The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-06-03

semblage to order.
Stephens juvenile class sang "Wel-
come to all, ," after which Charles Kelley
made thu opening prayer.
Stephens class I.sn sang "Jerusa-
! lem."
! JAMES A. LAkS
made the opening address, his subject
being Library and Reading Rooms"
He realized that the subject was not a
new one, but it was one that had re-
ceived comparatively little attention in
this Territory, and it was most import
| anG that it should. A library. what
is it? A company of the wisest and
wittiest men that could be picked out
of all civil countries in a thousand
years. The student of history cannot
fail to note that these consulting-rooms
have been powerful agency in the de-
velopment and enlightenment of
mankind; that the progress made by
civilization and the spread of that uni
| versal knowledge which so enriches the
world to day, is attributable in great
measure to the founding of libraries
and the gathering together of books
the repositories of knowledge. When
we consider that all that has been
eff ctively thought. said or done. from
creations dawn down to the present
time, has found it's record in the pages
of books, we will understand that to
collect, arrange and set In order these
instructors is a noble task, a task that
| has always borne wholesome fruit and
tended to enrich the heart of the la
| oorer.
He referred at some length to the
| libraries of the ancisnts, and the COL
| lections that were made before the in
vention of the art of printing. Refer
ence was also made to the renowned
libraries of the old world, and the good
that had emanated. His address was
quite lengthy and evilced considerable
research and. study.
An organ solo by Prof, Danes was
substituted for the Duet by Mrs.
Druci Pugsley and Miss Bessie Dean,
owing to the latter's illness.
PROF. j. NJ. TANNER,
then delivered very interesting and
instructive address in the study and
lessons of history. He said: This sub
ject has been assigned to me. and I
have accepted it with some degree of
confidence, because l believe that l am
somewhat familiar with some of
the disadvantages which cur young
people meet in historical Investigations.
the oh ysical nature excites the appe-
tite which Graves food for the sus-
tenance of our bodies. In the intellec-
tual nature, however, this appetite
must be created. The brain can exist
without either study or reading, but it
is great error to take too much food
for the stimulation of the mind. l am
supposed to address the young people
those who have not yet commenced q
| systematic course of historical read
ing. Now, in the first place, what class
of histories should be readP Some may
read the history of England, America
or of France, or it may be sug
gested that we read child's
history of those countries. A national
history presents great multitude of
intricate subjects, which are to be
mastered, and such reading is neces-
sarily complex and diversified in its
nature. The lives of kings and queens,
the history of dynasties and parlia-
ments is not the history of the people.
| The best history is that which brings
of the people. Ask the general reader if
he has read the history of England,
and he will think of some of the great
leaders, but he knows absolutely
nothing about the people. I woald
| not be understood as saying that
| there is no virtue in those
| text hooks" for they have their uses,
but they do not fill the want. Neither
| do those great volumes which confuse
and perpiex the mind. The biography
| Is the book which should be read first.
| Familiarity with historical characters
will create desire for historical knowl-
edge, which SHOULD, in all cases, precede
the actual study of history. The careful
mother would not commence feeding
her child upon a dozen different kinds
of food, and yet why do they recon-
! mend such an intellectual diet for tbs
| young mind2 No one need doubt what
| the result of such course would be
If we read books that are beyond the
| grasp of our minds, then such books
are without effect. 1t is folly to say
that man cannot be aoerta.
| tied with good education
unless he shas s.read certain standard
authors. Reading is but one way of
| getting intelligence, and history is but
one class of reading. 1t does no good
to read books for stimulation alone,
| lucy III 0Sb UC dSslltiu6BCUs b Is q Ulku-
cult matter to prescribe course of
reading. The reading habit if cultivated,
will suggest naturally the class of books
best suited to the individual. Don't be
misled by those who insist that you
must read Ruskin, Shakespeare or
Longtellow whether you wish to or not,
and it may also be said that all books
which produce pleasant impressions
upon the mind are not. on that
account beneficial, any more than
all foods which produce pleas
ant impressions upon the body are
beneficial. The desire flor reading
must be awakened. How shall it be
createdf The Association libraries are
sadly in need of reconstruction. and I
would also recommend that they sub
scribe for number of the best English
and American journals, and keep them
On file. Then l would make the Office
of librarian second to none. There is
that in the mind of children which in
cites them to study, and desire to
discover. This curiosity is the per-
cursor of intelligence, and our efforts
should be to lead them on step by step,
until they begin to investigate for
| themselves.
GEORGE C. LAMBERT