The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-01-15
EAR. re r TIE TIE sCH0O OLS.
IA Concensua of Opinion son the Sub.
ject Of Libraries.
RYJ FRANK EOOsBE.

should BE Road by All Parents,
Guardians or o,hers Who Are
Intcrested in the Well
fare Of children.
The folloaingli lis the second part Of
an article written by Mr.. j. Frank
Fooshe, editor of the Winnsboro News
and Herald, for The State.
FOR SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOLS.
With an l: creased interest in the
study of the history OF South Carolina
there ought to be a demand for more
books on the subject; and in the fol-
lowing suggestions there is 3opportuni-
ty to get the best that there is. With
out a single exception the works of
Simms and the four volumes of Gen.
& McCrady,,s history were most heartily
Y suggested. Next in favor to these
q came Horseshoe Robinson, and the
Life Of Marion by Weems. Tim
rods poems, Haynes poems, In Old
ST. Stephens were mentioned more
than one time each. Others that were
mentioned were: Shadows Of the
War (publisheda anonymously, "The
Earth Trembled, Story of Old
Fort, SUMTER Craddock; "Cateechee
of Keowee, Z" Mrs. Means Story of
South Carolina.
DR.. Boldridge in this connection
suggested book that ought to be
within the reach of every teacher in
the State. After mentioning several
of the books already mentioned above,
he adds the following: And in some
respects better still the telling OF
thrilling incidents in Soith Carolina
history by the teacher. There are
many such.'
Mr.. McCants also makes sugges-,
tion that the lives of prominent South
CarolinianS be read and adds. Instead
of this we have them reading sketch
es of Franklin, the first man to set up
the dollar as the great American
god"
STICK TO BOOKS.
In regard to the advisability of sub
scribing part Of any library funds
that might be in hand for current pc
rIodiicals and magazines the unanimity
/. of opinion VAS against this in q school
as limited iii It's resources as the one
for which information was being ask
ed. The stand taken by almost
everyone was that where the funds are
small decidedly better results can be
had by the expenditure of the money
for books. Where the library is al
ready well established and where tiio
resources will permit it is recon-
mended that there be an effort in this
The writer of this article trusts
that he may be pardoned for adding
to the suggestions contained in the
above answers some of his own person
al experience in the matter of eStab
fishing and conducting library. A few
years ago he took charge of school ol
about 80 pupils and about 40 of these
were in the classes above the usua
fourth year. The school building wa:
fairly good for the community ant
the surroundings were about as ia, or
able as those of most country tow li,
The furniture in the building
though home made, was very good
The one thing laking in the opinion
Of the new teacher was a school lib
rary. In much of their work th
pupils from the very start showed
many commendable characteristics
but it was very evident that thni
reading had been seriously regretted
To remedy this defect was the ont
work that he So out to do. The frs
step in th;5 direction was not an eifor
to puralase some books, for in hi
opjnOn this would not have been ad
-asable till some interest had beeI
aroused on the part of the children il
this new feature. Fortunately III
had in his possession quite Il collection
of books that were suitable for the
children to read. These he carried tt
the School room with him, laid then
on his desk, and invited the children
to read them whenever they felt like
SO doing. From the very first they
accepted this invitation, and founc
this a most valuable way to put ii
much of the time that would have
otherwise been spent in idleness
Special attention was also given tC
reading them such selections as il
was thought would be stimulating ir
arousing in them an interest in theil
reading. In visits to ~'the various
homes books that were therein noted,
and from their owners a loan of the
same was asked. There were good
number OF real suitable books to be
obtained in this way; which together
with those to which the pupils had al
ready been given access, made a very
good little circulating library. All
the while the matter Of their reading
was emphasized in every way possible.
Nor were the efforts in this direction
without results, as is evidenced by the
fact that within six months more than
200 volumes were read. At the close
of the school an entertainment was
given for securing funds with which
to purchase a library, and a nice little
sum was secured. The books, about
40 in number were soon purchased.
In the light of the six years that
have passed, since that time he would
say that he amade some very serious
blunders in the selection thereof Ex-
perience has since taught the lesson
that in the purchase of any books,
however small the amount therefor
may be, that quality is of far more
consideration than quantity
When he came to the historic Mt.
Zion he was very much surprised to
find but that little had been done in
the matter of providing library.
Tho total pun,hpr of yoliInnc tharaip