Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-07-10
LIBRARY SECTION
DISCUSSES BOOKS
President johnson of Winthrop Nor
NAL and Industrial College Says
Teachers Should IncuIcate
Love of Good Literature

The library department held JOINT
session with the department. OF Norman
schools yesterday afternoon In Alnampri
President j. N Wilkinson of Emporia,
Kas., presided at the opening OF the SEES
sion, but was called away to an lmpor-
tant committee meeting, and ). n. ME- ME-
Elna Ruin of Peru, Neb., acted as secre-
tary.
INSTRUCTION In Library Work IN Norman
The first paper was on Preparation Of
Librarians for Public School Libraries,
by d. B. Johnson, president OF W WIN nji1i
S. c. This was followed by paper on
INSTRUCTION of All Prospective teachers
in the Contents and Uses of Libraries
with a View to Direction Of Student
Energy in All Grades of School," by Miss
elizabeth Sullivan, state normal school,
Los Angeles. Her excellent paper brought
out many good points which We're dls-
cussed in connection with the preceding
President Johnson said in part:
School Libraries Increasing
"rrhe growth of the library movement in
recent years has been phenomenal. All
of the states of the United States, with
few if any exceptions, now have library
laws for the establishment of school
libraries America may justly claim the
honor of founding and perfectlng the free
library system. The movement is nov,
world wide, This. great investment OF
money requires trained management.
"a multitude of books must have null
titude of readers to accomplish the pur-
pose for which they are supplied. Inc
people must be led to acquire the reading
habit This can be done only by begin
ming with the children and that, too, at
very early age. 1t is difficult, If not i'm
possible, to change grown peoples tastes.
Hence the necessity for teachers TO train
their pupils in the use of the library.
There is no work of the teacher that
can surpass in Importance this work OF
forming right tastes OF reading among
and appreciate good books while at school
they will hardly ever learn, and their
education will not amount TO much. Inc
school has to do with the child and youth,
but the library has to do with the child:
the youth and the man until the end or
his life A good book is blessing, but
an evil book is curse.
Chid's Reading Important
"He who directs the reading of children
can form their ideals and characters. III
the state teaches it's future citizens to
read at all it must go further, for the sake
of the individual and for its own sake to
make good citizenship and teach them
what to read Hence the justification for
school libraries and the training or
teachers in normal schools in library
methods. 1t is not advisable to train pro-
TsSston Work p should be- left to Regular
library schools. Many normal schools In
all parts of the country are giving In
struction in library methods.
''The committee of the library depart
ment of the N. e. A. on instruction in
library administration advises that normal
schools give such instruction and sug-
gests an excellent course for such instruc-
ton.
Preachers must take hold of this live
library movement as they must OF all live
questions and relate their work closely to
de Of
to get out of the class in which the old
woman placed them among neither the
living nor the dead when in answer to
the question How many children have
vou?' she replied, Five-two living, two
deaed and one teaching school.
A lively discussion was held on the best
methods of handling a library for the
good of all who come under it's benefits
Practical ideas were advanced on supply
ing good books for the readers and de-
nouhcing those that are detrimental