Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-11-05
Don't Forget Library Day.

"Here ] am
To speak what l do know"
81 will confer with you

| 'tHere am
| To speak what l do know
| 81 will confer with you
| Of something which nearly concerns yourselves"
| -SHAKEsPEARE
Of the making of cheap books there is NJ
end. Show me the books your children read
and will tell you what they will grow to be
What our children grow to be is of far more
| Importance than what they lie TO knoS0.
'Good books are to the young mind wha
the morning sun and the refreshing rain o
| spring are to the seeds that have lain dor
mant in the frosts of winter" -HoRACI
MANN.
Teach your children to love good books
and the secrets of this world will thus b.
opened up to them; yes, they must learn te
read and to love reading before they can be-
come power for good.
The attention of teachers and friends o
education is respectfully called to Library
Day, November 9th, and inasmuch as thi:
is very worthy and commendable sugges-
ton on the part of our young and enthusiast
tic State Superintendent, it is hoped that the
people of Iron county will make an effort ir
each school district to raise at least small
sum with which to buy books; thus forming
nucleus for larger future collection.
Teachers in our country schools must mo-
content themselves with complaining of the
indifference of patrons, and make this an ex-
ent as to the well-being of their children,
thong n they may at first appear so. What
we need in educational matters, as in other
affairs of life, is an enthusiastic leader in
each community; and who, if not the teacher,
should take the lead in the up-building OF
educational sentiment.
If those teachers who are wont to complain
of the public, will examine themselves closely
they will find in most cases that the fault
lies within themselves. Many of these teach
ers have not sufficient enthusiasm and zeal to
keep class awake at recitation, and yet
they complain of a lack of interest on the
part of the public. Teachers, wake up and
60 to work in earnest, and let US have a re-
port from you after November 9th that you
will be proud of all your life.
Many of our country children never see a
book other than their dry, matter-of-fact
textbooks, and no wonder they grow up in
perfect ignorance of the world and its people.
Text books are dry enough at best, and
when in the hands of young and inexperi-
enced teacher they become mere routine, and
the children lose all interest in them and
look upon them with fear and trembling,
because they can see nothing but tasks in
them.
How different would this be if the text on
geography could be supplemented by few
choice books of travel and a history of the
peoples and places visited.-What different
kind of interest would the pupil feel in the
ordinarily dry geographical facts if he had
read something of the people living in given
country or city. How much more interesting
would our school histories be if supplemented
by few stories of history-many of which
read like fairie tales to the children of to-day;
this can be understood if you will notice how
eagerly they recite historical facts that are
told in the form of story. Our school readers,
too, would be SO much more appreciated if
pupils were not required to read the lessons
one after another and hear from day to day
the too common dictum stake the next les
son. but were permitted to have "select
reading" occasionally, chosen from the
beautiful stories or fables found in the library
books. How much more rapid and salts
factory would be their growth in thought de-
velopment if the teacher would read to them
some interesting story, once or twice week,
and have them reproduce it in their own
words and make this reproduction a reading
exercise.
These books will be a source of pleasure
and Joy forever to the children for whom
they are intended, and it ought to be the
proudest day in the life of every teacher when
he can say that he was instrumental in placing
in their hands the means of culture. Try it,
dear teachers, and watch their little eyes
sparkle and see how eagerly they will devour
their contents, and you will never regret it.
Talk the matter up among the parents aud
patrons of your school. If you attempt 10
raise the fund by subscription, head the list
yourself and work diligently from now until
the 9th inst.
Your worth as an educator will be meas
ured by your ability to lead and to succeed
in this matter. Do not be discouraged, this
public school library is to be permanent
feature in the school system of Missouri, and
you will always be proud of having champi-
oned it in its incipiency. 1t is now part of
the system in many of the older states and is
by the State; let US show that we
can manage this one feature without State
aid and that we can do it better and more
than the State could do it for
US. Let the matter 60 right int o the homes
and the hearts of the people, enlist the chill
iren in its behalf and its success is assured.
Respectfully submitted,
A. P. VANCE, County Com'r.
Mr.. d. w. Oesterle of Oesterle & Trauer.
NIGHT has inst returned from the city after