Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1892-03-24
MeChadcsown Frederick County, Maryland Thursday March a. 1892
HOME LIBRARIES.
EstAblished Practicabllity OF . Now Form
Of Charitable Work.

.-. Of Charitable Work.
The charity Organization societies OF
some of our large cities are gradually
extending their work among the poor
and passing beyond the lines OF simple
benevolence. The Baltimore society Is
cooperating with the industrial educa-
tion association and cooking schools In
efforts to teach the 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-
lishrnent OF home libraries.
A glance at this plan will serve to
STOW at once its simplicity and the
amount of good which it can undoubt-
edly accomplish. A bookcase large
enough to hold fifteen books and five
bound periodicals is fastened to tho
wall in the living room of a poor fa,ni.
iy, boy or girl of the house. thirteen
or fourteen years old. being made H.
brarian and held responsible for the
care of the library.
dren Of tho neighborhoo.l, who meet
together once a week Mt the house
where the library is At these weekly
meetings q visitor from the Children's
Aid society, which supplies tho books,
is always present The children then
return the books which were given out
at the last meeting, and take out Others
to be read Mt home. When this has
been done tho visitor, who is generally
woman, tries to draw out tho chill
dren's opinions of the books and to
quicken their interest in what has been
read.
She alao plays games with them, and
sometimes teaches sewing to any who
may havo q liking for it, The books
include fairy tales, stories Of travel and
the lighter kind of history, and so
when the children reach the age at
which they arc permitted to use the
public library they have learned to
read better class OF books than they
would chooS. if they had not had the
trimming of the homo library.
The cost OF - library complete, with
forms for keeping the records, is only
So. This plan is undoubtedly an Of.
fectivc means of bcneiltting the poor
At an age when their character is form
ing, when their ordinary pursuits and
alnusemcnts bring them into close con
tact with MI 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 II legitimate and elevatins
pleasure.
The books which they take home to
read are read by their parents and by
thniro older brothers and sisters, and the
littlo librarian in whose house the library
is placed awakens to q sense of RESPONSE
bility and orderlincss Tho improve
meut 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.
dren--follow directly in the train of
the work. Interest in reading the best
books is developed. the children's pride
Is stimulated by n sense of organization
and proprietorship, home amusement
and occupation become realities, the
family tie is strengthened and indi.
vidual character developed. .'-Phila
dclpilia Record.