The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1901-12-05
USES OF SCHOOL
LIBRARY BOOKS.
How the Shelves Should Be
Arranged.
TO MAKE THE MOST OF VOLUMES.
All The Books Should Be in Vision of
Students.
NECESSITY FOR CAREFUL READING.
Valuable Paper Read Before Amigo
Teachers By an Old Mani
t0w0c County Boy.


was Cato, of this county delivered an
address before the Amigo teachers last
week Oh the topic; How to make the
most of the school library" The fol-
lowing are his remarks:
IF teacher wishes to make the
most ont of her school library, one of
the first things she must do is to see
that the books of the library are easy Of
access, both to herself and to her pupils
In a great many school libraries the
bookcase is not large enough to contain
all the books and one book has to be
placed behind another. The books
which are placed behipd are almost as
useless as if they were not in the library,
as pupils rarely take the trouble to take
books from the first row in order to
look at those in the second row. Each
schoolhouse should have bookcase
with glass doors, large enough to contain
all the books.
If "A school library is handled right.
it should develope in the pupils great
er respect for books, more regard for
public property and habits of cleanliness
order thoughtfulness and selecontrol.
Pupils should take books only when
their hands are clean and dry. If books
are taken home in bad weather when it
is raining or showing, they should be
carefully wrapped up. The books
should not be left in damp or dusty
places. Sunlight will fade and heat
will warp their covers The corners
of books should not be turned down.
nor the leaves or covers marked. If
teacher does not follow these rules she
cannot expect her pupils to follow them
and the force of the teachers example
will often induce pupils to be careful
with the books.
"A teacher cannot make good use Of
a library unless she knows the books in
the library thoroughly. She cannot
talk intelligently about or be interested
in book she has not read and unless
the teacher is interested IL the book,
SiC SuhuOu lhtCiVSt lut Ill IL
There are some books in nearly all
school Libraries that are too old for the
most advanced pupils. These the teach
er need not read unless she wishes to do
so for her own profit and amusement
The contents of some of the books can
be grasEed By simply glancine through
the books and reading an occasional.
page. This is tl>e of books of history
which deal with a period with which
the teacher is familiar. Other books,
especially those on unfamiliar subjects,
should be read from cover to cover
Children's books are generally small
and easy reading and by reading three
or four books week, the teacher will
soon become acquainted with all the
books in the school library.
THE way in which to use book will
depend largely on the form the book is
meant for.
The books in the primary form
should sometimes be read by the pupils
and sometimes by the teachers to the
pupils. Sometimes instead Of the regu-
lar lesson, the teacher should allow the
pupils to read aloud from books in the
library. In this exercise they will be
sure to come across new words which
they will make their own and it is good
practice in sight reading. Whenever it
is possible to prove the statements of
the book by observation or experience,
this should be done, and observation
should even, if possible, make additions
to the statements. In books of nature
study about birds, trees plants and the
like especially, this kind of work can be
done. As Imagination is the leading
mental trait of pupils in this form,
fables and other stories which cultivate
the imagination and give mental pic
lures should be furnished to the pupils
In the middle form the library can
be used to supplement the regular les
sons. For example in reading, the
Sketch Book by Irving might supple
ment the reading of Rip Van Wrinkle
from the reader. Books which contain
descriptions Of various industries, of
cities and classes of people may be used
TO supplement- the work in geography.
Portions of the book may be reproduced
either orally or in writing and this be
comes language exercise The library
should supplement the work in history