Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-16

oAu III TIC 10 Iur1ner this IN.
terest. the library story teller frequently
Win tell the children the folklore stories
or other countries. at the same time in
tinating that those who have an oppor-
tunity to learn to read them in the orig
inal language should DO so. Thus the
chtldren's library helps to develop the
linguistic resources Of the child. and az
the same time inculcates respect for the
fatherand of the parents. sometimes so
painfully lacking in immigrant children
after two or three years in public schools
with American schoOlmates.
While the children's library loans books
freely to children, it also suggests to
them the advan-
Tells Advantage tage of owning
Of Owning Books. G I1ot. a. snem = -
constituting THE Child's Own Library
have been compiled. and New Jersey
librarian recently had an exhibit Of q
number Of these book collections put up
In neat cases designed and made by the
children In the manual training depart
ment Of the public school,
This same library is versatile in manv
OF Its methods OF attracting the interests
OF the children. It lately issued a circu-
iar entitled How to Form Snow Club -
he hme sno" cuo Is an organization Of
Dogs who undertake to see that the side
walks IN q locality are kept free from
snow ana thus earn their own spendine
money. The circular gave suggestions
as 10 the price asked for doing this work.
the method OF approaching property own.
ers and the best means Of dividing the
money among the club members Other
| suggestions for money making have been
given at different times. and always with
gratifying results
| M9nv children
them how to do things rather than those
Wntcn are merely entertaining or intel
lectual. small volume entitled How
to Dress q Dolr' was SO greatly in de-
mand IN an Ohio children's library that
| 1t had to be reissued a number OF times
"1tnin three months. A similar book
telling how to construct an electric ma
chine was almost equally as popular with
the boys during their summer vacation
= 4
NO work Of the children's library il
more important than story telling. It
l. reaches the children
importance OF at their earliest age
Story Telling t snd the attracts 1n1sry them hem
STORY telling lady, generally is looked
upon by the children as more of a per-
sonal friend than the school teacher, be-
cause there is more informally and free
dom in their relationship. It is the story
telling which comes nearest to the home,
and many family Of adults has been
brought within reach Of the library and
been benefited by it through the interest
the children took in the stories told
Many mothers clubs have been formed
Of the public library. and through these
have been circulated books from the
adult department.. and in many instances
home Libraries have been arranged as a
result of the interest the children took
In the stories they heard at the library.
Another indirect good is done by the
children's library through the habits Of
personal neatness required. Many Of the
children who, are most appreciative Of
book privileges come from homes where
cleanliness. Most libraries are equipped
with Mushrooms. and no child with dirty
hands is permitted to handle a book. In
New England library mounted pictures
who keep their library cards clean and
increased for three months. This small
beginning of ,carefulness in almost every
case results in children who have first
wandered into the library, dirty and I'M
kempt. showing much improvement
prising to the librarian that untidy look
ing children will take SO much care to
avoid sOiling book.
X
* x
Children show much ingenuity in de-
scribing book when they are not quite
sure Of the title. 1t
Librarians Are would not take an
c,n experienced librarian
0o0u "0S'eS' to think of THE Pied
Piper of Hamelin" when a child asked
for THE kidnaper book. First he drove
all the rats away and then he stole the
children" but How to keep it when you
get it," the way schoolboy asked for
ITO Have and to Hold which his mother
wanted to read. was more puzziing. THE
pound Of flesh book" Is often asked for.
It's other name is 1.-The Merchant Of Ven
ice."
A number Of children's libraries have
been partially established or supported by
special contributions. but the largest be-
quest on record for this object lately
came to the public library of Providence
from Nicholas Sheldon. who left $4,000
to develop the children's department of
that library. Like the travelling library,