Evening star., 1914-11-14


the first response of the bureau of edu
low.
1t is planned to have branches of the
national reading circle in connection
with all the parents and teachers Or
ganizations throughout the country.
Special efforts will be made to supply
the needs of rural districts which are
out Of the reach of public libraries.
suggestions as to where the books may
be obtained are sent out with each
course of stu0y. The cooperation of
city and state libraries will aid in sup
plying these books. No fee is attached
to the membership of the National
Reading Circle. Even the postage upon
the bulletins and other literature sent
out is paid by the bureau of educa-
tion. which is only anxious to give its
aid to all who feel the need of it.
The studies first planned for women
consist of matters pertaining to home
Improvement. Letters received from
women in all parts of the country in
dicate the need of help along many
lines, especially in the care of children.
A communication was sent out to each
woman upon the list telling her of the
desire of the bureau of education to
help all the mothers Of the nation. "A
blank was tnclosed with this letter,
upon which each woman was request
ed to write the names of mothers OF
children under three years old in her
school district. and also the names OF
prosp. ctive mothers, and the numper
Of children under three years old VINO
had died in that district during the
past year The answers to this commu-
nication gave over $4,000 names or
women in different parts of the coun-
try. A copy of the bulletin. entitled
.sThe Care of the Baby" issued last
spring by the United States public
health service. was sent to each. with
other literature Of similar character.
X X
The response to this effort OF the bu-
reau has already been most crafty
ing. Letters of
Response to Effort thanks and ap-
Is Most Gratifying. peaas iiona1 iIs reading su
matter upon kindred and other topics
have come from every state. Some of
the letters from remote localities are
pathetic in the expressions of long un-
satisfied needs. Cases are cited of
women living forty miles from Il doc
tor. Instructions were asked for what
would help woman so situated to care
for her health and that of her child.
A woman in the state of Washington
asked for a list of story books. which
would interest mixed lot of children,
including Indians. mixed blood and
few whites. a woman from Alabama
asked for literature which would stim-
ulate interest in the community in in
creasing the school terms from four
months to eight.
y Michigan woman wrote of four
families at a life saving station. thirty
miles from railroad station and twen-
ty-eight miles from the nearest post
office. Mail is carried to them by a dog
train. The woman wrote: I'VE need
reading matter of all kinds badly, but
most of all we want good stories to tell
to our children and reading which will
help US to take the best of care of our
family and home"
Other requests include bulletins on
home matters: literature for popula-
tion of Swedes, Cornish. Germans.
Dutch and Irish; material for home
study for boys and girls: literature
upon moral training; reading matter
on children's games and plays; litera-
ture regarding forming community or
ganizations in localities where there
are plenty of people. but no churches.
end information about many other
matters.