The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-11
ATEACHERS'LIBRARY
FEATURE OF EDUCATIONAL WORK
BEING DONE IN SAVANNAH.
LEADING EDUCATIONAL PAPER
THIS MONTH CONTAIN CoMMENDA-
TORY ARTICLES ON THE SYSTEM.

ton and the Cooperation of the
Teachers the Library Now Con-
tains 1000 VoIumHs and More
Than 100 Observation-Disclosures
Devoted to Educational TOpics-A
Teachers Club ROom-AuaIytical
Index of Books.
Several of the more prominent of the
American educational journals have
this month paid high compliments to
the pedagogical library. which is main
tanned in Savannah by Supt. Otis Ash
more and the teachers of the Savan-
nah public schools. Supt. Ashmore has
also received many highly commenda-
tory letters from prominent educators
of all sections concerning the system.
The movement was given its first i'm
petus in the spring of 1897, when Supt.
Ashmore first began the work of secur-
ing a pedagogical library for the use
of the teachers to aid them in their
work. At that time there were no
books and the outlook was far from
encouraging. The teachers were i'm
pressed with the idea and formed an
association, and since that time the
library has grown and prospered. There
are now more than 1000 books in the
library and more than 100 of the best
educational journals of the country, as
we'll as the leading magazines, on file.
When the work started under the di-
rection of Mr.. Ashmore, each teacher
who joined the association was assessed
81 for the of innr69 SinCr tho
library. Since that time the annual as
sessment has varied, never exceeding
the first amount, however. Last year
the assessment was so cents for the
year. At present there is a sufficient
amount in the treasury of the associa-
ton to carry on the work of the year.
and no assessment will be made except
on new members. These will be
charged a fee of so cents for the use
OF the library
The entire library is maintained and
operated by the teachers. Each of the
schools elects one representative t.
the board of directors, so that every
school has equal representation. The
whole management is under the direc-
ton of Supt Ashmore, whose long eX-
perience in educational. affairs makes
him especially suited to oversee all de-
partments of the library.
All Educational Books at Hand.
The Library is on the first floor of
Chatham Academy The room is well
suited for the purpose to which it
has been put and its central location
is almost ideal for the teachers. There
is a desk at which any writing can
be done and a. long reading table for
the use of those who do not care to
take books from the library. All of
the teachers are encouraged to make
the library a teachers club room and
to frequent it as often as possible.
The normal class holds its meetings
in the Library on Friday night.
All departments of educational work
are represented. There are two large
cases filed with books on educational
topics. The first shelf is devoted to
books dealing with subjects taught in
the High schools. There are also
numerous books on Educational Prin-5
ciples Educational History, and on
School Management. Then there are
several shelves filled with texts of
we'll known authors on the best meth
DDS to be used in teaching the var
ious subjects. These books cover all
subjects taught in the public schools.
On a long table, running nearly the
entire length of the room are the
periodicals and the reference books.
More than 100 educational journals are
on file here and many of the leading
Journals of other countries. Every rec
ognized educational magazine publish
ed in the United States is kept on
file A large number of the more
prominent monthly magazines are also
kept on file for the benefit of those
who desire to make a pleasant break
in their educational readings by an
incursion into the realms of fiction.
Magazines summarizing the leading
events of the week in all parts of the
world, such as the Literary Digest
Current History, etc, are also sub
scribed for by the association.
A complete file of the government re-
ports on educational matters is also
kept. Here are found the reports Of
the meetings of National Educational
Association, together with all the
speeches made at that important as
sembly's sessions. Other reports on
school work are on file, and also the
monthly reports of the various con-
suls.
Analytical Index System.
An absolutely complete analytical
index system is kept. An index book,
plainly marked with the subject which
it covers is kept ready for handy
reference. On the first page of the
book is given an index of the pages
on which the different departments,
such as management, government, dis
cipline methods of instruction, etc, is
kept. On these pages notes have been
made of different books on file and
the especial chapters in them treating
of the desired subject. A brief sum-
mary of the chapter is given together
with the standing of the author.
In order to facilitate the work of
indexing, small pockets are hung on
the walls of the library, each pocket
labeled with the subject which its
contents cover. Any teacher who is
reading through different books and
who finds a striking chapter on any
subject makes a note of it, together
with her opinion of the chapter, and
drops it. into the proper pocket.
There is an editor for each of these
pockets and at regular intervals each
editor carefully goes over the slips that
have been dropped in the pockets
and enters them in the index books.
In this way the index is kept up-to-
date and many new features are often
discovered by teachers doing miscel-
laneous reading.
For Aiding the Teachers.
Several facilities have been provided
for aiding the teachers along different
lines. A librarian is chosen by the
hoard of directors, and complete rec
ord of the books and periodicals taken
from the library by each teacher is
kept. An entry is made of the books
taken out, the time that they were
taken out, and the time that they were
nv simply. consulting this book supt.
Ashnore can tell at a glance just what