The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-15
DESK STUDIES FOR GIRLS:
A GIRLS LIBRARY
III. READING COURSES AND A
GIRLS LIBRARY.

needed than at the present DAY. LIE
information of the daughter should
when she becomes a woman, surpasS
that which the mother possessed at the
same age. The attachments which Suf-
feed quarter of a century ago will
not answer at present. 1t is not pos
sible for every girl to attend a high
school until she receives a graduation
diploma. At the same time it is cheer
ing to know that very few young per-
sons have any excuse for growing UT
in ignorance. The most Intelligent and
| useful women are not all included
among those who received the valued
parchmentS on commencement day
Many happy home is presided over by
| a woman whose name was never pub
lished in the honor class list of school
of college. Chicago and other large
cities in America have thousands OF
houses made comfortable and beauti-
full by ladies who, when girls, had 10
assist in making living for themselves
before the age of Is was reached. This
is not said to disparage the benefits OF
| educational institutions. Indeed, the
advantages of high schools and col
leges are becoming more recognized
every day. 1t is apparent, however.
| that the great mass of people cannot
| afford to remain long at school. Are
they to remain ignorant? Are the
many avenues of usefulness which are
| open only to persons of intelligence TO
| be closed to those who scarcely entered
| is obliged TO remain at home and to
assist her mother in housework no
/ chance of becoming fairly we'll in
| formed? Must progress in knowledge
cease for the one who is no longer call
ed by the teachers bell? Is the period
of education ended for the young
women who work in factories, stand
| g q
vice? A negative reply must be given
/ to each of these inquiries.
The girl who reads good books is not
| likely to remain uneducated. The bene-
| fits of reading, observation and retiec-
ton are open to all. The proper study
! of books will put young woman in
possession of knowledge which pro-
notes her happiness and usefulness.
knowledge will give her skill in dis
charging the duties of life and increas-
ed power in executing its purposes
Many a woman has receiver an inspir-
alton from a book that has lifted her
to higher position in society. There is
no more potent stimulant to higher
life than the words of good men cad
women as recorded in their writings.
Books make people think. 1t is the
thoughtless girl that remains unedr-
Gated. Books are means of refinement
and culture. The young woman who
wishes TO have a clear head. a we'll
stored mind and a sympathetic heart
will be helped in her purpose by jul
dicious reading. The beauty and gran
deur of what is past or distant is dark
to the person who does not read. The
girl who can read with appreciation
the works of eminent writer's places
herself in contact with a spirit far
larger than her own. To hold converse
with the great and the good is possible
for everyone who will study the pages
of literature. The works Of Shake
speare. Milton. Tennyson and Longfel-
low have power to promote noble Sen-
timents, to give refinement of manner
and to inspire to higher aims in the
struggle of life. No girl can read the
writings of Emerson, George Eliot.
Hawthorne or Dickens, without feeling
an impulse to greater usefulness.
first-class newspaper or magazine mas
materially added to the enjoyment OF
many a family. 1t is no disgrace to
have been unable to gain college edu-
cation. 1t is. however. almost inexcus-
able for anyone to remain ignorant or
illiterate in this age of valuable litera-
ture.
How to Choose Books.
The proper object of reading is the
formation of character. AS an instru-
ment of education, the only test TO ap-
ply to a book is the benefit it confers on
the reader When q girl takes UP her
time with book she should feel salts
fed as to it's worth. Does it supply her
with useful knowledge? knowledge is
valuable, but probably the greats ben
eft book confers comes from its sug
gestiveness. The inspiration gained is
serviceable only when il can be turned
to good account. If a book units for
life's duties or does not produce good
thoughts, it should be thrown aside.
Many a young woman has read a hum
dred books and has less intelligence
than one who has limited herself to
dozen. Not only 50. but it is unfortu-
ma tely true that harmful books are not
read by boys alone. Many books are
also dangerous not so mitch on account
of the questionable morals Chey teach,
as on account of the check they give
to intellectual growth. The influence
of what one reads can be avoided no
more than the air that is breathed. The
intellectual atmosphere in which some j
girls live promotes mental stagnation.
A young woman has been known to be
so absorbed in a trashy novel while
travelling for the first time through
Switzerland as to be oblivious to the
grandeur of the scenery visible from
her car window.
1t is not enough for girl to avoid
bad books. OF good books a choice
reader must be satisfied to remain ig-
of thousands of valuable books
1t Is estimated that $4,000 new books
appear every year. Some Libraries con-
tain as many as. 100000 volumes. 1t
is evident a judicious choice Is essen
tial Life is too short for any time
to be wasted. Every book" says Fred
eric Harrison. that we take up with
out a purpose is an opportunity lost of
taking up book with A purpose; every |
bit of stray information which We cram
into our heads without any sense of its |
is. for the most part, a bit |
of the most useful information driven |
out of our heads and choked off from |
our minds. To know ANYTHING |
that turns up is, in the infinity of |
to know nothing. To read |
the first book we come across in the |
wilderness of books is to learn moth /
ing" Schopenhauer well says: 1T Is of |
permanent Importance TO acquire the |
art not to read; in other words, of not /
such books as occupy the pub
lie mind. or even those which make a |
noise in the world and reach Iyeral
editions" To have read the best books
that have been written by the best
writer's is to have mastered a great |
deal Matthew Arnold. with much
truth. remarks: For when we say
that culture is to know the best that
has been thought and said in the world,
we imply that for culture system di-
rectly tending to this end is necessary
N our reading" 1t is of the first i'm
oortance 10 every girl that she should
-ead such books as will foster the
highest type of womantood. and pre-
pare her to be a useful member of So
:iet--.
Note-"The Reading of Novels and