The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1915-02-11
THE WORLDS GREAT
LITERARY BIBLES
U. S. Bureau of Education.
Home Education Division Reading
Course No. l.


Course No. 1.
Among all the books of the world
few are so preeminent for content
and style that they have been called
The Literary Bibles. These are the
Had and Odyssey of Homer, the Di-
vine Comedy of Dante, the greater
dramas of Shakespeare, and Goethe's
Faust. Each of these is the embo-
diment and revelation of the ideals of
race, an age, or civilization. They
came out of the hearts and minds of
the people for whom their authors
were only the spokesman. They are
therefore simple, fundamental, and
are comprehensive. They appeal to
the hearts and grip the minds of all
people everywhere, young and old,
learned and unlearned, of whatever
race or creed. They are human books
and take firm hold on the human life
which we all live, which few under
stand, but which in all its phases has
Interest without end" They are
broad-minded, catholic books. Their
authors saw life steadily and saw its
whole. Kings and priests to God and
humanity, they interpreted for man
the eternal mysteries. Prophetic men,
they stood on the mountain tops and
caught the glow of the ever dawning
new day. Finely organized men, they
felt the heart-throb and pulse-beat of
the human race, and understood the
hopes and fears and aspirations of
humanity better than most, and have
set these to the music of rhythmic,
winged words.
These books should be read by all
who would know the worlds literature
and life. The United States Bureau
of Education has, therefore, chosen
them for it's first course in reading,
and invites all serious-minded young
men and women to join this, its first
National reading circle, the members
of which will undertake to read each
of these books, at least twice within
the next three years from the time of
joining the circle.
For admission to this circle it is
only necessary to write to the "Home
Education Division of the Bureau of
Education, Washington, D. c." giving
your name, post-office address, your
age, and very brief statement of
your education and occupation. You
should also write the home education
division of the Bureau when you have
finished reading any book OF the
course.
To each person giving satisfactory
evidence of having read all the books
on the list there will be awarded GER
tificate bearing the seal of the United
States Bureau of Education. All
young men and women who want to
know the best there is in the literature
of the world and to gain the inspira-
ton it gives are invited to join this
national reading circle and it is hoped
many thousands may do so.
Charles Alphonso Smith, Edgar Al
len Poe, Professor of English in the
University of Virginia; Charles Fos-
ter Smith, Professor of Greek in the
University of Wisconsin; Richard Bur-
ton, Professor of English Literature
in the University of Minnesota, and
William Lyon Phelps, Professor of
English Literature in Yale Universe
ty, will assist the Bureau of Education
in directing this course of reading.
State school officers are asked to
cooperate with the Bureau of Educa-
ton in directing this and other read
ing courses arranged by the Bureau.
In those States in which this is done
the certificates may bear also the sig
natures of the chief school officer.