Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-16
WHAT YOUNG AMERICA READS.
The Public Libraries Doing Imnens
Good for Future Generations.


Good for Future Generations.
To ascertain what the great army Of
New Yor,I's young folks read, reporter
visited the leading Libraries Of the metrop-
oils and conversed with the librarians
and readers. 1t is mistake to suppose
that the children are not critical, and will
read everything put before them; on the
contrary, they are the most critical and
exacting of all readers.
'At what age do children ask you for
books,' was asked of librarian who has
made study of children's literature.
''Well,' answered. the lady, smiling,
''our rules do not permit the giving of
books to children under 12 years of age,
but so anxious are the little things to
read that many of them come here on the
day before their 18th birthday so as to
make sure of the reading privilege.
Many Of the books taken out are actually
read by younger brothers and sisters not
10 years DID,
At the Apprentices library the writer
was informed that a number of childrln
only 10 years old were readers of books
The boys seem to be the greatest de-
voureIs Of books. Some regularly read
one book a day, and would read more if
allowed. The boys are especially fond of
history, fiction, tales of travellers and sea
stories. One little tot recently asked for
a book ''where they fight on water"
The girls are also very fond of fiction
and fairy tales. 1t is found that the boys
not only read much faster than the girls,
but read more Of the solid class of litera-
ture. The majority of girls read ro-
mances, especially sensational ones. Some
of them like poetry, for which boys as a
rule do not care. A small percentage of
the boys read books of popular science,
and works which may be useful in trade
and business. This class of reading is al
most entirely neglected by the girls. Boys
read good deal of the standard litera-
ture. Dickens is very popular among
them, but where the taste for higher lit
erature is at ali developed American su-
thors like Irving and Cooper come in for
good share of popularity.
Books and magazines containing pict-
ures are in very much demand by both
sexes. Children do not care for SO called
religious or Sunday school books. Books
which attempt to convey moral lessons Of
the goodey goodey kind are given the
cold shoulder. One of the librarians as
sured the writer that such books
would never be read if the youth.
full readers were not sometimes mis-
led by the authors. There does not seem
to be any special difference of taste
caused by the varying nationalities Of the
Chlldren's parents. Children Of German
parentase form large proportion Of the
readers, and it is noticeable that no mat
ter what the parentage Of the children IS,
the latter all prefer books in the English
language. Coiored children are also mum
bercd among the readers. Children OF
Jewish parentage seem TO be especially
fond Of reading books in which things
that may be useful to them in trade or
business are combined with amusement
or set forth in an attractive, popular
form. There is a considerable love Of art
among children, not OF course of art as
art, but the pictures and woodcuts.
Some boys are careless and soil books,
but as rule they are fairly clean with
them; but girls are far cleaner and heater
than the boys in this respect. OF course
boys, if permitted. would read the highly
sensational blood and thunder" tales
and girls would read the highly seasoned
sensational romances, but all such books
are carefully kept out of the public libra
ries. When the taste for good literature
is once awakened the boy snd girl find 10
difficulty il satisfying it--New York
Press.