The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-08-14

n
H Uncle SAM r
H By Frederic
eeea1acaeaa
feeling that something should be
/ doneito raise the standard OF literary
Etaste throughout the Untted states
I the government has appointed ttsen5
1 the faculty of correspondence eoA-s
hlege with the seat OF learning In
chief Of the bureau Of education o.
Ethe department of the interior. as
/ professor of literature. With TINS
4, for nucleus. Uncle Sam has plunged
headlong into the business of teach
ing hts nieces and nephews what 10
read, just as If he did rot AVE
enough other kinds of work on his
/ hands.
The only fee charged for admission
1 to this new school Is interest IN inc
courses and application to the WORK
Iassigned One does not even have to
| 20 to school The school comes TO
him. The United States mail carries
the voice of the teacher from WASH
ington as far as Alaska, tho Phsl1p-
pines or the Panama canal zone: Esv Y,
| cry one is eligible FOR membership IN
Uncle Sans great university and
two cent stamp Is the only card OF
| admission necessary. II you haven't
the stamp. postcard Will do. once
Uncle Sam knows that you with TO
take his course In literature. he Will
take care Of the res. Of 1t. In view
nVsff.
tsigned by DIR. Claxton, will be AWARD
ed to all who graduate and the
university of the people will find It's
4 reward IN the increased interest IN
good literature With Is expected 10
i ensue.
No Remedy Suggested.
For years it has been admitted
4 that the loiterary taste OF the aver
Eage citizen OF the United States was
capable of improvement: that trashy
4 novels had appropriated much OF the
4 field which Justly belonged to the
more solid reading upon which
4 taste for good literature must be
II grounded, and that the average
II American was prone to read hun
n dred society stories or sex movers 20
Il one OF the better class OF books. But
I even those who drew attention 70
tlth;s condition could suggest no rem
1 edy therefor.
It remained for the government Co
II deal with it from the standpoint OF
4 a national problem.
/ @ DR.. 2. p. C1axton, chief Of the
4 bureau OF education, conceived the
I idea OF inaugurating a series OF
courses In literature, to be suppHeo
Il to all who cared to follew them In
I addition. the government undertakes
H to follow up these courses with cues
4 lions relative to the books read. that
N it may be sure that the best points
n have been brought out and that rne
| student has not merely glanced over
H the volumes In cursory manner.
n Certificates of merit are given 20 81
| who successfully complete the pro-
gram Of study and write an essay,
n as prescribed upon book designated
lby 1.the faculty"
I The governmental ceuH:e r. Htera-
H ture. as outlined at present. is Oh
u yided into ten parts:
The Great Literary Bibles.
"A Reading Course for Parenls =
Masterpieces of the Worlds LIZ
orature,
4 instantaneous Reading for Girls
Thirty Books of Great Fiction.
j Some of the Worlds Heroes.
American Literature.
Biography.
History. ~
IN this manner it is planned to
4 cover practically all phases OF The
4 subject, commencing with the books
l which are genera1fy conceded 70
4 form the bulwarks Of literature
/ ttgreat literary Bibles" DR.. Claxlon
calls them and gradually Work1ns
n down through the various sup-ol-
/ Sisions. It is the aim OF the govern
|lment to make these courses so COM
iDlete that anyone who conscientious
Illy follows them will have Iuil
4 knowledge Of what is best in the II
4 braries Of the world. In this manner
4 It viii be possible for the Inhabitants
4 of the most out of the way sectlons
H of the country to be as well versed
n in the literature OF the World as az -
Il those more fortunate persons VINO
h nave easy access to the great libra
ries.
The books recommended for study
4 by the government may be obtained
Ii from nearly any book store and can
easily be sent by mail. For lhe
H benefit OF those who do not Know
where to apply, the government VII
4 sired and ship them on to the stu
III dent Uncle Sam is most patient
l when dealing with the betterment OF
his people. u
I The books selected to form the
hrst section OF this study Of litera-
4 ture are the Illiad and Oddessey OF
n Homer, Dante,s Divine Comedy;
n shakespeare,s Merchant of Venice,
Hamlet, Macbeth. Ithello ana
Goethe's Faust.
EachEof these books, in the optn-
1 ion of DR.. Claxton, is the embodi-
ment and revelation Of race, an
\ age or a civilization. They came
out of the hearts and minds OF the
people, for whom their authors 49, ssa