The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-04-30
Something to Read.

An enterprise which cannot fail to be OF
practical benefit to American soldiers is
that of collecting and shipping books and
periodicals for the use OF the men in bar
racks and for those ordered to Manila, to
read while on the transports. In thou
sands OF American homes there are pa
pers. books. and magazines which are
thrust into some closet to accumulate dust,
while men cooped up on shipboard or in
garrison towns are longing for something
to read. The voyage to Manila takes
month, and before that time is ended most
of the men will be thoroughly bored and
tired American soldiers come from homes
where books are familiar, and many of
them have the reading habit; but it is i'm
possible for them to provide libraries for
themselves and even the traditional copies
of the Bible and of Shakespeare would not
be quite enough to occupy all their time
on long sea voyage.
The Government has authorized the ship
ment of books from Cleveland to San
Francisco at its expense, and the cost of
sending a barrel of reading matter even
all the way across the Continent Is very
slight. This is one of the matters which
are too often neglected because nobody
happens to make it a business to attend to
them; and 1t might be good thing IL
some OF the people who are now working
to prevent the establishment OF canteens
in the army would give little of their
spare time and all their spare money to
multiplying reading matter among the
troops.
The soldiers of the regular or volunteer
army are not the only sufferers from lack
of books and magazines. II good circu-
lating library could be established in
every country town 1t would do more for
many of the children than the desultory
instruction obtained in the schools IT, In
addition to this, there could be reading
room and general play-room, under the
supervision of bright, intelligent, tact
full woman. and provided with magazines,
portfolios of pictures. and games of skill
for those who are not fond OF reading. the
baleful influence of the country grocery
would be greatly diminished. The cost of
establishing such library and reading
room would be almost nothing In every
country town there are women who would
be glad, for a small salary, to look after
the place during certain hours, or society
Of six or seven might divide the duty be-
tween them. The books would cost but
little II some one well acquainted with the
bookstores OF the nearest large city could
do the buying, and IT, in addition, maya
zines could be collected among the city
people who buy them and throw them
away.
However the circulating library is bet
ter IN most places. than the reading room.
II is not well, especially in the country, to
establish any attraction which will take
children from their homes. But If they can
be provided with good, wholesome reading
which they can take home and read aloud
to one another and to their parents. the
whole family, as well as the child, gets
the benefit. 1t would be interesting to
know how many men and women, brought
up in country towns and afterward enter
ing one or another OF the professions re-
ceiyed their early education from home
reading. especially reading aloud. The
number might easily be much greater than
most people would suspect
With the numerous cheap and good edi-
lions OF standard books and the old book
shops with their half worn volumes at
nominal prices, there should be no trouble
In making a good selection for such cir
culating library. 1t is by no means nee
essary. IL one has but twenty-five collars