The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-02-14
EDUCATIONAL.
school Libraries.

school Libraries.
The following paper upon the sub
ject of school libraries was read at the
recent teachers institute held in Oak
land by Miss Clara Englehart, of Ac-
cident i
1t is important that every school
should have library. But in this
county of ours we are not so fortunate
to possess a library in every school.
and in fact there are few schools that
do possess libraries.
But we will first notice the uses of a
library and what it should contain.
Scholars will read, there is no doubt
about that, and it should be the duty
of the teacher to direct their reading
that they may reach and secure that
which is good and avoid all that is
bad. Many of the stories young peo-
pie grasp today are marked by pro
family; they are indescribly vulgar.
The boy reader obtains a theoretical
and literary acquaintance with meth
DDS of fraud and crime. Some times
drunkenness is represented in its dis
grace and misery, but generally drink
ing is represented as jolly and enter
tanning, and there is no suggestion
that boys who act as the boys in these
stories do ever have to pay any pen
atty in after life. Good reading ele-
Yates the mind to higher and purer
motives of life. ] think it well to
have the pupils take up biographies
of men who have made their mark in
life in an honest and industrious way.
Pupils will readily take an interest in
reading the life of George Washing
ton, Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin
Franklin and others who have gone
through life successfully The pupils
will see with how much disadvantage
those men labored under when they
were boys to gain their education.
and that it was determination and
courage that made them the men of
honor and fame. Pupils will see
what greater advantages they have
than those of years ago, and this
should encourage them. And the
lives of such men will fill their minds
with rich thoughts that will be re-
membere through life. They will
aid them in their journey through
life and help them to be honest and
industrious and bring prosperity and
happiness in this life and greater hap
piness in the life to come. We should
have good literature, such as writings
from Longfellow, Whittier, Holmes,
Lowell, Hawthorne, Bryant, Cooper,
Trying and others.
The principal provinces of a library
are biography, travel, historical nov
els, poetry, literary criticisms, ro-
nance, civil government and peda-
gogics. 1t is well to have juvenile
books of history to instruct and in
terest the young and reading of fairy
stories and fables for the little one
Leading educators are almost unani-
nous i'll their opinion of the value of
certain OF these stories of this descrip-
ton in the moral training of the little
ones. Books of practical instruction
relating to the household and simple
forms of manual training should be-
long to the library, such as household
economy, sewing primer. etc. We
should carefully avoid the trashy lit
erature that floods the country today
But how can we obtain a library in
our schools is the next question that
will arise i'll our minds. We know
that this county could not afford to
purchase libraries for the schools 1t
was suggested last year that the
teacher could get up an entertain
ment. He could tell the patrons his
purpose and charge an admission fee
and make money enough to purchase
a small library. A few books are
better than none. / don't know how
many tried or how many We're sue.
cessful.
In the matter of a school library
the true modern teacher will make his
influence felt. He will leave his i'm
preston upon the community by aid
ing to secure wholesome literature for
the pupils and encouraging in them
habits of systematic reading, the
reading which maketh full man.
If the teacher fails to do this he leaves
unperformed one of his most import
ant duties.
Winter Excursions to Washington-very
Low Rates-BaItimore 4 Ohio II. II.
On February and April II, 1901,
the Baltimore e. Ohio Railroad will
run Popular Mid-Winter Excursions
to Washington at very low rates for
the round trip, allowing ten day limit
on tickets, including day of sale.
Splendid trains, through coaches,
Pullman parlor and sleeping cars.
Do not miss these splendid opportu-
mites to visit the National Capital
during the session of Congress. For
tickets, time of trains and full lnfor-
nation call on or address d. M. Ma
son, Agent b. 4 o. r. r. for full in
formation.