The Van Buren press., 1901-01-19
How One Clever Woman Manages
To be "up' ON Current News
or the Day.

"How do you become SO well in
forInedY'' one woman asked another
with "A littls touch Of justiiable envy In
her voice. lyon are very busy
tousekeeper with children to look after.
you don't attend Clubs yet you seem tc
know about every man, woman or book
of the day l wish you would tell mt
the secret.
Whatever information | have, my
dear, WAS the answer, has been
gained through II clipping collection.
borrowed the scheme from the New
York newspapers. Five years ago a
friend of mine who worked on one of
them told me how in their offices, whole
rooms were devoted to clippings from
various magazines and papers. system
atically catalogued and used for refer
ence.
THE idea appealed to me as an
excellent one for Il private individual. .
especially for u womau like myself, who
cannot afford to buy many books.
1--WE take two good newspapers, one
which my husband prefers and one
which is my choice. From time to time
when | am at leisure and perhaps too
tired to do more exacting work, clip
these papers and sort the clippings,
according to subject, into manila en-
velopes.
"What variety of matter do you clip,
may askY''
Anything which is likely to have n
more than passing interest. The life of
some celebrated man or woman, or
anecdotes concerning great people; an
interesting bit of statistics which one
ought to have at command; an historic.
al study; an account Of y famous paint
ing; natural history; wild birds; wild
flowers anything which seems worth
while.
What a good idea lam all impa
tience to begin one myself at once. Do
tell me about your system of cata-
loguing.
II invented my own system, very
simple one. In large public collection
like that Of newspaper office 1t would
be necessary to have an elaborated
method, but any woman can invent one
for her own use. | put each general
subject, such as birds, cookery, Eng
land, education. into large square
envelopes and arrange them on the
shelf according to letters. Famous men
and women | catalogue separately in
small envelopes about six inches long
and four wide.
II have long since found my clippings
Of great value The library has now
grown to a size which renders 1t possible
for me to refer to it rs | would to any
other library, If had one at command
II hear of famous parsonage whose
history has escaped my memory take
the next idle moment to consult my
clippings and read short sketch of his
life and work. 1t is the same with
history or science, upon which l become
rusty The chancs are that shall find
an account of the point need in the
envelopes.
1T ism { at all necessary to read all
one clips. Clip an article II the subject
interests you or is likely to interest you.
Tuck 1t away for future reference,
And you clip papers only no maga'
zinesy"
Dyes ! | clip magazines I have bought
for one article they contain and which |
do not care to bind. All pamphlets that
are sent to the house, unless they are
devoted to advertising, catalogue also
Pictures too, II they are clear and seem
faithful; with photographs on any
interesting subject
''Simple as 1t Is, private library OF
this kind avoids that one supreme fault
of the public one--dirty books with the
possibility of lurking disease germs
Besides the pleasure and the general
information, | have had some very
practical helps from the clippings, |
have one envelope filled with good cook
Ing recipes, clipped at different times.
Another contains many new wrinkles
In household science. OF course, one
has to use judgment In selecting these,
but with care, 1t becomes wonderful
help.