The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-14

and kept in place convenient to all the
people. and must pay fee of 81 for each
| library. In return for this fee transporta-
ton charges are paid for the first library,
also all expenses of furnishing the libra
ries, repairing books and keeping up the
supply of blanks. When all have read
that set il is returned and another ''trav-
cling library is sent in its place.
In several states the women's clubs
have taken up this work. In some cases
buying the books outright in others MAX
ing arrangements with the local libraries.
in the latter case the club pledging itself
to pay the library sufficient sum to buy
as many books ordinarily i'm ciTcu-
lation among the clubs under its super
vision.
II would be of little profit to describe
the great libraries of enumerate their
volumes. Rather / would talk for few
minutes on the value of a public library
10 a community. First. IL supplies recrea-
tive reading to the people free of cost to
themselves: second, ii gives to those
workers in every department who care to
read and study the means of perfectng
themselves in their work. A good library
will be made full along those lines in
which the local industries are special
lied; third, IL forms "A standard of taste
for the communications high this stand
ard shall be depends upon the librarian;
fourth Ii has a marked influence ON So
ciai and political education. in economic
and social questions. fifth. the use of the
free reading room is "A powerful agent for
counteracting the influence of saloons and
low resorts of all kinds: sixth. good libra
ries draw good citizens; seventh. IL is an
all important adjunct to the public school
The latter can carry its pupils but little
way and of all IL teaches the most i'm
portant and far-reaching in its results
he inn Al AMI mo in mir .,f hn
scholar "A taste for reading and a wise
Introduction into the world of books
Lowell says: "All free governments are
in reality governments by public opinion.
II is therefore their first duty to purify
the element from which they draw the
breath of life" Claiming says: "It is
a plain truth. and yet how little under
stood, that the greatest thing in n city is
man himself. lie is it's end. You talk OF
the prosperity of your city; I know of
but one true prosperity: Does the human
soul prosper and grow here?
Anthony Trollope says: This habit of
reading. | make bold TO tell you, is your
pass to the greatest. the purest and The
most perfect pleasure that God has pre-
pared for his creatures. 1t lasts when
all pleasures fail
Crunden. librarian Of the St. Louis pub
lie library. says: Unless we are prepared
TO dispute the utterances of the worlds
sages, must regard that as the wealth.
lest city which contains the greatest
number of books; we must look upon that
people as the happiest who read most
books. And. if. as "A community. we would
make good our claim to an enlightened
self-interest, we must do our utmost to
foster these institutions which subserVe
the ends OF commerce and industry. II
from no higher motive than that of self
preservation. we must educate all of our
citizens Tor on their enlightenment de-
Ponds the perpetuity of the republic
But the child of to-day Is the citizen of
tomorrow: then we must begin with the
child. The United States commissioner of
education says: '"rhe school is set at the
task of teaching the pupil how to use the
library in the best possible manner; that
take it, is the central object towards
which our American school methods have
been unconsciously guided"
Sir John Lubbock saws: 1.-THE important
thing Is not so much that every child
should be taught as that every child
should wish to learn. A boy who leaves
school knowing much, but hating his
books. will soon have forgotten all he
ever learned; while another who has ac-
quired thirst for knowledge. even if
he has learned little. would soon teach
himself more than the first ever knew"
Sir John Herschel declared: Were | to
pray for a taste which would stand me
in stead under every variety of cireum-
stances and be a source of happiness and
eheerfulness to me through life and a
shield against its ills, IL would be a taste
for reading"
| could go on producing evidence of the
highest authority indefinitely. but | am
sure l need not. for no one i'm this au-
dience needs convincing as To the value of
the public library as an adjunct To our
schools. Questions of interest to us are
what Is the record of the Butte. public IL
brary and what are our young people
The following facts were mentioned in
Mr.. Davies admirable report in the
Christmas Miner. but they cannot he re-
peated too often: The Butte public H.
brary was opened to the public Feb =
1894. In that space of time ii has become
well known among the libraries of the
1t contains %, 397 volumes Since
Il was opened 260000 volumes have been
issued for home use and 155 600 volumes
Tor use in the library. "A total of
IL volumes, This indicates IS issues ON
IN average for every book in the
collection and an average use of II books |
by every inhabitant of the county. ac- |
'ording To the census of 1890 The attend |
lnce i'll the reading room and the home !
ssne of books have steadily increased |
rhe published reports have attracted |
NUN dttehtioh from tne Eastern press, |
which Is, of course. greatly surprised at |
70 good a showing from one of those "un- |
desirable states of the West"
The management of our public library |
axes profound interest in the reading |
# the young people. Lists are prepared |
specially for their use. and the force is
lot only always ready to help them TO a |
wise selection. but takes the greatest
'ains to prevent their getting hold of any
hing of an evil nature.
Miss Corbin, the teacher of English lit
nature. has her scholars do much outside
work in connection with their studies and
seeks to cultivate in them individual
bought and opinion on authors and their
II you do not know how difficult
task she has set herself and how neces-
AIRY a one it is. attend recitation some
ime. The duty of visiting the schools is
ne l think we all nngleri. Another nN- |