The Somerset reporter., 1901-09-26
The Books We Read.

At the request Of the Advisory Board
Of the public library, the pupils Of the
schools Of the eth, 9Th, 9th and 10Th
grades were asked At the close Of the
summer term to write answers 70 The
following questions: Il Wha- books
have you read the past year . What
one did you Ike best 10 What do
you want TO read next? The answers Of
the boys and girls TO these questions
have been carefully studied.
1t WAS interesting to note that the
greater part Of the books were evidently
obtained from the public library. The
larger number as is perhaps natural,
was stories but with few exceptions
were of high character and there WAS a
good sprinkling Of other kinds of reading.
The result on the whGfe was very salts
factory, and yet it might be wished that
tbooks OF information and Of real liters-
be more largely represented.
The Librarian says that the names Of
such books are not so easily remembered
as those OF stories, and 10 her Partially
/ for the young folks, she thinks that in
this respect they may not have done
themselves justice. The ladies Of the
Advisory Board recommend to the schol-
ars that they include in their reading for
the coming year few more good books
of history, biography, poetry and nature
study. There are in the library many
fresh and attractive volumes on these
subjects, which they are invited to enjoy
A very valuable catalogue has beer
prepared by the Carnegie library Of
Pittsburg, Penn, for the use Of the city
schools, in which books are carefully
described and recommended for eact
grade. Not all of these books are in GU
library but many of them are. Thi
catalogue, which is the best thing Of IN
sort there is at present for the use 0
scholars and their teachers, may b
examined at any time at the library
The attention of students of the higl
school is especially called to the lst 0
books for the 9th grade, which is tn
high school grade in Pittsburg. II Is a
unusually good list and these books ar
almost all In our library.
A summary of the scholars answers L
the several questions, numbered in thei
order, are as follows:
Seventh grade l6 boys read SO book
with 40 titles, average 3 HE books
: % Fiction, Is history, 6; biography
} 3; nature, 3; literature, ,. CD Fiction
J II; history, 3; biography, l. 81 Fic
J ton, 10; history, A biography, nature
. l. 20 girls read 1870 books With % titles
average 81 books. % Fiction, lis
history, 2; biography, 3; nature, )
literature, 3; travel, 2. % Fiction
IA; history, /; biography, / nature, 3
literature, /. (3) Fiction, 10; history
l =; biography, ,; nature, 2; literature,
Eighth grade: Is boys read III book
with 81 titles, average 2-5 books Il
Fiction, 90; history. 4; biography, 1
nature, ); travel, ,. % Fiction, II
history, 2; nature, l. (3) Fiction, S
history, ); biography, /; nature, l. L
girls read go books with SO titles, averag
4 3-5 books. ~ Fiction, So; history
l; biography, ,; nature, 8; literature, 2
travel, ,. (2) Fiction, II; biography
; nature, l {; travel, l. (3) Fiction, 5
biography, 3 nature, 2; travel, l.
Ninth grade: 8 boys read 60 book
with Sc titles, average 20 books. q
Fiction, AZ; history, 10; biography,
nature, 3; travel, 2; literature, l. q
Fiction, 4; history, /; nature l, g
Fiction, G.; biography, /; nature. l. /
girls read 142 books with IL titles, aver
age, 9 Ills books. % Fiction, III; bis
tory, 3; biography, q; nature, 4; litera
ture, l; travel, 3; poetry, l; fairy tales
8. (2) Fiction, II; biography, nature
,. (3) Fiction, 8; biok raphy. 2.
Tenth grade: 10 boys read 1S2 book
with 100 titles. average, IA books. q
Fiction, 1874 history, ?; biography, 3
nature, travel, |; literature, poetry
10. (2) Fiction, 6; science, l. g.
Fiction, 5 {; science, l, % girls read 40
books with 23l titles, average III books
% Fiction, 1886; history, 2; biography
s; nature, 3; literature, s.; travel, 10
poetry, 25; fairy tales, / science,
sports, 3. (2) Fiction, 10. 49, Fic
ton, Is; travel, |.