St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-10-25

grades OF intelligence welcome the libra
ries, and the zest with which they read
them. In one village, the local clergy
man is the moving spirit; in another the
village barber; often it is the district
school mistress; not infrequently the
prosperous farmer or his wife, OF the
100 travelling libraries now at work in
Wisconsin no other seems to be doing so
much good as one in a little hamlet in
Wood county where the librarian is Sec
ton boss on the railroad"
Let me quote still further the summing
UP of the matter.
1. The travelling library makes good
literature accessible. and often con-
slant temptation, in communities where
there are few distractions and no other
similar educational forces for any but the
younger children.
g. 1t puts the control Of the reading
of numbers of people in the hands of per-
sons who have the library experience of
the world at their command, while the
literary tastes of their readers are form
ing.
3. 1t is economical There is no ex-
pense for local rent, for fuel, light, or
librarians salary. Books are bought at
lowest prices.
4. 1t keeps continual interest in the
books by frequent exchanges, and the
prospect of a near exchange keeps each
family alert to learn about the best
books and to get them promptly.
5. The library stations form new
centers for the up-building of better
social and intellectual life.
To sum up briefly; The travelling lib
rary gives an abundant supply of whole
some literature to the people of small
communities at slight cost, and not
only excites their interest in such litera-
ture, but confines their reading to it until
their tastes are formed. 1t is free day
and night school which does not close on
Saturdays or Sundays or for long vaca
tons. 1t instructs, inspires and amuses
the old as well as the young, aud its cur
riculum is so broad that it helps the
housewife in the kitchen, the husband.
man in the field, the mechanic in his shop,
the teacher in her school, the invalid in
the sickroom, the boy in his play, and
the citizen in his civic duties. 1t leaves
no room for bad literature and keeps it
from circulating without resort to
threats, by the most natural and whole
some methods.
mentioned the fact that in Wisconsin
the women's clubs were interesting
themselves in this work. The declarations
OF New Jersey, Georgia, Kansas, Nebras.
ka, Missouri, Oregon, Washington and
Kentucky have started systems. The
Women's Educational Association oil
Massachusetts have 25 such libraries in
that state. The association called the
Cheerful Letter Exchange in Massachu
sets has gone beyond the boundaries OIL
it's own state and sent two libraries into
Vermont. Is it not high time the women
of Vermont were aroused to do some
thing themselves?
do not need to say more to show yor
that now there is nothing experimental
in the scheme, and no one will raise any
question about the need of this work II
our own state. There are in Vermont
243 towns. OF these more than 100 hav,
no library privileges of any sort, and il
many towns where libraries exist they ar,
practically inaccessible to the little ham
lets and villages remote from the centers
How are these places to be reached? A
Itold you in the beginning, we hope tina
the next legislature may be induced tt
make an appropriation for the purpose
But the most generous gift we can hop
, for will be far inadequate to meet tn
need. Moreover we are by no mean
sure that the legislature will be wilin,
to make any appropriation at all. TIL
r experience of the past has shown us tina
: our legislators are not always awake t.
advance movements on educational lines
Why not begin the good work ourselves
Would it not surely aid in accomplishing
our end to have some successful expert
ence of our own to which we could poin
when the matter comes up tor discussio
e at Montpelier. l know what some c
/. you are ready to answer. We have n
b money. Well, the cost of a travelling |
brary of 80 volumes would be thirty do
lars. doubt if there is single club rel
y resented here today to which thirty do
f lars is an impossibility. If the smalle
e clubs are not able to raise it among thel
e own members, they could solicit it on
r side from generous friends. II who
+ library seems too much tor one club t
p buy, let two or more combine to buy or
/. together. The larger clubs would no
i. hesitate one moment over spread fo
v themselves or their gentlemen friends
n which would cost thirty dollars. VIII
$ not do without this display one yea
n treat our friends to plain living but hig
n thinking, and buy atraveling library wit
e our thirty dollars?
l submit to you the question, whic
If would bring most respect and honor
O the club, the banquet which is quick
!. consumed and more quickly forgotten, {
# the books which will furnish many hour
n of profit and pleasure to hungry an
A. needy minds: And unlike the banquet I
If material food, the repast may be sprea
" again and again and yet it is not col
o sumed.
e Money is saved by purchasing tt
" books in quantity They should also
r. purchased by librarian who is skillt
IT in such matters and knowns what tt
IS popular demand is. Fresh and akin
" books are necessary to make the libral
m a success.
$, Another point to be carefully consi
"A cred is the placing ofthe library, so mus
a. depends upon the zeal and interest of Il
re librarian. The Wisconsin experimel
h showed that the postoffices were oft'
d the best places, and postmasters we
al generally very ready to act as librarian
in A postotfice is open every day in the wee
ne is often the common center for three
four districts, and the postmasters a
is accustomed to keeping records.
a 1t is very natural tor us all to allo
$. our vision to be bounded by our prese
;s horizon, and never move where we CO
8 peep beyond. We are so impressed wi
~ The GREAT work to be done for ourselvt