Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-10-31
PAPERS AND LIBRARIES.
by M'EvELYN.

In England we hear first, Of the
written news letters furnished to the
wealthy aristocracy then, as the crav-
ing for information spread, the ballads
of news, sung or recited; then the news
pamphlets arranged in prose then the
periodical sheet of news, and, lastly, the
weekly newspapers, the first one, en-
titled "The Weekly News from Italy,
etc, published in the year 1922.
The ancient Athenian salutation,
"What's the news ?" is on the lips of
men to-day.
Something more was needed to satisfy
the hunger for information than the tab
lets of stone on the corners Of the
streets. To-day the newspaper is as es-
sential to the happiness and prosperity
of nation as its supreme law.
With "tlie world for its parish, this
priest, the newspaper, is proving one of
the most potent educators. AS civiliza-
ton advances and our postal laws be-
come thoroughly organized the demand
will increase. In its four centuries Of
growth, the art Of printing has given to
us the rich legacy of an advanced and
rapidly advancing civilization. True
culture can only be attained by forego-
ing Indulgence in mcaner pleasures. In
early years education was confined to the
few. 1t was q rich man who could own
book and magus who could read it.
In these days of free schools, free
public libraries, "thou art inexcusable,
oh, man, whatsoever thou art, that get
teth not wisdom.
Contemporaneous with the idea of
free education was the idea of free pub
lie libraries not until the one became
no longer an experiment, but reality,
did the other become even possibility.
In the first days of our country's his
tory the lovers of reading were COM
PEELED to send to Europe for their books.
The thoughtful, eager Franklin, with
all his craving for knowledge, found,
during the first quarter of the last cent
ury, in the city Of Boston, ga few books
in his fathers library, the use of book
now and then from a bookstore, the
'chance of borrowing book from
pretty collection, or the occasional
purchase of one.
About the year 1872, after Franklir's
fair establishment in Philadelphia, the
first public library was established,
becoming, as he said, "the mother Of all
North American subscription libraries. "
We read of the books for this
library coming from England; of
the occasional presentation Of a
book or two; of n subscriber bringing
n book for the directors to examine %anl
purchase if they would" title, "a Voy-
age to the South Seas, along the Coast
of Chill and Peru, in 1712- 13-'l4;" with
thirty-seyen copper cuts, well printed,
and we'll bound in folio form. The board,
after much consideration, agreed to buy
this valuable book, and ordered the
librarian to pay the price down, Is sh:l-
lings, out of the money received for fines
Oh borrowed books.
This library reflected the taste T1d
bore the impress Of its great author aid
originator, Franklin. .>
The culture and refinement Of the
masses is due to this mighty civilization
produced by books and papers. Public
libraries are store-houses that both sup.
ply and create demand. He is wiseSt
who culls most carefully, most judi
ciously, most intelligently from this
great ocean OF knowledge.