Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1884-04-04
TYAPERS AND LIBRARIES.
BIZ M'EvRLYN.

IN England We hear "frst, Of the
written news letters furnished to the
wealthy aristocracy; then, as the crav-
ing for information spread, the ballads
u news, sung or recited then the news
pamphlets arranged in prose then the
periodical sheet of news, and, lastly, the
wsekly newspapers" the first one, en-
fitled The Weekly News from Italy,
etc, published in the year 1922.
The ancient Athenian salutation,
"what's the news 2" is on the lips of
men to-day.
Something more was needed to satisfy
tho hunger for information than the tab
let's of stone on the corners Of the
zsreets. To-day the newspaper is as es-
sential to the happiness and prosperity
Of q nation as its supreme law.
With "the 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
VIII increase. In its four centuries of
growth, the art Of printing has given 80
MS the rich legacy of an advanced ara
rApidly-advancing civilization. True
culture can only be attained by forego-
ing indulgence in nneaner pleasures. In
early years education was confined to the
few. 1t was rich man who could own
q book and magus who could read it.
In these days Of free schools, free
public libraries, "thou art inexcusable,
oh, man, whosoever 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 a 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
my, 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 a book from a
pretty collection or the occasional
purchase of one"
About the year 1872, after Franklir's
fair establishment in Philadelphia, the
frst public library WIS established,
becoming, as he said, "the mother of oil
North American subscription libraries. "
We read of the books for this
library coming from England; of
the occasional presentation Of
book or two of a subscriber bringing
a book for the directors to examine land
purchase if they would" title, ga voy-
age to the South Seas, along the Coast
of Chill and Peru, in 1712-'13-'14;" with
thirty-seven copper cuts, well printed,
and well 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 shil-
lings, out of the money received for fines
ON borrowed books.
This library reflected the taste and
bore the impress Of its great author and
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 ca efully, most judi
cionsly, most intelhSantly from this
great ocean of knowledge.