The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-10-19
CIGAR FACTORY READER.
Place He Fills an Important One for
Benefit Of Workinqmen.

The reader in a cigar factory is an
important parsonage. Mounted on
dais near the center of the room, with
a skylight directly overhead, he sits in
n comfortable chair and reads to the
workmen the news of the world fic-
tion, history, political economy, poetry
and selections that may be requested.
lie is not employed by the owner or
manager of the cigar factory, but is Sc.
lected by committee of the workmen.
lie is paid usually about $40 week.
AS soon as the workmen are seated
at their benches or tables and start
rolling the smokers" the reader be-
gins. He must have a clear voice. not
too loud or harsh, which can be dis
tinctly heard in all parts of the large
room.
First the daily papers are taken up
and the telegraph news of the world is
read. Where no paper printed in Span
ish can be obtained containing press
dispatches the reader translates the
English text, after first reading it
aloud for the benefit of the American
worlimen who may not understand
Spanish. After the telegraphic report
comes the local news and then the edi-
torials. Thus the first half hour is
spent Never more than one-half an
hours reading is required of the read
er at one time.
After his first rest the reader takes
up some serial, usually a Spanish ro-
nance, and devotes the next half hour
TO this. Then comes another rest. in
which the workmen discuss with their
Immediate working partners the mer-
its of the story, the probable fate OF
the hero or the villain and also the au-
thor.
Light literature occupies the next
half hour of the readers time, short
stories from magazines. jokes. conun-
drums. comments and ful-de-rol.
History is then taken up, Cuban his
tory. Spanish history, the histories OF
various European countries. and espe-
cial attention is paid to the history of
the United States.
In the afternoon reading half hours
the reader presents selections from the
writings of world famous men of let
ters The course has been mapped out
by the committee appointed for that
purpose, and the reader must follow
the committees selections.
How the factories came to be provid-
ed with readers for the workmen is of
interest. II is well established fact
that people of the Latin races will use
their hands, arms, shoulders or heads
when they talk to emphasize their re-
marks. The Cuban or the Spaniard
cannot talk two minutes without wav-
ing his hands and struggling his
shoulders. 1t is second nature to him,
and he can't help 1t.
Now, a cigarmaker has to use both
hands in making a cigar, and, as a
cigarmaker cannot talk and work at
the same time. rule prohibiting talk
ing in the factory in working hours is
an absolute necessity.
Tradition has it that shortly after
the first cigar factory was established
in Havana, the owner, seeking to get
as much work as possible from the en-
ployes, and knowing their fondness for
stories. hit upon the happy idea of hav-
ing good reader read to the men an
interesting story in the working hours.
Then the managers stopped employ.
ing readers. Strikes followed, and H.
nally an agreement was reached that
. the managers would install readers
stands in convenient locations and the
workmen would select the readers and
pay them and have a committee to Sc
lect the class of literature. This plan
has been carried out for century OF
more and works admirably.
The readers selected are all well edu.
Gated, and their reading has, as a rule
good effect, II has encouraged many
workmen to take up courses Of study
and thus become well informed upon
all matters of interest.-New Yorf
Tribune.