The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-06-04
VOX POPULI.
cHILDREN's DEPARTMENT
IN A PUBLIC LIBRARY
Editor Pensacola Journal.

hOltor Pensacol Journal.
Speaking from personal observation,
a library for Pensacola seems most
desirable and important. l was deep
ly interested in the Juvenile depart
ment in the library in my own city of
Nashville, where the children have a
| large, beautiful room. There they
have their own books on low shelves
where they can go about and look
them over and select what they wish,
either to take home or sit in the little
chairs there to read. They have beau
tiful pictures OF great people; of the
celebrated paintings and sculptures, OF
birds and flowers; these pictures are
changed from time to time. People
go there and. talk to the children
about them and it does ones heart
good to see the little folks congre-
eating there every day after school.
For two years I went every Satur-
day for an hour to tell them stories
From a small beginning Of just the
usual children who came for books,
that story hour grew and grew, till
now there are often as many as three
hundred little ones crowded into that
room. And be 1t understood those
children are mostly from the poor peo-
pie, children who have small chance
at home. who otherwise would be in
the street Ragged, poor, dirty little
ones and the children of the more for
tunate all meet on a common level
there is no distinction whatever AS a
representative OF the library story
tellers. have been to the various fac
tory and settlement homes, the news
boys club, the orphan asylums, the
blind girls home the civic clubs, etc,
to tell stories. The children's librarian
showed me the records and assured
me that the use OF books by the chill
dren had been increased 100 per cent
Exy h Avlr aF CIR AolI y,
books are selected with the greatest
care and discrimination. 1 tell a story,
for example. and say This story is
found in such and-such a book at the
Carnegie library; you may read it If
you like, and there are some other
good stories in the same book"
often name a list Of several good ones.
Children love stories and it requires
very little effort to lead them into the
love of good books. and a child who
loves good books is doubly safeguard
ed. We have some children story tell
ers that would astonish you.
One boy made a complete electrical
machine from books he found in the
library, and one woman makes her
living raising mushrooms, by instruc-
ton she got from the library. 1 was
at the library not ten days since and
was deeply impressed with the real
cultural value Of the whole institution.
The reading and reference rooms for
adults are in constant use. The cir
culating department furnishes 100000
books a year and sends out 100000
books to the public schools, which are
passed from one school to the other.
The high school pupils come by the
score to the reference rooms, likewise
the students from the colleges. The
doctors have a special department, also
the engineers and the various mems
~, - l. 4
at the library. The public school
teachers have a special room, with all
the graded books. The Art Associa-
ton also meets there and has it's pic
lures hung in the big assembly room.
All sorts of beautiful musicales are
given there and all this is absolutely
free except for the small tax of one
tenth of a mill.
The idea that it was a sort Of rich
mans library, for pink teas, took
pretty strong hold of people who
never took interest enough to come
and see what the library really meant.
Fortunately, we had a librarian who
knew exactly how to do away with
such a false notion. She invited and
carefully showed it's workings to each
department OF the city. the city coun-
ell, the police, the f1remen, the street
sweepers, the street car men, the va
rious schools, public and private She
also sent out 10000 circulars, telling
exactly where the library is and what
class of books can be found there.
These circulars were put in the pay
envelopes Of the workingmen by the
various paymasters, so there is no
doubt they were read, and there are
mighty few people who have not got
ten books for themselves or children,
not to mention other benefits. That
some have not gotten books is be-
cause they would not-not because
they could not.
The advantages Of a good library
cannot be overestimated. I have in
mind a library in the little town of
Concord, Mass, that not only had the
high school built within a block of 1t,
but 1t is so highly regarded as an edu-
cational factor, that large buses are
sent to the surrounding district and
the children are brought to a central
school, where they also have the use
of the reference room and books. It
is a rare thing to see a person on the
streets of Concord who has not a
book in his hand.
1t is neither a favor nor a monu-
ment to Mr.. Carnegie to take that
$25, 900. Giving libraries is simply his
way Of helping the cause Of education.
A town or a country is not judged by
its one or two or a dozen brainy men,
but by the general average, and IL Mr..
Carnegie, or Mr.. Anybody Else, is will
ing to help raise that average. we can
generosity.