New-York tribune., 1902-02-02
DON'T THROW PAPERS AWAY.
READING MATTER WANTED BY THE HOS
PITAL BOOK AND NEWSPAPER
SOCIETY

More than three hundred thousand books. papers
and magazines have been circulated by the
Hospital Book and Newspaper Society during
the last year. OF this number 1881 books,
IS OO4 magazines and 50 22S weekly and illustrated
papers The organization was founded twenty
seven years ago branch of the State Char
tiles Aid Association. Its purpose, as described
in the constitution. is to furnish reading mat
ter gratuitously to the inmates OF hospitals and
public institutions. as well as wherever need
for reading matter may exist. This city receives
the first attention the State the second and other
parts OF this country the third. Sixteen boxes are
placed In conspicuous positions in this city, and
the contributions TO them are gathered daily.
These receptacles confront passengers they
leave the boats at Wall-st-, Staten Island. Cort-
landt-st and Llberty-st ferries, at the Grand Gen.
trail Station. elevated stations at Rector-st and
Hanover Square; passersby at Vesey-st. and
Broadway, No. % Park Row. No 40 East Four
teenth-st. and members of the Union League and
Union clubs at their clubhouses. Passengers Of
the railroads elevated roads and of the ferries
requested not 20 throw away their papers when
they have finished reading them. but consign
them these boxes Regarding the work OF the
society. Gertrude L. Hoyt. secretary. says:
II even half the aPPeals, sent us were more widely
Appreciated and there surely would be less of the
wanton waste and destruction frequently seen
evenings of those living in solitary country places
Of the soldiers in forts and camps far from their
ing, perhaps; for months, with little to break the
hospitals
and prisons and other institutions it surely
quires little maginati ton To appreciate how welcome
must be a book or magazine TO occupy the weary
hours
A year ago we answered an appeal from in
Virginia In a letter of thanks from himself
and family" he writes that in addition his
household of twelve our contributions
read by six other families. making a total OF be-
tween fifty and sixty people. Those of readers
who were interested in the young man out West
who was crippled by rheumatism will be glad TO
know that we have added new interests TO his
stricted life His room has become the meeting
place for his neighbors, who now have, he puts
II. Something TO talk about, and in the evening
the 5choolmaster has classes for the older people
when they discuss the various topics suggested by
their reading. Every week large parcels carefully
well 10 those nearer home.
appeals is due to the Iberaty of friends chief
who sends monthly bag of unclaimed matter; the
clubs snd the publishing houses. The magazines
distributed. when possible. in sets of a year.
and we would he most grateful for the three sum
mer numbers, which frequently missing. Ju-
venile and foreign reading and Illustrated papers
are needed to meet the constantly increasing de-
mand
The cost of distributing much reading matter
over such an extent of country is very great and
larger subscriptions and donations are absolutely
necessary II the work of the society Is to keep
pace with the demands made upon it,
Mrs Abram s Hewitt is president OF the So
ciety