Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-03-21
Shepherd College Library.

1t will be very gratifying TO the lriehos
of Shepherd College to learn that the
library of the college has received very
large additions during the past month.
The library which was left to the col
lege, while it contained many good
books, did not have such as were at
tractive to the students. 1t was felt oy
the faculty and by the executive COM
mittee that more and better reading
matter must be placed at the disposal OIL
the pupils. To lay the foundation OF a
library which must of necessity grow
larger each year, and at the same time
secure as much good literature as the
funds in hand would allow, was the
problem which met the officers OF the
college. The executive committee TOOK
the question up in earnest and we thlnk
the results show that they have solved
il well. We give review of the titles
and authors of some of the books and
leave it to be judged whether the lltera-
ture of the college is not well selected.
The division of history contains in all
about one hundred and twenty volumes.
There are forty-two volumes of Stories
of Nations" which present the histories
of their people in very attractive man
ner. The History of France, by Gulzot,
IN eight volumes, Prescott's Conquest OF
Mexico. Knights History of England,
nine volumes, History of England by
Green, History of the Dutch Republic,
of the Netherlands, by Motley, are all
found in every well-selected library.
Twenty-seven epochs of medieval and
modern history cover their ground well.
The history of our own country has not
been left without its representatives.
History of United States by Bancroft
brings the story of our own people, in
six volumes, down to 1899; the story is
taken up at that point by Schouler, and
in five volumes is brought down TO the
wear 1861. The American Conflict by
Greeley covers the ground of the late
war. In the division of political science
are Bryce on the American Common
wealth, which gives us view OF our
government through European glasses.
Blaine in his Twenty Years in Congress
reviews the period which brought forth
the late war.
Poetry embraces both English and
American poets. The leading men OF
that part of literature are represented.
Fiction is represented by the complete
works of Bulwer, Scott, Dickens, Thack-
eray. &c. Under General Literature
Ruskin is given in thirteen volumes,
The department of reference has in it
Johnson's Universal Cyclopedia, Apple
tons Cyclopedia of American Biogra-
phy, book just published; Historical
Lights by Little, Biblical Lights, Cyclic
pedia of Practical Quotations, Classical
Dictionary, &c. All these books are in
beautiful and substantial binding. The
committee showed their sound judgment
not only in the matter but in securing a
binding which will last.
We will not enumerate more, but Will
simply state that the library now num-
bers 400 volumes of good, substantial
literature The books are here for the
use of the students and there seems to
be desire on their part to use them.
The books when received were all
catalogued and placed in shelves so that
any book can be readily found The
students are charged with any books
taken out and are held responsible for
their return. Besides the books in the
library the following weekly and month
ly papers come to the reading room:
Puck, Judge, Harper's Weekly, Leslie's
Weekly, The School Journal, The Out
look, The Literary Digest, Review of
Reviews, st. Nicholas, Cosmopolitan,
Frank Lesle's Monthly and the Quar-
terlv Review of Current Events.
All these are help in the work of the
college. 1t tends to develop taste for
reading which is so carefully guarded
that the desire for good literature is
formed. Let parents encourage their
children to read. Let them drop in to
the school to the reading room and they
will find their visits appreciated by
teachers and by pupils.
Could anyone do better act for the
young than to encourage a library OF
this kind in their school? Cannot some
one yet add to this collection some
works which are yet needed? The Mem
bers of the Faculty would be glad at
any time to give credit for any volumes
which are needed to enlarge any division
of the library.