Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-11-20
OMAHA LIBRARY JUVENILES
Miss Edith Tobitt Talks Of the Best
Books for Children.
STORY TELLING A GREAT HELP
some Interesting Details Of ptans Now
Perfected 20 Ala children aud
Their Mothers in Wise
Reading.

today there is scarcely n public library
building which does not provide a room
for the boys and girls said Miss Edith
Tobtt the omaha librarian.
The American people have foJnd that
30 il not enough TO teach a Child how 20
rad. but that suitable books should be
provided by the state for his reading. In
this age OF trash end printed vlckcGnees
when q professor 81 one Of our universal
tics feels tempted 10 gay that the youth
OF our country would grow up 20 stancher
citizenship and better virtue were they not
taught TO read when statistics show
that three out Of four pupils who enter the
primary schools have dropped out before
The close OF the last year Of thc grammar
grade. and when nine out OF ton children
VINO have entered the primary grade have
dropped out before tile close OF the high
school. then we realize that the best OF all
classes Of literature should he brought to
the chiid's attention at the earliest possible
moment
Lady Eastlake once wrote that The real
secret OF q chid's book consists not merely
in its being less dry and less difficult but
more rich in interest, more true TO nature,
more exquisite in art. more abundant In
every quality that applies 10 chlldhood's
keener and fresher perceptions. She said
.
lie literature will be found in Libraries be-
longing TO their elders while ,he best
Juvenile writing will not fail 70 delight
those who arc no longer children. Robin
son Crusoe the standing favorite Of above
a century, was not originally written for
children; and Sir Walter SCOTS Tales OF
a Grandfather, addressed solely to them
are the pleasures and profit Of every age
fr9m childhood upward. and. she con-
tinues, our dear little friends tear PCpe's
odyssey from mammals hands
This opinion overstates the real case %
says Miss Tobitt 'The librarian OF today
viii tell q different tale about he. expe-
rience with children. She finds that they
are no. clamoring for Odysseys In the
same proportion as they are for many
books which the average library does not
Keep on account Of their being trash or
verging very close to the border line of
trash. It is the average young person ana
the average understanding she has in nina
when selecting their literature. But. as the
average chid's understanding is above his
reading ability this Is always considered
before purchasing and recommending his
books
Personal Assistance the Key.
The entire time Of the cnildren's llbrar-
ians is given TO the personal assistance OF
the children in the selection Of their books.
TO reference work I'm connection with the
school curriculum? 70 the weekly story
hours, to posting lists of good books on
special subjects and TO maintaining an at
mosphere OF quiet and order, while at the
same time not requiring the stiffness neces-
sary In the school room.
ITO surround a child with worthy books
and to get the right one in the right child's
hands so as to develop a discriminating
love OF books is the aim of the library
The personal contact of the librarian and
the child helps this along more than any
other method pursued"
Next TO the individual work with a child
in the Omaha library comes the weekly
story hours as a means Of recommending
and guiding his reading The object Of
the story hour Is to stimulate an interes
in books, A good story generally creates
a desire to know more about the hero o.
subject, whichever the case may be, an,
when once the desire is created II Is onl!
necessary to supply the books to satisfy
1t. Sometimes II happens that children d,
not care to read about the subject Of tn
stories told, but then it is noticeable tina
an atmosphere is created in which & 4
easier to guide child to good books
One story told each week last winter Il
the Omaha course about Charlemagne an,
his Psladins made the books about thos
heroes especially popular. This winter be
ginning the first Wednesday in November
Ulysses will be followed in his adventure
from Troy to his home on the little ISLAM
OF Ithaca, where he was king. The chill
dron will find one book, "'rhe Adventure
~ Ulysses" by Lamb, which. though toll
i'm prose, is OF a kind that "melts int
poetry and music" especially interesting
last year was fifty-five.
During the summer story hours are dis
continued when reading lists are circu
lated among the children These lists ar
eithe, a graded or n miscellaneous colleC
ton OF books TO which attention IS Gale
ON account OF their merit The vacetio
reading club which has betl conducted =
several summers consists OF an upgrade
list OF fiction and nonfict!on books, whic
are interesting and well written. but d
not circulate as fully as they should. I'll
bright, clean covers and beautiful inul
trauons of these books when brought tC
settler attract the children.
some Read Many Books.
During the summer this year lSJ res
books from the collection. sixty readin
eight pages or more, others reading In
two or three When a boy or girl wi
thinks nothing Is interesting but sto'
with an exciting plot reads five or 81
Of these ana Cuufesses really 20 have e.
joyed them, then the Librarians feel thi
the summers work has not been u vain.
Here IS lst read by a girl of H. while
shows her fonduess FOR biography: Mar
Autolnette's Youth, "Story OF Liviu
stone" Florence nightingale story
Lord Roberts" william OF orange" AR
old Of Wlnkelried," "Frithiot saga," Nh
peror William J."
A boy Of = found these interesting; "Joi
OF the Woods" w gwam Evenings Cd
Boys Ride. "a Lincoln Conscript," "Sto
Of the American Indian" "Story OF DIV
Cromwell" Book 81 Famous Sieges
Famous Cavalry Leaders
There IS often q tendency among boys al
girls TO continue reading Juvenile literatu
when they are ready for Older hooks. r.
ihis reason there IS case cOnta ming
collection Of books from the standard I'm
lsl and American authors In the children
room labeled. Books Tor the older DO
ana sirls" Here are scott. Dickens, Eli
and Cooper. together with Airs, Wlsgs, X
hecca. Anne OF Green Gables and mai
others an OF which are popular. ln u
way the children become familiar with I
hes. authors ana do not find it So dIf
cult TO make selections when they hsc