davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-02-09
PUBLIC LIBRARY-GREAT FALLS

studies and to stimulate and encour-
age the reading habit. What it has
not been able to do very satisfactorily
is to give good service and provide
reading matter free to those living
outside the city limits. Between rs
and 80 persons living in the adjacent
country are library patrons, having
paid the required fee of 81 per year.
A large number of lumber and logging
camps and several families are sup
piled with magazines given by citizens
Of k%alispell and distributed by the
library. During the past year requests
for books have come from three out
side towns. Upon a certain number
in each place paying the required fee,
travelling libraries We're sent and eX-
changed at the request of the patrons.
1T is gratifying to state that the
library is doing some extension work,
but to make the library reach all the
people a different plan of library or
~ganization is necessary, and the
ty library system seems the most feas-
ible.'
At Other Towns.
Mrs. Jessie B. Wells, St%evensville
public library, says
"A county library plan would GER
tainly benefit this part of the coun-
try, as we have many patrons 10 and
10 miles out and We would doubtless
have many more if there We're an
efficient system of distributing the
books"
Mrs. Louella Hammond writes from
Havre:
1T is a great pleasure to lend books
and magazines to the newcomers on
their claims 20 miles or more from
town. This we do so long as Havre
is their postofficc. We cannot do
more thar that as our library is not
large enough to supply all, and the
line must be drawn somewhere. We
nave requests for books from the
small towns of the county, but we
mo give them as our library is too
small and our funds too limited. If
the people could but understand the
necessity for county libraries we could
reach and help them all. What a
blessing are books to a lonely and
homesick soul! In the frontier life
it is the woman that suffers the hard
ships, and without books and com
panlonS nef lie is truly a hard one.
Let us work INCREASINGLY for the coun-
ty library. Talk it, write it, and pub
fish it abroad. Only those who are
actually in the library work can see
and feel the great need of the county
library. 1t seems to me that in this
part Of our state, especially where set
tiers are coming in so rapidly, the
need for such an institution is most
imperative"
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-02-09

separate library maintained by each
county.
Fourth, Any county may contract
with an existing city library to fur
nish library service to the people OF
an amount as may be agreed upon
by the board of library trustees and
the county commissioners.
Fifth. The county librarian ia
given large power in carrying on the
work.
Sixth, The establishment Of the
county library is left to the board of
county commissioners. A provision
for a notice to be published three
weeks before the establishment gives
sufficient publicity To the action.
Seventh. To forestall political and
other appointments of others than
those qualified for the position, the
county librarians must have had, be-
fore appointment, either experience in
a library or training in n library
school.
Eighth. School libraries may be-
come a part Of the county free Ii
brary.
Ninth. A county library fund Is
provided by the lcVyinE of n tax of
not less than a half mill nor more
thar two mills on the dollar.
Tenth. a state board of library
commissioners is created to aid the
county librarians in any manner
deemed advisable, and to supplement
their work by such activities as cam
not we'll be undertaken by them.
There is a provision for a state ap-
preparation to cover travelling and
other expenses incurred in carrying
on his work, The commissioners arc
to receive no compensation for their
services except their actual and nee
essary travelling expenses.
The committee, In drafting this law,
has endeaVorcd to include such pro-
visions as viii make the law suffi-
GENTLY elastic to meet varying Condi-
tons without rendering it Ineffective.
This law will place Montana in the
foremost rank with those states which
furnish the best library facilities to
their inhabitants.
GERTRUDE BUCKHOrSB,
Librarian University of Montana.
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-02-09

~.
"''i''"'' wen ''l''9'n,''" i"o ah-
luz ''''"'''''" t"' '''" was ''"ul
'''''' '"'"'"'S an" tntrt are 81" caf"s
~ vs., a. p'''''''' '"' ''n"'S 10 sup
'"'''" 'A " "'''-"'l' '"A on c''S prop
'''S' ~ ''",' """ ~ ""'S i'"'' H'h-
''N'o'"' p'''"'9' 'n' ,'''oF pel's u
"'''''n'','' pau, VI we '''"' hnn'-
~ ''''N' ''' ''''"N'' ''"'' 'a La
N'',L 40 N""'''S' All" "S Lar h"itH
w.
me ''"'a'S Is not increasing rap
'"lA' ""''N |" us S''"li income pu' Is
"''"F E""u "'fh an" ~ "'uc'l uSeu
ny puPllS from lhe Pupll' SCHOOLS
At Victor, the library Of the now
famous consolidated school is report
ed to contain about 1000 volumes, and
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-02-09

only n in Missouln county-a COun-
ty containing a population of %, 500.
and having an area of A,lS2 square
,niles-moro than three times as largo
as the state of Rhode Islnnd out
side the city of MiSSoula the sChoO
libraries are the only means provided
for obtaining books other than by
purchase. These school libraries form
n valuable part of the equipment Of
the country schools, and a wise rec
IGNITION Of their usefulness was
by the COMMITTEES on the revision of
the chool laws when it recommended
making the school libraries compul-
sorry and open to the public,
However. Missoula county has ben
Gifted somewhat from an effort to
send out travelling collections from
the MiSsoula public library. About
two years ago an appeal was made
for gifts Of books which could be
loaned to persons living at some dis
tancc from the county scat. This
collection now numbers several hun
dred volumes. and from it travelling
libraries have been sent out whenever
the requests cainc from responsible
persons. Books have been sent to
loln to Victor. to Clinton and De
Smot. Collections are now in use at
the orchard Homes Country Life
club, the Orchard Homes school, at
Camas, the Cold Springs school, and
at Grass Valley. Not Il book has so
far been lost or suffered injury other
than the ordinary wear and tear or
use,
WORKOUT books have also had use,
and have been sent to many of the
small towns near Mtssonla. During
the past week packages have been
sent to Lothrop and Henderson, and
an application is on file from Alder
ton. Those receiving these discarded
books pay freight or express charges,
and it Is always understood that the
books are to be loaned freely among
the people of the n~cighborhood.
RaValli county has two public Ii
braries to its credit. The library at
SteVensvillo was founded by q group
Of public spirited women who, under
the name of The Reading Room So
ciety' administered and supported the
library for some years. Finally, an
appropriation for the support Of the
library was secured from the own
council and this now pays the run
ming expenses. However, the Reading
Room society still flourishes and 1t is
mainly through the efforts of this or
ganization that new books for the IL
brary are purchased.
At Hamilton the onc-mill tax sup
ports the library, which is doing good
work in the community. Through
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-02-09

GKalispelI Plan.
Elizabeth P. Richie, of the Kalis-
pell public library, writes:
1T is the aim of this as of all H.
braries, to supply its people with the
best literature. to help with special
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-02-09

Some person with a mind for sta
tistics has made the assertion that
the state of Montana has more Ii
braries in proportion to it's popula-
ton than any other state in the
union with the single exception of
Massachusetts. Without attempting
to verify this statement, it is at least
true that this state has aiken a deep
interest in the library movement and
has recognized from the first what
the American Library association has
long attempted to teach, that the
public library is an integral part of
public education" And with few en-
ceptions the towns in the state, al
most at their infancy, have made some
sort of IN attempt to build up a Ii
brary. In many of the towns these
libraries have long since passed the
experimental stage and have become
factors in the educational equipment
of their communities; others are still
embryonic and are kept alive by the
efforts of their devoted and self-sacri-
ficing friends until such time as the
municipalities shall see fit to make
them wards of their own.
The sketches of libraries received
for this article show almost an iden-
teal experience in the history of each
of the established public libraries of
the state. A few people, usually wom-
en-, decide that some sort of a library
Is the next need of the community.
BY their W efforts, gifts, soliciting
subscriptions, suppe and entertain
ments, they raise a pitifully small sum
Of money. Some kindly interested cit
lien donates a building rent free.
Then for years these women give their
time to keeping the library open and
doing it's routine work as well as fur
n1shing, in one way and another, the
money for it's support. Then the city
takes over the library. Carnegie, or,
less frequently, some citizen gives a
building, and the library becomes in
name what it has always been in fact,
a city library, with a local h%abitation
as well as a name.
These stories vary to details and
names. but the main facts are always
the same, and much credit should be
given these public spirited pioneers,
for keeping alive the interest in good
reading through these long years. The
public libraries, as such, have long
since demonstrated their usefulness to
their communities, so that the need
for a public library campaign in the
towns is passed.
Country Districts.
But the country is another chapter.
1t has been conclusively o that
free books are a good thing for town
dwellers, then why not for country
dWellers? The boys and girls in the
city schools can rush to the city IL
brary to find arguments to prove con
clusively that Lincoln was a greater
patriot than Washington, or vice
versa; or to find the last word or
woman suffrage or the Balkan crisis.
But the boy or girl who is following
practically the same course of study
in the district school must get his
outside information from father, OF
big sister Of whoever may bs the tam
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-02-09
PROPOSED LAW

This state has now arrived at that
stage in her development when the
laws affecting her educational agen-
cies must be revised, if her educa-
tional opportunities are to be equal
to those of other western states.
The rural population of the United
States numbers So per cent of the
total population. In Montana the per
cent is larger. At the present time
there is no provision for furnishing
library facilities to this large per cent
of our population. The libraries in
the state have 0 n as much as the
law and their resources would per-
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-02-09
WESTERN MONTANA

In 1906, the department Of a~gricul-
ture, labor and industry included in
it's report al account of some of he
public libraries in Montana. 1t is
doubtful whether since that time any
general survey Of library conditions
in this state has been published. So
much progress has been made within
the last few years that the older re-
ports Would need revision, as well as
the addition of much new material.
1t is the purpose Of this article to
give some idea of library conditions
In western Montana.
The Missoula public library is the
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-02-09

lily oracle, or as more frequently nap
pens, must get nc point of view but
the single one presented by his text
book. h man or Ona in town
who wishes a new novel or a book of
travel, history or science, with which
to spend a long, lonely evening, can
find it at the public library; are win
ter evenings less lonely on the farm?
Further, since state contests in de-
batting and public speaking have been
opened to the students of the state,
has the boy or girl from the country
or the town without a library a fair
chance to compete with the boy and
girl who has the resources of a large
library to draw upon?
These and many other facts have
called the attention of library and
school workers to the need of a larger
plan of library service, INC to pro-
vid for that need, a county extension
plan has been worked out. Sue plans
nav been successful in other states,
as will be shown elsewhere in this
article, and the proposed bill to IN
ale Montana counties to adopt a
county plan or library service is also
made public in this issue.
Library Extension in Montana.
Long before IN attempt was made
to do systematic library extension
work in Montana, the practical prob
len of the extent of the library's field
was brought to the librarians. The
letter of law and city ordinance is
strict, but few there be hat observe
it literally, for it is one thing to rec
ognize the logic of rules and another
to apply it regardless of the merits
of the individual case. There car be
no question but hat a library sup
ported by a city tax is the property
of the city and expressly maintained
for the use Of the residents of hat
city, has no right to extend its priv
ileges to outsiders, and that any such
extension is in the nature of char
table work. However, not a city IL
brary in the state but is daily asked
to supply books to people who live
outside the city, and all sorts of eX-
pedients have been tried, a fee for
nonresident cards, travelling librar-
les, special permits for teachers II
schools and what not, but no plan
has been found to meet the conditions
satisfactorily, and naturally so since
all these efforts have been in the
nature of giving to one class of peo-
pie what is obviously the property of
another. And the obvious solution is
to give all the residents of the coun-
ty books of their own. A few eXpe-
riences Of Montana librarians as to
outside work are given herewith:
In Bozeman.
Bozeman has one of the old libraries
of the state and it has never made any
restriction as to residence, actually,
though it's bylaws expressly state
that residents and taxpayers of the
city are entitled 10 the privileges of
the library. This library has borrow
ers moi only throughout Gallatin coun-
ty but several in three other
ties pursuing the generous policy
adopted by its founders when it was
a private enterprise. The BoZeman
library has sent out travelling Libraries
and sends worn books far and wide.
KalispeII Plan.
Elizabeth P. Richie, of the Kalis-
pell public library. writes:
1T is the aim of this as of all Ii
b%raries, to supply its people with the
best literature. to help with special
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-02-09
POISON LIBRARY

The following report of the Poison
library, by Jeanette b. Densmore.
is published both because of it's in
terest and because il is typical of the
early history OF libraries in Montana.
| am so thoroughly alive to the
work a library may do in Il small
town that am happy TO give you an
idea of our library and reading room.
This small town is only three years
Old II is made up of about 1900
people who a come west to get
rich, a very few of them bringing to
the place more than enough to secure
\ small Homeland then wonder how
they are going to make one end meat
and the other bread Being a reser-
walton town, we are not asked to
cope with saloons, but we have, Of
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-02-09

nit to furnish reading matter to the
people living in the rural districts.
The service rendered has, of necessity,
been unsystematic and altogether in
adequate. Every library in this state
is continually relieving requests for
reading matter and thu librarians are
forced, for the most part, to refuse
these requests, ecaus the libraries
are supported by a city tax and are
therefore for the use of the people of
the city.
The proposed law is merely an en-
abling act to permit the building up
of a system of libraries that will fur
| nish the same facilities to our rural
population as are now enjoyed by the
city dWeller. With the county as a
unit, a central library and a system
of branches located in stores, post
offices, schools and other centers of
community life, may be established,
with travelling libraries to supplement
the branches. Such Il system would
furnish library facilities to every home
in the county. The county is taken
as a unit because the older and more
unWieldy state travelling library sys-
tenn does not adapt itself to local needs
as closely as the county system does,
and is more expensive to operate.
The average income Of the city IL
braries in this state, not including
Butte, is Sd, 800. In Van Vert county,
Ohio, a main depository and Is
branches are maintained at an cX-
pense of between $4,000 and $1,000 a
year. This sum is raised by levying
a half-mill county tax. The above
statement is taken from a report of
DIR. p. p. ClaXton, United States com
missioner of education.
In a recent address DR.. Claxton
said: Il consider the county library
plan an important step in the cduca-
tional development of his country
AS is well known, the schooling of
most persons is of such short dura-
ton that their cultural development
must be obtained principally by their
own efforts from books, n any plan
which will increase the number and
availability of the books at their com
mand will naturally be an important
factor in raising the standard Of the
average persons education"
In drafting the library law, the size
VI the state d't thS NaiSii5 t'ii"'
tons in each section have been KEEP
in mind and such provisions made ~
will permit each county to adopt thar
form of library organization best fit
ted to that particular county.
Features of Proposed Law.
First. The entire county Is made
the unit for library service.
Second. Towns already maintaining
Libraries may withdraw from tn
county library system in the even
that such separation seems desirable
Third. Two or more counties ma,
contract with each other for olutua
library service. as one central depos
tory with branches may be NOR
! serYiceable and economical than
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-02-09

Continued on Page Eighth
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-04-04

mountains. This from nations which exhibited
moral and physical cowardice until the intrepid
little nations Of the Balkans rose in desperation
and pricked the bubble Of Ottoman power. Now
that the nation they first. feared and then al
lowed to exist because Of jealousy and covetous
ness and greed is down. they arrogantly assume
10 deny the fruits of victory to her conquerors
nsolgnty saying that they will allow them part
in the discussion as to the division of the booty
The shame OF Europe has not yet been felt by
Europe.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-04-04
DIANA OF DOBSON
By MOLLY McMASTER.

heat. that cannot return TO Dob
son tonight and that l know not
single soul in Ely"
The man turned squarely toward
her and Diana bmshed vividly,
Il realize everything he said. "All
Of my people are in Ely. and you can
come to nay home and spend week
or so--you know them =
Diana gasped. She knew not
whether to laugh or cry.
Meantime the train had crcpt out
Of the station and. gathering speed
left Dobsen far behind III the back
ground.
In the mind Of the girl there was
nothing SO much as "a feeling Of safe
ty From under her lashes she
glanced At the big man. In her
heart she was singing Aload she
said:
II was rather mean of you to
put me IN this position. Either I
had 10 create scene and have news
paper notoriety-or 20 with you
She leaned her chin on her hand ard
Eazed out of the window, Diana
did not want the man 10 see into
her eyes. Eyes tell SO much" she
confded 10 the passing scenery,
If my presence is distasteful to
you will take my original seat"
the man said quietly
\ our movements are perfectly
immaterial 10 me" Diana put in
quickly. and resumed her study of
the landscape
Diana" the man said suddenly
and with deep tenderness. that is
not so--is il? Tell me II isn't" He
put his hand over the slim fingers
beside him and held them close.
have come back from Honduras to
tell you again that love you-T
cannot stand my life without you"
Diana smiled and the light that
had left her eyes when she broke
her engagement witt Tom Granger
suddenly returned
1T was you who kissed me, Tom
tell me Il was" Diana questioned
eagerly,
4 would like to see anyone else
attempt IT, dear" Tom told her and
slipped his hand into his pocket.
You Will wear this again" he said,
and put the solitaire on her finger
After we are married / will tell
you all about the unpleasant duty
had To perform and that which was
the cause Of your giving this back
to me"
Diana looked deep into Toms eyes
and a soft little smile crept into her
own.
Perhaps I will not even listen"
she said. because I was entirely in
the wrong and could not DOUBT you
II / tried. Does that make up for
the year ! have robbed lis both OFF,
she asked tritie wistfully
" s, dear he said. that and q
promise to love and obey SPOKEN in
the next week or So lie only
smiled when Diana blushed.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-04-04
DONE IN MEXICO.

Vice and virtue alike are perpetually progress
siye. The man who undertakes to be good never
becomes good and clean enough to he contcnted
with himself aud goes on day after day making
himself little better, cleaner and higher. always
aspiring and hoping for another step upward and
forward The man who starts to be vicious
never is satisfied He seeks and finds con,
stantly some grosser. coarser,~ more degrading
kind Of lust vice or appetite. Here r. Enrique
zepoda. brotbcr-inJaw Of Mr. Huerta, WIZ this
morning was president Of Mexico and may he
tomorrow. MIR. Zcpeda was not content with
being a druukard and an unfaithful and dis.
solute husband. Looking about for some fresh
and ezatIaratng kind Of deyIlnont he achieved
striking and effective cor 5inaton. He got
drunk first Probably he had studied ont and
tested the comparative merits as provoeatives
TO aiabo.sm Of his own native Mexican mescal
and American whiskey. Usually the Mexican
product is quicker in action and win make
murder insanity or sudden death a year or
two ahead Of The miIder United states con-
struction
Whatever he used, Mr.. zepeda did not feel
quite vicious or frantic enough to please him.
self He bent HE energies to smoking hashish.
an Oriental drug about ten times as bad as
.whiskey. mescal. absinthe cocaine and opium
combined Then being governor Of the federal
district Of tho City Of Mexico. he went to Beem
af. took or Gabriel hernandez, man Of
twenty-five wears a political prisoner and former
chief Of The rural police had him shot to death,
poured oil over his kody and burned it. It is
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-04-04

his foot off that nickel meant and it Yves
this that brought the Aliens in conflict with
the law, the very same thing that brought,
Washington, Bacon, Lee and all their followers
into conflict with constituted authority, the
nickel under the foot
/ have just read Of the murderous and
cowardly conduct of some officers chasing Byrd
Marion and his little for nearly a mile
through the woods and shooting at them about
twenty-five times If TREY were Il couple of
mad dogs and all for what? The nickel under
the foot Oh! but they were engaged in the
liquor business some may say, and so are the
other fellows, Shall the pot call the kettle
black? The only difference is one works for
the nickel and earns it, while the other takes
II without doing anything to earn it. BY what
right are homes of these people invaded, their
property destroyed the men and children chased
through the woods and shot at as if they were
wild beasts?
If there is anything wrong about the manu-
facture and sale of liquor let the government get
out of the business.
c. M. COWLEs.