Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1898-12-03
s':sslic E,t,rary.

in one of our county papers-"Shall
Onancock have a public library2'
The suggestion at first gave us some
thing of the shock of thunderbolt
out of clear sky. The idea of q
public library in Accomack county
had not occurred to us. Yet as we
think of it, the idea becomes increas-
ingly pleasing and plausible. That
bleak, rugged little corner OF our
country which we call New England
is to large extent dominating the
whole land, shaping its thought and
more or less determining it's culture.
Why? Surely not by superiority OF
natural wealth and resources, climate
or location. In these respects she is
vastly inferior to our own section.
Not from any superiority of race or
blood, for her pure English and
Scotch-Irish stocks accord to Vir-
GINA at least place in the front
rank. Not by reason of higher and
larger intellectual endowments, for
the mother of presidents and states
men can take no second place. New
England owes her abnormally great
| influence in recent times to her fe-
cundity of ideas. She has been a
huge mental incubator where num-
berless hocks of ideas are Matched, to
scatter over the whole country.
This fertility of thought has, OF
course, been produced, spite of in
f,rior natural gifts, by superior edu-
cational advantages.
We believe that what is being done
IN bare New England can be better
done on the Eastern Shore, enriched
by so many of Natures best gifts.
1t goes without saying that what
we need is books. Our schools are
creating demand for them. There
is craving in the heart of the rising
generation for a broader culture.
This appetite for books is good sign.
1t shows increased intellectual life
and health-that we are recovering
from the paralysis which war and
consequent poverty brought upon all
educational enterprise in the South.
We are beginning to shake off this
torpor, but the intellectual and
aesthetic life of the section require
further stimulus and constant direc-
ton and tone.
Books will do more to build up Ac-
comack than dollars now. They are
firm foundation, and constitute o
strong wall of defense against per-
nicious, social and economic business
that troop in upon us. Right ideas
make true and strong men, and they
are better protection than brick and
stone. More than anything beside,
our people just at present need books
good books, properly used. No
section of the State better appre-
ciates the value OF good school than
Accomack. But school that does
not have a library to back it up is
much hampered. 1t necessarily la
bors under great embarrassment
Teachers can only suggest and direct.
General reading, properly directed,
produces broad culture, and a liberal
education without books is an inn
possibility.
Why not buttress our schools and
encourage our earnest devoted teach
ers with d public library, situated
where it would have the widest in
fuence1 Supply this great deficiency
in our educational forces, and the
day will speedily come when no boy
or girl will find it necessary TO leave
the Shore in search of an education.
A few dollars invested thus would
really prove vast saving to the peo-
ole of Accomack who are determined
to educate their children. Experience
proves that money expended on home
institutions is an excellent investmnst
just from financial view point. 1t
will speedily yield large dividend.
Heaven has richly blessed the Eas
tern Shore. No section in all the
country has wider variety of pro
ducts or yields larger returns for the
labor expended. For the sake of thu
rising generation and the good of the
country, let US foster every right
educational enterprise. We want
less plush on the furniture if thereby
we can give our children richer
adornment of the mind. Let US fur
nish them that which four years
war to great degree prevented the
present generation from enjoying.
We have the money to found pub
lie library. A very few hundreds
would establish the enter prise on a
I firm basis. What We need is the will
to do it. 1t must be confessed that
one public library and one county
fair would give Accomack better
showing before the wordsworth do
more to draw men and capital to our
Shores-than two county fairs and
no library.
By all means let US have library
I if it can be shown to be possible.
AFER
District Convention of The w. 4. 4. T.
The first quarterly district conven-
ton of the w. G. T. q. for the present
fiscal year will be held with Onley
| ITnion on 7th and 9Th of December