The Mena weekly star., 1910-09-01
Schools, Teachers, Pupils and Patrons
Devoted to the Beerng of the School Interests in FOX COuny
our Circulating and Exchange Libraries

Our Circulating and Exchange Libraries
 After much careful consideration and more careful study of the prob lem before us we have adopted the following plan or system for introduc- ing and putting into use large mum Der of Little Classics, as well as selected literature, giving to the great est number of readers the best that can be had, adapted to the wants of the young in Polk county. In doing so, The Star takes the initiative with out claim of absolute originality, and leaves the result to the people as the true referendum. We think it was President Cleveland who said the peo- pie could always be trusted and we are willing to leave it to the people for adoption or for improvements in any particular. But here is
 The Plan.
 1. To furnish at least five well se- lected libraries, no two alike, absolute ly free, to as many school districts in a convenient group for exchange pur- poses. The only conditions of accept ance on the part of the districts are as follows:
 a. Where the benefciaries have sufficient faith in the plan, they are expected to contribute books equal in value to our donation, not to exceed one dollar, as beginning No future contributions required.
 b. Where beneficiaries do not feel like contributing anything, the libra ries will be furnished just as willingly and just as freely Our object in having this small contribution is to make the several districts feel that they have a part ownership in the system and hence take a deeper in- terest in the care, reading and ex- change of the several libraries.
 c. A definite plan for exchanging these libraries will be furnished all beneiciaries.
 d. After the libraries have been started, the organization and adop- ton of rules and regulations will be left to the teachers of those schools participating in the exchange
 e. At present libraries will be fur nished through those. teachers who have taken special interest in our requests for information concerning their schools. We deem this expe- dient since we promised to have some thing worthy the attention of ali pro gressive teachers, this being the first of our contemplated announcements. There are others to follow when this innovation is fairly under way.
 f. The following principles deduced from the experience of others, will be kept in mind in making selections fol the libraries, to-wit: Selections will be made for a given grade in the school, from books whose vocabulary is at least one reader grade below that of the pupils, thus securing ability to read the books selected. It is a well known fact that pupils in the lower grades will not read Byron, Keats Shelly, Emerson. Browning. Macaulay Addison, Edwards, etc., ah, where is the Eighth grade pupil who will read the works of any of the above?
 g. Our aim is to start with the first reader selection for the second reader grade. requesting all reader grades to read the books offered and to continue the same plan through the eight grades furnishing classics helpful in their studies.
 h. One text (no duplicates) for the teacher will be placed in each ol these libraries, thus giving him five helpful devices in his school-room work.
 N. o. White of Opal, who teaches