The Irish standard., 1912-09-07
CHILDREN's READING.
Youth Of Today Don't Read tho Eng.
lish Classics.


fish Classics.
Concerning the very important mat
ter of children's reading, America
prints the following timely editorials:
Are the boys and girls of today as
| familiar with the classics of English
fiction as were the children Of twenty
years ago?" was the question recently
put to Catholic educator of wide ex-
perience.
mo, l regret to say they are not"
he announced. From my experience
with students in our high school aud
academies, find that the standard
works of, English writer's are by no
means holding their ancient place in
the hearts of youthful readers. Take
Scott. for instance. Few of the boys
l questioned could even name three
of his greater works. while Dickens
and Thackeray Jared little better"
why is it so?" it may be asked
In the opinion of those who have Civ.
en- the matter some attention, this
condition of things seems to be due
to the deluge of ephemeral fiction that
is constantly pouring from the press,
to the attractiveness of the cheap
magazines. to the change in the form
Of the daily and Sunday papers. but
most of all to the ubiquity of the cir
culating library.
AS regards its present extent and
! influence, the circulating library is a
comparatively recent institution. Cen
trail libraries, to be sure are not new.
but the branch system began it's hts
tory only forty years ago in East Bos-
ton. and during the past decade in
particular. thousands of such branch
ees have sprung up as If by magic
throughout the country. The Con-
gressional Library at Washington
with its 100000 volumes seems to
have been the center of the movement
and Mr.. Carnegie's large benefactton,
have furthered 1t. The growth of tn,
system in our different states has beer
remarkable. In New York, for exam
pie, twenty years ago only fourteen
libraries could boast the possession of
more than 5000 books. In 1908. how
ever, the States $50 libraries had a
sum total Of 100000 volumes. In
the cities 1t is the same story. Two
score years ago. even IN our largest
towns, students used libraries chiefly
for reference only. Today Greater
New York, to take one instance, has
seventy libraries. Indeed, so
thickly studded Is the whole country
now with easily accessible libraries
that thousands more than formerly
are availing themselves of the privi-
lege of taking out books.
large proportion of these library
patrons, moreover. are children VIII,
are permitted in many places to draw
two books day. What sort of works
do they select? Present-day fiction
of the "best-seller" type 1T is a
common practice of boys and girls"
says the head Of one of our large city
libraries. Ito apply for those books
marked in the catalogue with a star.
which indicates wide circulation
They thus hope to secure a book
whose style is 'racy, and whose
theme is 'racier' STILL" In some H.
braries. 1t is true. earnest endeavors
are made to guide young borrowers
In the choice of their reading mat
ter, but seemingly with doubtful sue
cess. For the children know what
books they want, and insist upon hav-
ing them.
The harm that is done the morals
of the young by promiscuous reading
is of course. incalculable. A bad hook
leaves permanent stain on the heart
and imagination of a child. 1t were
much to be desired, then, that some
means could be found to guard and
guide effectively the reading of those
boys and girls Of ours who frequent
public libraries. If in all such insti-
tutions there were employed a pru-
dent and we'll informed Catholic as
slstant to whom these book devouring
children could be referred for direc-
ton by their pastors, teachers or par
ents. great deal. without doubt,
could be accomplished to protect our
little ones from the contagion of I'M
clean literature.
But as such persons, unfortunately.
are not to be found In all libraries, it
devolves upon our devoted teachers
to do what they can In this respect
for those committed to their charge,
OF great assistance in this work would
be sort of Catholic Teachers Guide
for Students Reading" consisting of
q frequently revised list Of books suit