The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-01-06
FOR THE SCHOOLS.
4 Concensus Of Opinion on the Sub
ject Of Libraries.
WRITTEN BY. FRANK F0OsEE.


Guardians or Others Who Are
Interested in the Wei
fare of Children.
The following is the first part OF an
article written by Mr.. J. FRANK
Fooshe, editor OF the WinnSooro News
and Herald, for The State. The Secono
part will be published next week:
AS important as is the school libra
ry as a factor in the development ot
the very best in school work. the Sc
lecting of the books that are to so
therein is of far greater Importance.
The measure of success that will at
tend any efforts in the direction OF
the esta blishment OF a library will de-
pend in no small measure upon how
well 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 er-
rors that may be made in getting
those books that viii not be read or
in getting those that ought not 10 be
read. AS most school libraries nave
to be started on a very small scale,
there is a great tempta tion TO make
the first Of the two oJunaerS men
toned. But it is well to bear in lnlno
that few well chosel. books that vii!
be read over and over, that are stlmu-
lating in the matter Of developing
the reading habit. are worth many
times over any number OF those that
NAV 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 difficult
one.
Within the past six years about 400
volumes have been bought for the
library of Mt. Zion; and as TO how
well 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 80 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 oec!d-
ed that it would be better to spend a
part Of the funds that will be avalla-
Bile in getting the views Of Others as
to what books should be added. Ac-
cordingly they prepared list o. the
books that are DOW in the library and
sent the same to about $50 teachers
and a few who had taught school. No
lists were sent out of the State for the
simple reason that the committee de-
sired it's information from those who
were personally known to Iaem and
who had had to do with problems
most similar to those confronting
them. Then, too, they had already
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 to
certain phases Of library work. While
the number Of answers that have been
received thereto has not been as large
as had been hoped, yet many valuable
suggestions were contained therein:
aud study Of these might be prodta-
BILE at this time. Especially is this
true at this time, for it is getting to
be more and more custom to direct
the proceedings arising from the uSu-
es christmas entertainments towards
the establishing of library. And
when the proceeds are in hand the
teacher has that difficult problem Of
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 a list Of those who
answered the questions: Dr.. J. l.
Mccain Of Erskine, Prof. H. T. Cook
Of Furman, Prof. W. S. Morrison and
J. S. McLucas OF Clemson, Dr.. D. D.
Wallace Of Wofford, Supt. E. S.
Dreher Of the Columbia city schools,
Supt. W. A. Stuckey of the Newberry
schools, Principal E. G. McCants Of the
Anderson Graded schools, Editor Zach
McGheeeof the Spartanburg Herald.
Prof. Patterson Wardlaw of the South
Carolina College, and Rev. J. H. 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 4 LIBRARY.
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 a 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.
o5 DR. Mccain cuptraetc that If is