The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1891-06-19
sowe LIBRARIES.
IseabSIshed P-~aeticablnty Of . New Form
~ Charitable Work.

HoMe LIBRARIES.
Estattfshea Prseticablrly 81 . New Form
81 Charitable Work.
Tho charity organization societies Of
pome Of our largo cities arc gradually
extending their work among the poor
and passing beyond the lines Of simple
bencvolcnco. The Baltimore society is
cooperating with the industrial educa-
ton association and cooking schools in
efforts to teach tho practical principles
Of social science and to apply them to
every day life, and in Boston an excel
lent work has been done by the estab-
lisilment of home libraries.
A glsnce at this plan will serve to
show at once its simplicity and the
amount Of good which it can undoubt-
eddy sacco,uplish. A bookcase large
enough to hold fifteen books and five
bound periodicals is fastened to the
wan in the living room of a poor fami-
y, q boy OF girl of the house, thirteen
Of fourteen years old, being made H.
bsarian and. held responsible for the
caye Of the library.
A club is formed of ten of the chill
dren of the neighborhood, who meet
together once n week at the house
where the library is. Al these weekly
meetings a visitor from the Children's
Aid society, which supplies the books,
Is always present. The children then
return the books which given out
Mt the last meeting, and take out others
to be read at homo. When this has
been done the visitor, who is generally
a woman, tries to draw out the chill
dren's opinions of the books and to
quicken their interest in what has boon
read.
She also plays games with them, and
sometimes teaches sewing to any who
may have a liking for it. The books
include fairy tales, stories of travel and
the lighter kind of history, and 80
when the children reach the age at
which they arc permitted to use the
public library they have learned to
read a better class Of books than they
would choose if they had not had the
training of the home library.
The cost Of a library complete, with
forms for keeping the records. is only
$25. This plan is undoubtedly IN ef-
fective means Of benefitting the poor.
At an age when their character is form.
ing. when their ordinary pursuits and
aIIiusements bring them into close con
tact with all that is worst in the byways
Of a great city, they begin to realize
that there is something better and
brighter beyond their own daily rou.
tine, and are given an opportunity of
enjoying a legitimate and elevating
pleasure.
The books which they tako home to
read arc read by their parents and by
their older brothers and sisters, and the
little librarian in whose house the library
is placed nwakens to n sense Of RESPONSE
bility and orderlincss Tho improve
ment spreads to the rest of the family,
and the home becomes brighter and
more cheerful.
The first of these libraries was started
in Boston four years ago and they now
number forty-six. The society which
has charge of them says that good
temper, good manners and cheerful
ness-what We must look for in chill
directly in the train of
the work. Interest in reading the best
books is developed, the childrcn's pride
Is stimulated by q m of organization
and proprietorship, homo amusement
and occupation become realities, the
family tie is strengthened and indi-
vidual character developed."-Phila-
delphfa Record.