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

Feeling that something should Dc
done to raise the standard of literary
taste throughout the United States
the government has appointed ttseln
the faculty OF correspondence coll
lege with the seat OF learning In
| Washington, and DR.. d. p. claxton.
chief OF the bureau of education OF
the department of the interior. as
professor of literature. With this
for a nucleus, Uncle Sam has plunged
headIong into the business of teach
ing his :nieces and nephews what TO
read. Just as II he cid got Ikaye
enough other kinds of work on mis-
hands.
The only fee charged for admission
to this new school Is interest IN Ino
courses and application to the work
assigned. One does not even have 10
go to school, The school comes TO
him. The United States mail carries
the voice of the teacher from WASH
fngton as far as Alaska. tho Philip
pines or the Panama canal zone. Ev-
cry one is eligible for membership In
Uncle Sans great university and a
two cent stamp is the only card OF
admission necessary II you haven
the stamp, postcard will do. once
Uncle Sam knows that you wish 70
take his course In literature, he will
take care of the rest of 1t. In view
of degrees. certificates OF merit,
signed by DR.. Claxton, Will be award
ed to all who graduate" and the
university OF the people VIII hnd Its
reward IN the Increased interest In
good literature which is e.pected TO
$3.50 No Remedy Suggested
For. years II has been admitted
that the lotterary taste of the aver
age citizen of the United States was
capable of Improvement: that trashy
novels had appropriated much OF the
field which justly belonged to the
more solid reading upon which .
taste for good literature must be
grounded. and that the average
American was prone to read hun
bred society stories or sex novels to
one of the better class, of books. But
even those who drew attention TO
this condition could suggest no rem
edy therefor.
It remained for the government To
deal with 1t from the standpoint OF
national problem.
DR.. p. P. Claxton, chief OF the
bureau of education, conceived the
idea of tnaugurating a series OF
courses In literature. to be suppiieo
to all who cared to fo1lew them. In
addition, the government UNDERTAKES
TO follow up these courses with Dues
lions relative to the books read. that
have been brought out and that the
student has not merely glanced over
the volumes in cursory manner:
lCertificates of merit are given 10 an
who successfully complete the pro-
gram of study and write an essay,
as prescribed upon book designa1ed
by "the faculty"
The governmental cGr0.e n itera-
lture. as outlined at present. is oi-
Jnfn ten DartS:
The Great Literary Bibles.
A Reading Course for Parents.
Masterpieces of the Worlds Lit
srature.
miscellaneous Reading for Girls.
Thirty Books of Great Fiction.
some of the Worlds Heroes.
American Literature
Biography.
/ History.
In this manner it is planned to
cover practically all phases OF tae
subject. commencing with the DOCKS
which are generally conceded TO
fe,rm the bulwarks of literature
great literary Bibles" DR.. Clax.on
calls them-and gradually working
down through the various sup-ot-
dsfone. 1t Is the aim of the govern
ment to make these courses SO com
lplete that anyone who CONSCIENTIOUS,
liz follows them will have q iuii
knowledge of what is best In the IL
lhraries of the world. In this manner
n will be possible for the inhabttants
/ Of the most out of the way sections
lof the country to be as Wen yerseo
| IN the literature of the world as are
those more fortunate persons VINO
have easy access to the great libra
RES n
The hooks recommended for study
/ nv the government may be obtained
/ from nearly any book store and can
easily be sent by mail For the
! benefit of those who do not KNOW
where to apply, the government VIII
undertake to secure the volumes oe
sired and ship them on to the STU.
dent. Uncle Sam is most patlea.
vban dealing with the betterment or
40 The books selected to form the
first section of this study of litera-
ture are the Illiad and Oddessey ol
Homer. Dante's Divine Comedy'
Shakespeare's Merchant OF Venice
Hamlet. Macbeth. Ithello ano
Goethe's Faust.
ion of DIR. ClaNon, Is the emo0ul-
ment and revelation of a race, an
age or a civilization. They came
ont of the hearts and minds of the
people. for whom their authors Were
only the spokesmen. They are there
fore. simple. Fundamental, compres,g
hensive. They appeal to the nears
lerywhere, young or old. learned OF
Ignorant, of whatever race or creed
They are broad-minded cathoncl
books. Their authors saw life stead
lily and saw 1t whole
These books. he says, should De