The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-05-03
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Value of Such an Institution 10 the
Rising Generation.

Rising Generation.
To the Editor; In serving on this
canvassing. committee in behalf of this
Public Library, L have found that the
necessity OF such an institution is moi
recognized by many of the most gener
ously disposed and philosophical citi-
zens; partly because they have not
/ thought much upon the subject, and
partly because they do not see every
day, as / clio in my work, the great pos
sibilities for good that a free library
would offer to our community. Lit is
as a teacher, as one interested ia. all
that concerns the welfare of theslslng
generation, that / wish to speak to par
ents, Christians and all philanthropists
in behalf of the Public Library as an
educational factor.
In speaking Of education, mean not
knowledge but the building up Of char
acter. This is the highest mission of
the school, as it is of the churcE. A
free library offering pure literature to
rich and poor, young and old alike,
will help the work of both church and
school. For moral character is not
built up by continual preaching. For
this instruction, as for all, the best
method is object teaching. We can
grasp great principles of virtue, and
lofty ideals of character only as repre-
scented in some man or woman. We
learn what honor means from the
story of Begulus; we understand the
meaning of patriotism from the life
of Washington, and men have a clear
idea Of what love is, and God, since
Jesus has lived upon the earth.
Material for this kind of object
teaching is to be found in the classic
literature of our language. Not only
biography and history, but, for exam
pies Of high ideals, some of the noble
creations Of fiction are equally as val
liable. The lesson is none the less true
because the Good Samaritan was an
imaginary person. Tennyson's ideal
Arthur,
who revered his conscience as his
king;
Whose glory was, redressing human
wrong;
Who spoke no SANDER, no, nor listen'd
to it;
Who loved one only and who claye to
her"
has welded wider influence for good
than thousands of men of flesh and
blood
Now, we cannot educate children at
school, we can only start them. In the
first place, they do not go to school
long enough to receive much educa-
ton. Perhaps the man of culture and
comfortable means, who reads this,
has in mind his own boys and girls,
whom he intends to keep at school and
college till they are grown. But it is
the great mass of children who largely
learn to read and write, who leave
school as soon as their little hands are
strong enough to work, that / think
of when I contemplate the blessing
that Public Library will be to Raj
eigh. In January there were 934 whites
in the public schools. OF these only
255 were advanced beyond the third
year. A large majority of the children
that enter school do not stay longer
than three years. Alas! how many of
these never get beyond the third years
culture in all their lives They have
no books at home they have no en-
couragement to read, and no oppor-
tunity; unless it be such rubbish and
trash and filth as is infinitely worse
than nothing.
Young people crave mental stimula-
ton. it is a natural desire, and, right
| ~ directed, is the means of making
noble minded men and women. Bull
when we fail to supply a healthy
lstimulant, can we blame the youth, il
he resorts to an unhealthy sort? The
/ way to drive out vicious literature is
to offer good literature Young people
will not feed on carrion, if they can
lget clean and strengthening meat. But
unless we supply their appetite with
| wholesome food we may be sure that
many viii deyour poison A free
I library will reach even these boys and
girls who must leave school so early
1t will make a higher education still
possible for them.
Some have expressed doubt to me
| as to whether persons who are unable
/ to buy books, would avail themselves
of a public library, if one should be
established. For answer, [ wish EC
give the annual circulation for the
lyears 1929 of the public Libraries oil
/ some towns smaller than Raleigh. This
means the number of books taken out
Iduring the year, exclusive of whatever
Jones were read in the library building:
Annual