Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-04-30
PUBLIC LIBRARY POPULAR
IMPORTANCE IN RELATION To SCHOOLS
Pupils Make Greater Use of Library Than Ever
Before-Eighin Grades are Taught the
System cataIoging- Contest Arranged.

The past year has marked a new
epoch IN the usefulness Of the public
library. Never before has it been
| more popular with the people,
especially the pupils of the public
schools, than at present. This condi-
tion is chiefly due to the faithful
work of Miss Rablin, the librarian,
and the earnest cooperation of
Superintendent H. S. Youker and his
able corps of teachers. The policy of
the library board and the school board
has been to link these two educational
institutions more closely, and today
the library may truly be called an
Important part Of Grand Rapids
excellent school system.
Every teacher encourages the pupils
to read books and make free use of the
public library. The librarians also
make it their duty to do this. Con-
Sequently more books and magazines
nave been used by the pupils during
the past school year than ever before
in the history of the library. One
pupil was heard to remark the other
dag: Il have read more books this
year than in any two previous years "
Many pupils can even offer stronger
testimonials.
Helps in Debates and Compositions.
Whenever debates are planned in
the grades or in the high schools, the
librarians are given the subjects and
select all the articles bearing upon the
debates. The pupils can therefore
with great ease gather much valuable
material on such special subjects by
spending an hour or two at the library.
Special attention is also given to the
pupils who visit the library with the
view of finding materials for essays or
talks on current topics. In this con-
nectiOn it should be remembered that
the teachers often give personal aid
to the pupils while studying at the
library.
Recent History Studied.
The Howe Eighth grade are at
present working upon a long list of
recent United States history topics as
found in magazines and newspapers
published since 1898. The pupils of
this grade spent several afternoons at
the library during the past week. The
results of their work will be discussed
in class
Teaching the Use Of Library
The Eighth grades of the east and
west sides have been given special
lessons by the librarian in best
methods of finding books on the
shelves. Card catalogue cases for
this purpose were provided for each
pupil.
To further carry out this work Miss
Rablin loaned nine-tive pictures from
the Wisconsin Library Commission
The exhibition of these pictures began
April % and will close May 9. Each
picture represents certain book
From this suggestion the author and
title of the book must be looked up in
the card catalogue case. The one in
each Eighth grade guessing the
largest number of authors and books
correctly will. be awarded prize.
The contest was arranged especially
for the Eighth grades, but Miss
Rablin has now decided to offer a
prize to any one of the other pupils in
the public schools who does the best
work.
There is no doubt but that such
contests will do much to educate the
children in becoming better
acquainted with the catalogue and
encourage them in making freer use
of the library.