The times., 1898-03-06
Some surprising statistics.

From the Buffalo News)
Statistics show that only Eve per cent Of the
children of this country 20 through high school
and less than two per cent 90 through a univer-
sity The studying child does at school merely
begins the developing OF the mind 1t teaches
him to investigate, 20 reason To continue this
and reach the development and advancement
which the spirit of the age demands it IS neces-
sary that there should be constantly at hand prop
er and reliable reference works With these the
mind can be broadened, culture and education adj
vanced. questions answered and peTpiexing doubts
removed Every child, every Intelligent man
and woman have brought to their attention every
dav at least one subject on which more inforna-
tion IS desired With the proper books at nand
and with the desire for Investigation, properly
stimulated the store of knowledge caE be daily
increased
With the idea of asceriaining how many Of the
homes of our city possess reference works or
other books, that would assist children in their
school studies or enable them TO continue them
after leaving school, the News has recently been
collecting some statistics on the subject The
result shows that nearly 80 per cent Of the homes
in Naugatuck have no general reference work and
over 40 per cent actually have no dictionary of
the English language The most astonishing part
OF it is, that this large percentage Is not made up
Of the poorer classes. in fact, many of our best
families absolutely lack the facilities OF aHOrding
their children any means Of home study.
In the opinion of the News, this Is a matter that
is worthy OF the careful consideration OF all
parents Il would seem rs though our children
are entitled not only to all the benefits that the
state affords in the matter Of education but
that the guardian parent IS in duty bound
To make il possible for the child To develop and
extend his studies in the home, and nothing Is bet
ter adapted TO this purpose than first class gem
eral reference work, containing general sum
mary of all human knowledge in every department.
OF learning.
There are several objections urged against many
OF the reference works now the market. one
is that the articles are so long and verbose that
il is almost impossible TO md the information
sought for Another Is. that the Information IS
out of date and therefore valueless, or that the
articles are brief to be unsatisfactory. or so
technical as 10 be intelligent only to the college
graduate None Of these objections, however,
can be urged against one or two works that have
been recently completed and the art Of book
/ making, has been developed to such an extent
| that work which ten years ago would have cost
a fabulous sum OF money to the average parent can
now actually be purchased for 4 uoniHIl sum-
1t IS impossible to estimate the amount OF
/ knowledge that can be absorbed aud the good
that can be accomplished by the aid OF thorough
| ly good reference library. 1t often forms the
/ groundwork for any system OF home education or
| private study and frequently affords the means
! under competent guidance OF acquiring a liberal
education. The News hopes that these startling
i figures will awaken the interest OF those who nave
the welfare Of our children at heart 70 the neceS
/ sity of supplying them with every advantage that
| the eIoSin.; years of the nineteenth century de-
mand-