The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-01-08
4 o il HE sc ID O @ OLs.
a Concensas Of Opinion ON the Sub.
jsot Of Libraries.

80 r
jsot Of Libraries.
WRITTaN 81 FRANK FoDsHH.
Z should ne Read by All Parents,
Guardlans Of Others who Arc 81
Iiitcrestsd In the Well
fare or children, IA
The following is the first part OF an
article written by Mr.; Frank
Eooshes editor Of the Winnsboro News
& and Herald for The State, The second
part1will be publish xt week:
AB Important as is the school bra
Z ry as a factor In the development of
s the very best;in school work, the se-
lecting of the books that are to go
therein is OF far greater importance.
The measure OF success that will att
{ tend any efforts In the directionof
the esta blishment Of a library will de-.
pend in no small measure upon how
y we'll the details of this difficult task
are carried out. The getting of the
most books for the least money or the
4 getting of the books that will.he most
ornamental will not atone for any err
: rors that may be made in getting
+ those books that will not be read or
In getting those that ought not to be
read. AS most school libraries have
to be started on a very small scale,
there Is a great temptation to make
the first of the two blunders men,
toned. But 1T Is well to bear in mind
that a few well chosen books that will
be read over and over, thatare stimu-
lating in the matter OF developing
the reading habit. are worth many
times over any number Of those that
may fail in these two most important
respects. And even where the sS first
books have been found to be we'll Sc
: lected, the problem Of selecting those
that are to be added is still difficult
one.
Within the past six years about 400
volumes have been bought for the
library Of Mt.sZion; and as to how
we'll this law Of selection has been OBJ.
served the list that is appended below
will attest. In keeping with the prac-
tice of the past few years about so to
100 volumes will be added thereto In
the next few weeks. The committee
that has in charge the selection Of the
books that are TO be purchased deoid-
ed that it would be better to spend a
part Of the funds that will be availa-
BILE in getting the views Of others as
to what books SHOULD be added. Ac-
cordingly they prepared list of the
books that are now in the library and
Sent the same to about $50 teachers
aud a few who had taught school. NJ
lists were sent out OF the State for the
simple reason that the committee de-
sired Its information from those wht
were personally known to them ant
'lgllsss9n6 had had to do with problems
most similar to those confronting
them. Then, too tbey. had alread.
made very free use of the many pre-
pared lists that are often sent out
The questions were not only for Sug
gestions as to the best books to be ad
ded to the list, but also in regard t.
certsjn phases of library work. Will
the number of answers that have beer
received thereto has not been as larg
as had been hoped, yet many valuabl
suggestions were contained therein
and a study of these might be protita
Bile at This time. Especially is thi
true at this time, for 1t is getting t
be more and more a custom to direc
the proceedings arising from the usu
al Christmas entertainments toward
the establishing OF a library. AM
when the proceeds are in hand til
teacher has that difficult problem o
making the best selection and cherish
,-es any helps that may be given from
y any source in the solution of the same
The following is list Of those win
answered the questions: DR.. j.
Mccain Of Erskine, Prof. III. L. Cool
OF Furman, Prof. w. S. Morrison ant
81 y. S. McLucas Of Clemson, DIR. ID. ID
Wallace of Wofford, oupt. E.
Dreher of the Columbia G.Gy schools,
Supt w. A. StucksaN the Newberry
schools, PRINCIPAL Il. Q. McCants Of the
,-- derson Graded schools, Editor Zach
ieGhee of the Spartanburg Herald,
Prof. Patterson Wardlaw Of the South
Carolina College, and Rev. j. II. Bold
ridge of Lancaster. The above list
includes five college professors, two
graded school superintendcnts, one
school principal, one editor and one
: minister.
HOW TO START A LIBRARY.
II 1nasmuch as the matter of eStab-
fishing a library is one that is likely
60 be Of the greatest interest their an
swers on this point are given first
There seems to be unanimity of
opinion that the best way to get this
work started Is by getting the chill
dren of the school interested in the
: matter. 1t is not SO much the getting
the funds with which to start the
work as it is in awakening an interest
that will result In the free use Of the
books when they have been purchaS-
ed. DIR. Mccain suggests that it is
best to raise the necessary funds by
means Of entertainments In which
the children, themselves take a pro-
minent part" and "by such enthusi-
asm on the part Of the teacher as will
awaken desire for literature in the
school and in the community, and
lead patrons to contribute money and
books" DR.. Boldridge takes the
view that "a careful explanation Of
the need Of the library will create a
Willingness to give to is establish.
ment;" and adds that in his expert
ence in which be established several
Libraries that II secured the coopera-
tion of the Students" Prof. Ward.
law follows IN the same idea in thc