The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-01-08
~ 8 7FH i 3 s I.s.
a Concsnsus Of pinions on the Sub
jeot of Libraries


ject off Librariesy
WRITTEN BY L FRAaK FoOsHE.
should DO Road by All Parents,i
Guardians or Others Who, Arc
Interested u, the w ell
fare,or Ghildren.
The following is the first part of an
All isIti5ia ii written by nj II Frank
Fooshe, editofo of the Winnsboro News
and Herald for The State. The second
part Will be published next week:
AS important as lis the school Ii bra
i ny aS a factor in the development of
E 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 at
tend any efforts in the direetioniof
the estab abliShment of q library will de-
pend in no small measure upon how
we'll the details OF this difficult task
are carried out. The getting Of the
most books for the least money or the
getting of the books that will.be 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,
theresiS a great temptation to make
s the first of the two blunders mem
toned. But it Is well to bear in mind
that d few well chosen books that will
he read over and over, that are 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 first
books have been found TO be well Sc
lected, the problem OF selecting those
that are to be added is Still a difficult
one.
Within the past six years about 400
volumes have been bought for the
3 library of Mt. Zion; and as to how
we'll this law Of selection has been Oh.
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 comn,ittee
that has in charge the selection OF the
books that are to be purchased decid-
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 he 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. Nc
lists were sent out of the State for the
simple reason that the committee de-
sired its information flom those who
were personally known to them aud
lS5sgff6 had had to do with problems
most similar to those confronting
4 them. Then, too, they. had already
j made very free use Of the many pre-
pared lists that are often sent out
THE questions we're not only for sug
gestiOns as to the best books to be ad
ded to the list, but also in regard Il
certain phases Of library work. Will,
the number Of answers that have beer
received thereto has not been as large
as had been hoped, yet many valuable
suggestions were contained therein
and a study Of these might be protita
BILE at this time. Especially is thi
true at this time, for it is getting t,
be more and more a custom to direc
the proceedings arising from the usu
al Christmas entertainments toward
the establishing of library. Ant
when the proceeds are in hand th
teacher has that difficult problem o
making the best selection and cherish
,-es any helps that may be given from
any source In the solution of the same
The following is list of those whit
answered the questions: DR.. j. L
MCCAIN Of Erskine, Prof. II. Il. Cook
sof9 9Furman, Prof w. S. Morrison and
S5sJ. S. McLucas Of Clemson, DR.. ID. D.
Wallace of Wofford, Supt. L.
Dreher Of the Columbia 5.Iy schools,
Supt. w. A. Stuckanslf the Newberry
schools, Princifa1 e. G. McCants Of the
- derson Graded schools, Editor Zach
A5eGhee Of the Spartanburg Herald,
frof. 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 superintendentS, one
school principal, one editor and one
minister.
HOW TO START A LIBRARY.
Z Inasmuch as the matter of estab-
fishing library is one that is likely
TO 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 cnthusi-
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
Willingness to give to It's establish
ment;" and adds that in his expert
ence in which he established several
libraries that Il secured the coopera-
tton of the students" Prof. Ward.
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