL the prs
vision by which the tboussnd q
pupils In these schools, who do NJ
90 to college, have such q prepa,
alton that they will naturally an
readily acquire . habit Of reading
and use int~eliigently the privileges o
the public library2 Has the subiec
ever been considered In either @
these boardsi Pupils can be yer
much aided by previous friendly hel
of their teachers, who will hav
directed their attention to the advau
tages of the library, assigned ther
! subjects which they are to investigat
for themselves, and by giving theu
special Instructions ~ to reierenc
books which are the working tools {
literary research. II teachers wei
always ~ intelligent and interested 1
the subjeot ~ are the teachers of OF
high schools, they could do no NOR,
I even with the present crowded ourr
culum Of studies. They could ri,
instructions In the methods of stud,
so that their pupils could work Ind
Q p~endently. Before continuing furth
In this liue Of thousht..I wish to spes
Of our public library, and the claim
. has to be called, in MIR. Ga
= lyle's meaning, a 'real university
= The Idea that l advance Ia to 80 ed
8 cate the pupil that when no leaves u
y public schools he will taxa hold of Il
library and continue the work of ed
eating himself. Thi, plan has be,
10 carried out In some of tho easte
! cities with great SUCCESS. After ri
ing the matter some consideration
y undertook to invito a oirss from t
10 high school to visit us. The frat TIL
= came was Q class of botany with tn,
ut teacher. I made them q short q
10 dress, explaining the purpose, q
III then the books OF reference, a. we'll
the best method for reseasoh, we
pointed out to them. Another til
,. the subject was Egypt, and boo
y OF travel, histories, treatises on I
p arts Of that country, works with Ill,
70 trations were laid before them. Sir
then numbers Of classes have be
ID, here, and the greatest eagerness a
p- Interest have been shown. The
rs however, came from the high schoo
whose teachers were interested. I
a, fruits are already e In the fact Il
=. the tables covered with books of r
!. erence are freeusnted with doubl.
many as formerly. II 1 am h,
res when we have a now building, l WI
We a largo room devoted exclusively
to the use OF public schools. In conc
led sion, ore word. The youth of G
csgo will road. II they do not r,
Ia. what Is In the library. they will r,
what Is outside, and that which 10,