The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-09
WANTS TO MEND READING.
a PLAN For THE DETHRONEMENT
OF THE DIME NOVEL.

SuDt. AshmOre Has CntaIOgued Som.
zoo Good Books for Children
These VIII he Sent TO the Parents
hooks Sure to Benefit Youthful
Minds May he seIected-Expenst
Borne by Publishing Houses.
An effort is TO be made for the correc.
ton of the taste of the Savan.
nah small boy, and the small
girl as well, in literature. Supt
Ashmore Of the public schools has under.
taken this augean task and he hopes to
see the thrilling dime novel recitals OF
life and stirring ventures and hair
breadth 'scapes' in the wild and woolly
west give way in Savannah to good, whole
some reading that Will improve the minds
and tastes of young people.
Mr.. Ashmore has prepared a catalogue
of some 200 books for children which he
knows are of the best. These will be
sent around among the parents of the
city. and they will thus be given oppor-
tunlty to select such matter for their chill
dren to read as will not tend in any way
to fill their minds with blood and thunder
thoughts. in a few days copies of this
catalogue will be given TO the children In
the schools, who will be asked to take
them to their parents
The catalogue will bear the names of
the books as selected by Mr. Ashmore
the publishers from whom they may be
secured, the lowest price, and a few COM
ments by the superintendent to show
parent just what he may expect when he
purchases book. The expense of its
publication win be borne by the publish
ing houses that will have their books mem
toned in ats pages. Mr. Ashmore has no
titled them of his intention of getting out
such a catalogue. The publishers fell In
with the plan at once, and wrote him that
they would be glad to bear their part Of
the expense of printing the lists. In this
way there will be no expense borne by the
parents beyond the purchase of any books
they may see fit to get for their children.
Nor will any one be the richer from the
publication, as II is merely sought to make
It pay the expense of its issuance.
Mr.. Ashmore will try to make some ar
rangement with the book stores of the
city so that the books In the catalogue
may he ordered from the publishers
through them This will be a convenience
to the parents, in case they decide to
adopt the suggestions of the superinten-
dent and put books in the hands of their
children that will have the best effects
upon their minds.
Mr. Ashmore thinks the age at which
pernieious literature exercises the great
est charm for the youthful mind is that
at which IL Is most pliable and the effects
produced are lasting. He has found that
impressions created by such books as it
is his desire to supplant with the proper
kind, have shaped the entire lives of chill
dren who have read them Much good
can be done, he thinks, by the co-opera-
ton of the parents of the city with him
in this matter. He has selected stories
from which something can be learned,
histories, travels and tales in which nat
ural history may be studied while II in
terests intensely.
The establishment OF libraries In the
grammar schools Of the city is a desire of
Mr. Ashmore that he hopes ultimately to
Mr.. Ashmore that he hope ultimately to
see realized. Just at this time, he says,
ID would be impossible for the Board Of
Education to do anything at all in aid OF
the plan, so that 1t is likely it will be
some years before It can be accomplished
He would like very much to see the par
ents of the city take the matter up also.
as they could supply each school with
such a library with but slight Individual
cost. IL may be that some steps will be
taken by which the idea may be carried
out. II 30, anu iilS tilluitH IGdu the DOCKS
that are placed in the libraries for them,
there can be no doubt but that they would
be greatly benefited by them. The plan
would be for the libraries to be under the
of the authorities OF each
school The books could be taken out
by the children for a short time and then
In this way a small number
Of them would suffice for all the children
as they would be taken out and read In
turn.
lren whose parents exercise no care at all
n the choice of the books their children
'ead. Not only this but there are some
who do not care whether they read any
hing AZ all. The vilest OF novels and fiction
Tinds may be read by boys without their
parents interpOsing any objections at all.