The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-03-09
SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
Nearly Thousand Already Established
Under the system Adopted by the
State Legislature.

q
Under the system Adopted by the
State Legislature.
One of the matters in which Loulsl-
ana's efficient superintendent OF pub
lie education, Hon. j. B. Aswell, has
been taking a great deal OF interest IS
the establishment of libraries to fur
nish general reading in the public
schools throughout the state. The
legislature of 1906, by Act 202, pro-
yided for the installation of libraries
in every school and every grade OF
every school in the state by making it
the duty of the parish school board,
whenever the patrons shall have raised
$40 or more, to appropriate like sum
from the funds of the board. The
school authorities then apply to the
state superintendent for the official list
of books and select suitable ones for
use in the school. These are not text
books, but general literature suited to
the grade in which they are to be used.
The state board awarded the con-
tract for supplying the books to F. F.
Hansell & Bro, of New Orleans, and
that firm has given over floor of
their building for the storing and han
ding of the volumes. The shelving is
numbered to correspond with the num-
bers of the books in the catalogue pre-
pared under the direction of the state
board, which gives the list of books
! suitable for each grade, with the pub
fishers prices, and also the prices at
which they mag be obtained by the
school.
The works for the lower grades are
selected from condensed and adapted
writings of the best authors and give
very wide and charming variety
of reading for the little folks, from the
fairy story to the condensed historical
work.
The filing OF orders from the schools
began in December last and nearly
1000 libraries have been sent out to
all parts of the state. The list of
books range in cost from $50 to 5000,
and the prices of the various publica-
tions are nearly all under 50eents each,
| running from 20 to 40 cents usually.
In the case where school orders 5000
worth of books, the parish furnishes
$50 and the patrons raise S120. Be-
sides paying part of the price, the
parish school board furnishes the
bookcases.
For $40 library there are about
sixty books, depending, of course, on
the kind selected. The list shows
that the state board has selected with
great care the most interesting books
for children and at the same time those
which have educational value, treating
of historical subjects, nature studies,
| fairy tales, etc. It is intended that the
children may be allowed to take the
books home to read.
The book store has quite job get
ting the different orders in shape and
maintaining supply of books. 1t is
hard to know just what quantity to
keep, because it is hard to guess what
books the schools will order. If some
of the books are not on hand they are
supplied before the list is sent, if pos
sible, and if not, they are mailed aft
erwards.
| This system will within short time
supply all the schools with a very fine
selection of the best literature, which
will be of great benefit, especially In
remote places where there are no pub
lie libraries. The effect on the literary
training and culture of the young peo-
pie is expected to be very important.
Provision is made for the replenishing
or increase of the library, the parish
board to pay its pro rata for that pur-
pose.