The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1895-03-21
From Fridays Daily.)
WINS SECOND PRIZE.
Herbert shearer's Article on the Need Of
Public Library

One of the chief objects of this gov
eminent is the education of the people
that they may be good, law-abiding
citizens. To accomplish this we have
an excellent system of public schools,
but they do not affect all classes and
those that cannot derive benefit from
them especially need public libraries for
their mental development.
All voters should be we'll informed on
all things pertaining to the govern
ment, and, since public libraries con
tribute greatly to this end, Kenosha
should have one by all means.
A great many of our men and boys
have not time enough to attend school
and have not money enough to buy
books. Almost all Of these are able to
read, and, if they were allowed the use
of a good library, they could educate
themselves.
Now their only means of obtaining
information on current subjects is the
newspaper, which often gives a par
tisan view of the subject discussed.
Good books would give them true in
formation regarding the government,
and in this way would help to purify
politics.
A great many of Kenoshas young
men spend their evenings on the street
or in saloons, and, if they read at all,
they read what they can afford, dime
novels and Indian stories, but never
anything that tends to elevate their
minds and cultivate their faculties. To
such the library would be Of inestima-
BILE value, for they could then obtain
healthful reading matter free. They
! would snand their evenings in the
library, learning to become honest men
and good citizens, instead of in the sal
loon, learning to become murderers,
robbers and gamblers.
How many parents would be glad to
know that their sons--ycs, and daugh-
tiers too, were in q good library instead
of being sout,' nobody knows where,
and getting into untold of vice! Many
a happy home would be preserved if
the young people had something useful
with which to occupy their minds.
Most of the crime, misery and super
stition in this world is caused by ignor-
ance. Who would use tobacco OF al
cohol if he knew what a penalty he
would be compelled to pay? And why
are the people ignorant? Certainly
not from choice, for it is the nature of
all human beings to seek knowledge
ton. Give them the opportunity to be-
come enlightened and they will grasp it
eagerly.
The benefit to be derived from pub
| lie library would not be confined wholly
to those that do not attend school, We
pupils would find it of great value in
carrying on reading supplementary to
our school work To be sure, we have
very good library ii school, but a city
! library would be more extensive and
would be open when we have most time
to use it, in vacation.
Heretofore we have considered only
the benefit to be derived from it, but
the pleasure to be obtained from such
an institution would be considerable.
There we might spend all our spare
moments in both pleasure and profit.
In view Of these facts it seems ex-
tremely advisable to establish public
library in Kenosha in the near future.
The expense of establishing and sus-
tanning suitable one would be small
and the benefit derived from it would
more than compensate for the expense.
Kenosha is very fortunate in it's sys-
tenn of public schools. We have one of
of the finest high schools in the state,
with various other institutions Of learn
ing, but while Kenosha lacks public
library it will never be educationally
perfect. HERBERT SHEARER.