The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-23

terence at the University of Virginia
on Rural Libraries" He said in part:
The mos; growing interest in IL
brary extension in the South is due in
large measure 10 the wonderful spread
oil more democratic spirit IN educa-
ton AS the standard of intelligence
rises, the need of more libraries, both
Tor experimenting the work of the
school and for enriching community
life becomes more apparent Two mis-
e'heep''ohs nave hltaerio prevailed in
our state IN regard TO libraries
l. mat library Is luxury. in
'ehoeo manly Tor people OF leisure
Ihat libraries Will be locally es-
''piis"eu "lthont reference to gem
efdi movement backed by the state
hos now become clear that a free
puoic library Is necessity in every
community ana that the establishment
OF iorarles depend in part at least
upon cooperation of state and COM
muuity. In other words. library de-
velopment is as much the duty Of tho
e..
'eiopiheh'' library
supervision as educational supervision
Nearly 100000 of the COZ. 6oO children
in Virginia ,ro No. l., -,ro, 80
ooo -. . ~ 49,
WV vi '"e 4'"'u"V IN School leave school
before they are old enough TO acquire
any well-roundod training IL ,hs
.Aas. ,, 49,
'S .i'"''e $50" from
i'ooNS' 'he DOCKS VIII nave to be fur
.nished by libraries.
Massachusetts bos $50 +on, a
..,ar. 49,
P"oiic HorarN'
no mater now small the town. Ma
turally, therefore the percontnra Of
1Iliterscv f., ~.
NV
''' " "'''"t"i VI free pune nprarleS
exist in virginia. How can this be re-
medied? BY the method oIrood, co.
cessfu,,,. odo,..a =,
~ - states
- '"c uHion' namely, the creation by
the Legislature of a State library com.
mission who shall aonoint > ,;,,a
,,,i., . ~
''et '"c state
htiiiiuia'ihE library interests, assisting
communities to establish libraries 70
reorganize dying libraries and to mod
ernie antiquated libraries Fo,,r
Southern states have library commits
sions, and six others are asking their
legislatures TO create such n bodv Tha
Legislature of Virginia will be ne
titioned for the appointmcnt NJ u,
brary commission and the anpronria
lion of n sum sufficient to send on, in
10 the State library organizer
The Virginia Library Association v.ili|
push this effort for n mora svste,,ati..
and centralized library exhaustion ana
it asks the cooperation of All n,,blic.
spirited men and women rho nnnn,e
of Massachusetts proudly assert that
every man, woman and child in ,hn
Commonwealth now has tho nriviioro
and right, under proper rules tn uso
IA free public library, and to take hooks
10 the home for rccreat ton and stud, :,
May the people of Nircini, not ca,
that in "A few years? our travelling II.
brares sent out bv our efficient S,,,o
library, have done untold poon bu,
the travelling library cannot roach
many of our people Two bundrod
boxes Of books for nearly GOA ooo,
Every ncighhorhood mus, have its ~
brary MS a social ana intellectual con.
ire. This Is the ra(intinr ccptrc fo,.
the enrichment or rural ana urbon ,ifc
Every human being IS worth to him
Self Just what he is capable Of cniov
sng; and to the community what he l.,
capable OF imparting lie canno, i'm,
part what he has not had an onnor-
UNITY to acquire Literature of
knowledge will holm 10 At him for =,
vocation and keep him informed about
his work and the worlds work: iitera
ture of imagination will enrich his
life by bringing to him pictures ana
characters and experiences Of mo
greatest OF all ages: literature Of
Tastimc will divert him and save him
from the monotony and the drcariness
nf isolated country existence. The small
amount asked of the Legislature for
carrying on this important work will
come hack to the state in the Increased
efficiency. high general Intelligence.
ann wider ealt,are 81 her citizenship
;Thc country boy In. particular, who en-.
joys few advantages through access
10 books, would receive an uplift and
new Incentives which would prove of
'tnestimabb Value to his own commun-
5ty and To the State. The result would
be less waste in our educational sys-
TEN where too much time and energy