The Washington herald., 1914-05-27
NICKEL NOVEL IS
Peril OF YOUTH
Delegate to Convention OF
Librarians to Assail Cheap
Literature.
DISGUISED IN BOOK FORM
F. K. Matthews. in Paper to Be Read
Today. Points to Danger Of
Scout Stories"
IN BOOK FORM

books, stacks of cheap Juvenile books
along with their authors. publishers. and
sellers. are severely arraigned In papef
written by F. X. Matthews. chief scout
librarian OF the Boy Scouts Of America,
| to be read at this mornings session OF
the American Library Association at the
New Willard.
After telling of efforts made to estab-
lish a library for boys. where they can
get wholesome substitutes for the cheap
story books In the stores. which blow
out, shoot to pieces, or burn out boys
imaginations," Mr.. Matthews writes. In
part:
"As a movement, responsible as the
promoters and trustees of the Boy Scout
idea, we found ourselves face to face with
the menace of mediocrity and threat OF
viciousness contained in the average So
called Boy Scout story book. Authors and
publishers. greedy for gain. have been
quick to see that the moment the most
compelling interest in the mind OF the
American boy today Is the Boy Scout
idea So We now have scores and scores
of Boy Scout story books absolutely un-
worthy to bear the name, not only be-
cause our principles are so grossly mis-
represented. but also because the ideas
presented are Of the most pernicious
sort
Discussed Nickel Novel.
The Boy Scout story books stand as a
type Of the modern cheap Juvenile pub
LEGATION. which Is really the nickel novel
In disguise. Through the good influence
Of the public libraries and schools the
motion pictures and certain magazines.
the dime novel. or, speaking for our
own time, the nickel novel; has been
hard hit but the nickel novel has not
been banished SO completely as at first
appears. You will find II now more
often and more widely distributed in
the disguise OF the bound book. and
sometimes so attractively bound that
II takes its place on the retail book store
shelf alongside the best juvenile publi-
cations.
Because these books do not develop
criminals or lead boys. except occasion
ally. TO seek the wild West. parents who
buy such books think they do their boys
no harm. The fact is. however, the harm
done In incalculable.
ITO protect our movement from the So
called Boy Scout story books and to help
parents and educators meet the grave
peril of the nickel novel In the disguise
of the cheap bound book. the library
commission of our movement was organ
lied.
IAN the author of this type of read
ing desires Is to write something thar
will get by his publisher with another
thriller sure to interest the boy. The
result is, as boys read these books. their
-imaginations are literally blown out
shot to pieces or burned out. and
they 20 into life more terribly crippled
than though by some material explosion
they had lost a hand or foot.
n~- S~~us w~~k
TN order that the widest publicity
might be given to the foregoing facts
our movement in the last week of May
will promote In all the cities OF the
South / recently visited a Boy Scout
week, beginning on Sunday. when min
listers will preach upon the worth of
good books for boys. Motion picture
houses will run lantern slides directing
attention to our Every Boys Library"
johnson Brigham. president of the Iowa
library commission and State librarian
of Iowa, read a paper at yesterdays
joint session of the League Of Library
Commissions and College and Reference
Section. The speaker especially directed
attention to the library commissions in
vasion of the field of legislative reference.
He held 1t unwise for the commission,
having taken but not fully occupied its
own field. to dissipate its energies and
revenues by reaching out after new
worlds to conquer
]. r. c. Honeyman. librarian of the
public library of Regina, Saskatchewan.
spoke on Possibilities of the Travelling
Library Under the New Law of the
Province of Saskatchewan, Canada"
Other papers read at the session were:
How the State Library Of Tennessee
Manages Travelling Libraries" Mary
Skeffingtoh; Reasons Why Wyoming
State University Sends Out Travelling
Libraries" DIR. Grace Hebard: The
Legislative Reference Library as a Sepa-
rate Department. John A. Lapp, In
diana. A discussion followed these sub
jects.
W. r. Watson. chairman o. the COM
mittee on aid to new commissions, read
a report, while Edith A. Phelps. of Okla
homa, read paper on Conditions in
States Without Commissions; the Need
and the Opportunity" A report of the
committee on publicity for commission
work was given by Clara F. Bald win, Of
St. Paul. while Asa Wynkoop. of Al
VICTOR In HOME RULE FIGHT.