The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-04-03

| in the city to last IL lnoIC 'ir.A
days But that great VANITY ar VI
flashing lights and gorgeous spectncles'
with its Whipped up nerves ana heic'
| fight for gain, is no more dependent upon
rural communities for food imam iol "
| Inducements of its jaded physique anu
languishing moral and mental Vltailty;
at is manifest that the problem Oh tne
country is largely the problem Oh Tue
city also. If we can succeed III Imposing
any checks upon the tendency OF counlr!
life to deterioration and demofiiiZatloH'
NO shall Mt the same time purify the
sources of town life. This brings me to
the consideration of the function ot the
library in rural communities.
"Onc function of the rural library
would he to occupy position of the
space now improperly filled by the news
noDers. to recover the wasting strength
of faculties which have been brought up
ON its weak diet. and to cast out the
love of life's froth and scum, low ideals.
and temporizing policies by cultivating
the taste for the true, the great and the
lasting
a library selected with care will,
moreover. prove boon to those who al
ready love books, but who, in the de-
luge of printers ink which threatens to
ovCrwhelm us. are bewildered and need
guide to profitable reading.
Again. the library in the country. as
elsewhere, is the means of culture. The
college and the university cannot go to
every mans door, but this circulating
library may. and has not Carlyle said
that collection of books is the true
university of today? Mr.. Woodrow Will
4. l. Il
uuaintance of his who, in the obscurity
Of the country and with no help from
the schools, grew up to large and beau
tifully unconscious culture by the in
corporation into himself of few great
world books. There is, TO be sure, a
certain type of culture attainable by
contact with men and affairs. The
Arab, for example, finds in the tent II
kind of school always open, where, says
Renan. ''the meeting of well-bred peo-
PIE gives birth to great intellectual and
even literary movement. Dellcacy of
manners and acuteness of mind have
nothing in common in the east with what
we call education.
But must add a concluding word on
the library as Il well-spring of JOY. a
soIace in solitude. Il refuge from carking
cares, refreshment of spirits depressed
by the drudgeries of life. confess to
YOU that this view of the little library
in the humble home. where mother and
daughter. father and son, have little to
break the dull monotony of labor, and
where the rare visitor is only a common
place person like themselves-the view
OF the library as il blsscd invasion of
the good and the great of all time to
ilumne and cheer the home, is to me
after all the most affecting"
This paper was followed by report
from the Library committee by Prof. r..
l.. Middleton, of Cary.
This committee, appointed for the pur-
pose of devising plans for circulating
library for Wake county, made the fol
lowing report:
Il. That the library consist of sec
tions of 30 volumes each.
80. That these sections circulate
from one community to another semi
annually.
-, That each section be under the
| control of local librarian, who shall
keep record of all books loaned and
returned.
II. That there shall be a county libra
| ian who shall receive semi-annual reports
from the local librarians. and also make
semi-annual reports to this association.
| This officer shall also direct the sending
of the sections to the proper commit
fees.
-. That set of library rules be made
setting forth fines, &c, for lost or dam
aged books and for books not returned
promptly.
81 That this association pay neces-
sary expenses for correspondence AMI
shipping Of sections.
~. That each teacher be urged to
try to arouse sufficient interest in some
community TO induce it to furnish funds
to buy one section.
"S. That an effort be made to induce
| men of means to aid in this effort to
furnish good books for the use of rural
| districts.
40. That the cost Of each section will
| be SO or more. according to the kind
| of literature, binding, &c.
| eli That this association control the
| library, and whenever circulation shall
| cease. shall give instructions as to the
| disposition of books.
- That committee Of three be APP
pointed to select and purchase books
| After the reading of this report and
| a general discussion of 1t, the roll was
called. several new members elected and
| other business transacted.
The next topic on the programme for
discussion was Local Geography" On
this subject valuable paper-''How
| Raleigh is taught-a type"-was read
| by Miss Mills.
| In this connection most interesting
| talk was made by Superintendent How
ell on the value of II geographical ex-
change
Al this meeting the following commit
| tee were announced by the president.
Picture Committee-To find pictures
| suitable for the teaching Of history,
geography, and litcrature-A. X. Flower
and Miss lola Yates.
| Apparatus Communicable find OF
make simple apparatus for teaching any
subject.A. T.. Sans, Miss Sarah Pen
nington, Miss Lizzie Bellamy.
Magazine Communicable report to the
association the best articles in current
| literature bearing upon school work
Miss Edith Royster, II. l.. Green.
/ Teachers Exchange Committee
| L., Fail Mice Rinig