Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-23
BOOKS AND CHILDREN.
superintendent Powell Discusses the Library
Question.


THE LACK OF LIBRARY FACILITIES IN THE SCHOOLS
AND SOME SUGGESTIONS CONCERNING THE NEED
OF PUBLIC LIBRARY-MR. POWELL SAYS IT
WOULD BE MORE VALUABLE THAN A UNI
vERsIrY.
Superintendent Powell of the public schools
says in his annual report: referring again to
the reports Of the High School principals
another matter is presented to which your
attention is respectfully called. The lack Of
books to which teachers and pupils can turn
for more knowledge of subjects under consid-
Grafton is n serious hindrance to correct work,
broad work, in all branches of study. This
want is not restricted to the High Schools, but
| is felt in all grades and kind of schools, being
deplored by our teachers universally.
I'm the teaching Of science discovery reveals
the truth. or if the truth is dictated, demon
stratlon verifes it. In no case is the young
learner in the early steps Of knowledge to ac-
cept the statement of teacher or text without
verifcation. Repeated investigations or ex-
periments reveal new and kindred truths that
confirm the first, adding not only strength to
H. but new lights in which it is seen. giving
new and other values to it, Truth discovered
and verified gives delight to the investigation
not known to him who receives unchailenged
the results of anothers discovery. The work
OF discovery fascinates, 8llures Feeding on
Itself, thus gathering new strength, success
cultlvates the power to see. strengthens and
gives value to Judgment gives confidence,
self-control. educatcs.
THE CHILD AND THE BOOK.
when the child is strong enough to pass from
the field OF original sources for his information
and begins the getting of knowledge from the
world OF formulated knowledge books, he will
have frequent recourse to original source of
information to verify what he in
Is told by his instructor. He must here. how
ever, begin a new kind of verifcation, that of
establishing his facts by evidence. This evil
dence Is to be found in books. He is now to
learn to use books that statements may by evil
oence be substantiated; that statements not
understood may be made clear to him. He
must be taught to turn to books that he may
see other statements of the same facts; that he
may see them In new lights and
thus see them in more varied rela.
tons and thus understand them better.
he must see new applications made of them
That he may better and more fully know their
values He has learned to discover by investi.
CATION; he has learned the uses of words and
other symbols by using them for the expression
OF thought that has been his own; he has learned
to verify by example statements which he I'M
derstood. but OF whose truth he was not sure;
ne must now learn to establish truth by evil
dence. How delighted will this use of books be
to him. 10 him who has learned how most
=
as experimenting is to the scientist; thought
thus gained is AS valuable and as streng thening
as fact discovered 1t Ii no less the duty OF the
school, even the school of the low grade. to in
struct and train the child in the profitable use
OF books than it is to train him to observe that
he may know or to instruct him in the Use of
apparatus for the veritication of fact presented
through symbols.
SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
Every school should have its library 1t is
no less necessary to good teaching than
Is the specimen if the child Is to be
taught concerning plants or other natural
phenomena. Glad, indeed, am l to have
the lower grade schools supplied with OBJ.
jects that the children may properly learn to
see; to have the higher grade provided with
apparatus. that the pupils may discover facts
or prove what is dictated to them. No less i'm
portant Is it that books should be at hand that
the children may read for veritication, tor ex-
PLANTATION, for BROADER application, for clearer
views anu greater qualification. We want more
books III every grade OF school, in every school
room. These should be selected with care and
wisdom. We should know: First I hat the books
are suited In grade TO the pupils who are to Use
them Second That they treat of subjects taught
III the grade or an allied subject. Third. l hat
what they contain is reliable information.
Fourth. That their style OF composition is
worthy of imitation.
Without the help Of books treating of the
subjects studied in the school in different
lights and for varied purposes, and books
treating of correlated subjects, children
cannot be trained to read probably and
therefore cannot be taughtwell. Every branch
Of study pursued IN the school has ITS liter
ature suited to the capacity Of the child
that pursues 1t no matter what the grade of
learning lis. With the help OF this literature
We may lead our children into the boundless
fields Of formulated knowledge with power to
make 1t their own and with desires and am
billions that will be satisfied with nothing else
than the list they offer. Teaching a subject
must include the giving Of some knowledge of
photography belonging to it, celebrating it,
applying II. No other teaching should be
called good in this day. If we can thus train
our children to a profitable and satisfying use
OF books the question of the occupation of
leisure hours Will need less solicitude by parent
or state.
BOOKS NOW OWNED BY THE SCHOOLS,
1--WE have some books. most of which are well
adapted to the needs of the school. These are
fairly well distributed among the various
grades.
1.-The books have been purchased with funds
obtained by giving concerts. lunches &c Some
schools however, III the less favored portion
Of the city have not been able to secure libra
ries. Such schools should have books fur
nished them at once.
"The following shows how many books we
have and how they are distributed among the
divisions: Normal School, -; Central High
School, 300; Eastern High School, $50; Western
High School, -; Business High School, l29;
first division, 1900; second division, A, 3. 852;
second division, b, 2.155; third division. l. 243;
fourth division, 800 fifth division 2, 7Sl sixth
division. A, =; sixth division, b, 1893.
The teachers and pupils are entitled to
much praise for their efforts to secure books
Nearly all We have in the schools below the
High School have been obtained by them.
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
"A public library such as Washington ought
to have would increase the efficiency and use
fitness of our schools and would give to them
dignity and power for permanent good which
they can never possess without it. A public Ii
brary is more valuable to a community than a
university. A good library is a fountain whose
| sources are the beginning of recorded events
and whose tributaries are the multiplying
achievements OF man in every field of thought
and action; the pupils of our schools who are
to be the future citizens should be made ac-
quainted with its substantial qualities while
| being allowed by its perennial freshness
"A public library is depository in which
are represented the thoughts, feelings and as
pirations OF man; the causes. tendencies and
results OF events. 1t is field for investiga-
ton Offering opportunity and inducement to
the original investigation equal or superior to
that offered in any field of original INQUIRY
field Of natural phenomena on higher plane"