The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1910-11-10
For the Children of St. Paul
to Keep Youngsters Off
the Streets.


jack straws, Humpty Dumpty. and
Robinson crusoe, are being supplied
to ST. Paul children by the public Ii
brary to keep the youngsters off the
street at night,
This is the first time any city in
the country has added game de-
partment TO It's public. library from
which games are issued under the
same system by which books are
loaned to the people to read. 1t is
understood that an effort will be
made to interest Andrew Carnegie in
the plan and in the future when he
endows library provision Will be
made to have a game department.
1t is the idea OF Miss Caroline
Fairchild, a we'll known young st.
Paul woman, to thus keep the young
sters around their own firesides un-
der the watchful care of their moth
ers at night. In reading the reports
OF the Associated Charities. Miss
Fairchild was convinced that too
many st. Paul children have been
playing on the streets at night She
at once began to think of a plan to
keep the tots at home and struck
upon the plan of a game service in
the public library. The plan was
suggested to Mrs. H. j. McCaine, IL
hrarian, who approved it and imme-
diately obtained the sanction of the
library board to adopt it.
1t was considered necessary only
TO issue the games once week. and
Saturday was selected as the day.
The plan was put into effeet Satur-
day, October 20, and of the 100
games on hand when the department
opened in the morning, but few were
left when all the children who an
piled were supplied. The child is
permitted to use the game two
weeks, return it and get another
This is about the only condition con-
nected with the loaning Of the.
games. A request for card is all
that is necessary to make one ellgI-
BILE to take home a favorite game.
Miss Fairchild was at the library
on the first day to see her plan put
into effect and was highly pleased
with the manner in which It took.
Several mothers of children who
have not been needing the curfew
hour were early arrivals at the IL
brary and at once gave 1t their un-
stinted approval.
Miss Fairchild is a member OF the
Thursday Club, composed OF some
OF st. Pauls best known women, and
the other club members have joined
her in her unique method OF saving
young Americans, since it is CON
coded by all charity workers that
roaming the streets has been the
ruination of many children. The
Thursday Club furnishes the attend
ant who hands out the games to the
children, the members intending to
take turns in being present on Sat
urdays.
Many of the games are educational,
some are for fun purely, and others
are games of chance. Children can
spraw about on the floor and delight
In jack straws or build maps of the
country from divided card board
pictures. Historical or literary
games that teach the children are
there in quantities.
The one fear of those who have
started the service that parts would
soon be lost by children and games
he destroyed for that reason, has
been instrumental in adding one of
the unique features OF the service.
Each game is enclosed in denim
cover with snap to hold all the
contents securely within. Women
OF the Thursday Club worked several
days to sew the bags and make
them strong and serviceabIe. One
of the large department stores OF ST.
Paul, the Emporium, has promised
to the club all broken sets OF games
that pass through their hands so
that the lost pieces may be replenish,
ed from this supply. other mer-
chants have given games and money
to start the experiment. II
The department was started with
A. B. c. anagrams. American battles,
authors, baa baa lack sheep, check
ers. chess, chessindia. Christmas
stocking, Cinderella, city life Ca)
cock robin, OBJ cock robin. conun
drums, consequences. country store
keeping. crazy traveller, DR. Bushby
dominoes. electrical wonder book
flag game, finch, fortune telling,