The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-25

IL
every ono OF It's rich treasures Will be 3at
the cali Of even the youngest nd most
inexperienced or It's pa rots. i5 \. IN IA
Travelling Libraries.
rhe step however, which is OF most
Vital moment TO .the State Ia hat OF send
i,,g out tray cling libraries to email towns
and rural districts IN every county 'nt; y
the State. 4aHii ~ 4 Ii a ~ 8. 4,
n Owing Is the lack OIL an appro pi'lntion
for that purpose the library has had ito
rely entirely upon prl vate gifts o e books
to supply these libraries. t$ Many hay
been received from this source, and hay AZ
Ing been placed in han some b ok cns es
supplied by the library, have been sent
out into the field on II cdr errntlds OF edu
cation and entertainments. N
BE- THE cry for. ttraveling Libraries Is heard
from every quarter OF Virginia, and it4is !
to be hoped that the mex eglslature vii
pass generous measures for this branch
OF educati on. Sgi & Y N 3s Il "A XII
BY In the meantime an q unusual oppour--
}tunityis offered to the philanthrop for
every library which Is presented to the the
state means new station,6and this ne " 4
station wlll NOT only receive the new NJ
brary but every o iler travelling llbrhry
In the field, as they are read and moved
on. N 81
There arc one hundred and twenty-five
libraries In Virginia, with collect ons
ranging from II ten II u1nes II to seventy
thousn1d volumes, but these are mostly =. Av,
attached and SCI Z, 3and !ns
on the fingers OF one hand. ~ he Rose
ma ~ Library, on the corner OF Fourth
and FRANKLIN Streets, has IA good col1 \
lection OF i fiction, and IL a free publ c i
library, open until 40 3. NJ.
Carnegie gift to Norfolk l,a gLye !,
that city an lent public library o "a
about II, 900 volumes ~ hile 1.yn Oh burg Is
preparing to erect a public library, made
possible by the late George A1.S Jtones'sl
bequest. S 2 N u 5 En- u; III \.
Virginia or Its Individual cities Is neither.
sufficient nor complete, even " hen ir II
stttutions from the lowest primary schools
and equipped. a Thought should be taken q lt
for the less favored and sci -reliant$ III III
the upward struggl 8 towards higher deyei--S
3opn1ent and greater lllgen ce.s II
II TO complete This provision the public
library has come to beirega rded us ri t.
fully tho q" localized and eff Client or gan
ization OF ali those agencies for general
instltut lons.H'5 as the agency Of onle
education" and "self -cultur 81 az dlstin;--
guished from the school and COLI
n BENBETr TO EoNrMrNI
TO B a ppfo ach the subject from entirely
an educational standpontsand to ask our
selves what does a y " ~ do to benefit
tho community aside from tho ent ertnin-
mont 1T ffords, we can eli sNer g once
that to reply fully to this question WILL.
be to conclusive pro we hat the library
5is an q bHolute necessity to the wei rare
and growth of 81 city. IN rs "a ss33
$5.V Virginia boys are amlgrating to other
States by thousands every year, because
I4theys cannot find the means OF attaining
their Ambi ttons 1T home, y and because OF
those clilt.osS o ffered In Northern cities
lSforS their advo ncement not only inslli
3erftry work. but in every rade and every
liprofcssion, which are not offer at no me.
l58,Virginia's principle is; that generations
| OF refinement. 4 ed ucat!on ant culture Will
do more TO make q man wort thy Of re-
spcct and confidence than the poss sson
of the a.mig hty dol lar but VIC must not
forget that B " G owe to Il this gen ton
/ 9aislarger mount of educa ion I han was
ever, required for any previous one, in
order tina t we nil y AXE cd our lain
for superiority or even equality..
have reached a point t In our history when
4 Individual worth counts for moro IN the
competitive world than III encalogl cal
l5tree Of a thousand years gro " and our
young men are liking that tactt ana are
pushing out In search of those tools with
L
Y, .ss8 YouNG EgADERsS ~ VI
is The majority Of readers In the libraries
to-day are young mem and young women,
earnest searchers al ter learning. and you
have but to open 3ytour5 i braryS doors and
they need no second Invitation. Mechanics
come to perfect themselves I'M the; technique
and theory OF their trade; artists comesfor
IsthoS purpose of keeping In touch Wit 1.-THE
--latest things In their prof cssion; tudents
| professional men, merchants and alaborers
reach out agerly for#the education and
ertretalnment offotcd by tho library. Il
sii5 u you have no library to Q fer them
they are forced to 60 elsewhere, and you
lose tho best and most energetic Of your;
citizens 3s
lSj5 One OF tho things that mark the open
ing OF q public library in a8conlWunltyS
| is the budding into existence OF study
l%clubs''' on a II subjects III every quarter.
Il There will be sophocles clubs, Milton
| Clubs, shakesp care clubs, Dante clubs.
nd nfinitum, and II you have a wise and
enthusiastic librarian, lie will do !, all II In
ibis power 10 aid 4 thees pc ple in their
work II! 8ft 5
These Study clubs born and nur-
tllrcd in the lbrar y, do more TO raise the
standard Of culture and literary taste
than anything else in the world They
are, however, only one OF E the many
things come Will, the advent OF the pub
| lie library. 5l N s VI Il lSj II, D 4.
Richmond as ono OF the great centers
4 or learning fiji the South should be equlp-