The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-03-22
The LIBRARY AS AN EDUCATOR
To The Free Lance:

10 The Free Lance:
In these modern times of hurry and
money making We are apt to forget
that one of the real ends of education
should be character building. which
should be taught directly or Indirectly
among the first lessons. for isn't
the development of character the only
real success in life? Then where so
fertile field as the formative years of
child's life2 Just the time to fiji the
mind with beautiful thoughts, proof
against all adversely, bright fancies,
satisfied memories. noble histories,
faithful sayings, treasure houses of
precious and restful thoughts which
care cannot disturb, nor pain make
gloomy, nor poverty take away from
us; houses built without hands for our
souls TO live in. Thus the child's mind
is brought in touch with some of the
great minds in literature, leading him
20 realize his true relation TO his fellow
man and nature, giving him a store
house of beautiful thoughts for his
imaginative mind as a bright picture
gives him feast for his eyes.
Then the library may be used as an
incentive to good lessons. When other
plans have failed have known this 70
succeed. Restless pupils will become
1 ~ dhC0A DtQ III Wlldl lfltN are leHUl0N
that they even forget to fidget. All
teachers have had pupils who would
say. 81 can't get this lesson, | don,
like history or geography anyway, -
but would be delighted with a story OF
reading on the subject Get him inter
ested and you will hear no more about
his not liking such and such "A study il
he has permission to read when the
| lesson Is learned. | have found il a
good plan to select six or more books
suitable for the grade and post the lists
for different grades. | think children
enjoy choosing books, as they don't
feel that you are making them read
that particular book and they know
they must read each book on the list
before a new list is made. Don't. put
IN one selection all geographical or his
torlcal books; let there be at least one
or two stories and biography. Chill
dren are very much like grown people.
| they will soon tire il too much les
SON. is the prominent feature: they
need variety 10 keep up their interest.
Moral principles may be impressed
more forcibly by beautiful stories and
quotations. We know that the ances-
tor of every action is a thought, there
fore the necessity of giving children
beautiful, clean thoughts so that they
may live a life more beautiful and theiI
actions may be such as will make them
worthy citizens of our republic. THE
true grandeur of humanity is in mora
elevation, sustained. enlightened and
decorated by the intellect of man.
| What better could we teachers dC
for the cause of education than te
foster love of good literature in tn,
minds of our pupils? What food is tC
the body. thought is to the mind" A,
the health of the body must depend up
on the quality of the food, so the minc
must depend upon the quality of the
thought. If the first aim of school cuI
ture is to make better workers. the
second should be TO make better think
ers, and for this purpose the children
should study the great masters of liter
ature. At best schools can give pupils
i only certain amount of information
and lead them TO form right habits and
acquire good tastes, but their habits
are not fixed and tastes subject To
change. Much of their real education
is yet TO come, thus the library gives
the opportunity to plant seed for the
| after-school education. enriching the
mind year after year. when the school
days are passed.
A taste for good reading if once ac-
quired will grow "by what il feeds on. -
The teacher who leads a pupil to read
a good interesting book establishes a
strong bond of sympathy between the
pupil and himself, to say nothing of the
higher good in building one more ster
that will bind the child to a life of noble
and earnest thinking.
The reading habit properly developed
will broaden the pupils mind and give
him new interest in his regular studies;
and whatever awakens the pupils in
terest will lead to self discipline and his
moral standard will be lifted higher.
Ii is very essential for a teacher if he
wishes TO make a success to keep in
touch with what is going on in the
world, however good his previous train
ing might have been. What better
means of accomplishing this than by
reading educational literature, both
current and standard? Aside from the
inspiration and help gained through
reading educational literature. the
teacher by supporting educational
papers encourages the worthy effort
| they are making TO uplift the cause of
education.
He who ignores the educational Jour-
nails loses sight of the progress in edu-
| cational affairs. falls out of line in-all
forward movements, becomes narrow
in his own ideas and methods and is
likely to be self-contained and egotisti-
cal.
IF. F., Lahore, Va.
| COrraSnopdapt for Tavio- dsat-,ot n