Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-10
BOOKS fORTCHlLDREN
Young Folks Department Of St.
Louis Public Library.
CULTIVARING "a LITERARY TASTE
COOPERATION Between the Library
and the Schools.
TIMELY TOPICS READING
TIMELY TOPICS READING

To train the young how to read and what
to read Is as important a function as that
exercised by the public schools, and that Is
just what the St. Louis public library Is
trying to do. To show the children how to
get the best results from their reading and
how to select their books Is not an easy
task, but the old adage, Line upon line
and precept upon precept'' Is put In prac-
tice every day at the public library. Grad
ually the children are being weaned away
from the frivolous books and interested in
better literature In fiction. stories Of adj
venture and history.
The city of ST. Louis supports two great
educational institutions, the public schools
and the public library. The aim Of each is
the same. 1t Is not strange, therefore. that
cooperation between the two should be
successful.
A few months ago Mr.. Crunden, librarian
OF the pubic library. inaugurated the plan
of active library work in the schools In
other words, he made the public schools
library stations for the distribution of
books. In this way the children's reading
Is directed by the teacher who knows In
dividual needs.
The library has more than eighty sets of
books. selected with view to the needs
OF the first four grades of the public
schools, each set consisting of thirty copies
OF an attractive book SO that all the chill
dren In the class may be reading the book
at the same time. Mr.. Crunden states that
the work could have been quintupled If the
library mad possessed the means. He says:
Lower Grades First.
THUS far we have been unable to sup
ply even the first four grades, while we
have done very little work in the higher
grades. This has reversed the usual ORDER
but l believe that the sooner you begin
in attempts to give the children love for
reading the better In the public schools
II is all the more essential to reach the
lowest grades first, because so many chill
dren leave without going beyond the fourth
or fifth grade. Moreover, it is easier to
lnculcate love for reading in young chill
dren than 1t is in older ones; and the sup
Elementary reading more directly aids the
regular school work in lower grades. In
deed, since the chief thing taught in the
earlier grades is reading. the more prac-
tice they get the more rapid will be their
progress. The way to learn to read is
to read, and If reading is made interesting
by giving children attractive books the
teacher will be relieved of all further care
In the school in this city where the great
est amount of this reading is done the
principal tells me that they do not have to
give any thought to discipline; that the
school takes care Of itself; that the chill
dren are so interested in their work and
their books that they are perfectly orderly.
He tells me. also, that they let the chill
dren do all the reading of books in school
that they may want to do
You see this children's room' said Mr.
Crunden to Sunday Republic reporter
day or two ago, lit is usually crowded
with children Forty such rooms in differ
ent parts of the city could easily be filled
with Juvenile readers That is not wild
statement There are eighty schools in the
city. 1t stands to reason that il these
schools are filled with children as they are
some OF them much crowded. l hear-from
1000 to 5000 children In one school-we
could fill as many library rooms. 1t could
be done easily if we had the MEANS.
Last year $4,000 books were issued to
Juvenile readers Of st. Louis through the
public library and its various stations. 1t
Is the aim of the librarian to so increase
the interest of the children in the library
and the library's books that this number
shall be doubled and trebed There Is no
lack of ambition for service on the part of
the st. Louis Public Library.
School Cooperation.
All Of the outlying schools of the city
were asked to cooperate with the library
last year. The object of this was to get
library books to circulating among the
children who lived too far out to make WIS.,
its to the library building feasible. The
Longfellow Sheppard, Carondelet Gratiot
Clifton Heights. Belt Avenue Walnut Park,
Fremont and Mount Pleasant schools re-
sponded heartily and the teachers issued
library books to their pupils. This work is
carried on this summer at the LongfelIow
and Sheppard schools, the teachers arrang-
ing among themselves to go to the school
building every Friday forenoon to issue
new books and receive the ones already in
circulation.
To facilitate the work in the schools.
Mr.. Crunden arranged list of books for
supplementary reading and sent it to the
schools. These books are issued in sets of
thirty to the schools for supplementary
reading on the reQuisition of the principaI
Thn hrNlyr
me DOCKS may De retained one month. and
transportation to the nearest library deliv-
cry station is provided by the library. JJsts
of books on hand are mailed upon reouest
and the principals check opposite the sets
wanted: These requests are filed In order
Of receipts.
This reading list is most attractive one
There are Andersen's Fairy Tales" fam.
GUS stories of myths: Robinson Crusoe j"
the Lang Fairy Stories" the Heart Of
Oak books. and many entertaining book /,
on history. besides carefully selected fiction
The children who attend The LongI.Iow
and Carondelet schools were so Interested
In the library, and in the other children
who read library books. that thew gave ey
PRECISION to their gratitude and appreciation
in particularly graceful way. Early in
June huge punches Of roses came tn the
children's librarian, Miss Julia Krue To he
distributed to the children who lived where
folks from the crowded districts came in
inquirng about the roses.
I'VE heard you were giving away flow
ers," they said wistfully.
Bushel baskets Of field daisies came from
the Carondelet School and again the vounr
folks were happy with flowers of their verv
own. distributed through the kind offices
of that great benefaction, the public
library. - r..
$4,000 Books In One Month.
"In May last more than 25.OO0 books were
issued to children says Miss Krug. "In
the school term there are usually more calls
for books than In the summer The strike
so deuoralized applicants for books thar,
only 5000 volumes were issued in lime
through the library proper. and 6.HO
through the delivery stations throughout
the city. a falling off OF more than half the
issue Of May" q: ~
The children's department of the library
is convenient for its young patrons II is
situated near the hall entrance, and its
shelves are open TO inspection At the hig
south window palms and rubber plants are
tastefully arranged with a globe of gold
fish in the center. Tables and chairs are
there, ready for the convenience of th,,
visitors 1t IL children's free reading
room.
Pictures appeal TO children very strongly.
Miss Krug has arranged number OF H.
Illustrations from attractive books for tha
young on a large card. She says that the
children often select u book because of the
Interestingly ooking pictures She has most