The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1916-08-19

to be very general realization that
men under the conditions of camp
life In a torrid climate" would be
really Interested in other than gen
cfai and miscellaneous reading"
Despite the "torTid climate" in
the first place. the active outdoor
life. the simple food. the regular
hours, seem 10 have a most exhilar-
nj ng effect upon both MIND anc
body. For instance. one Young
regular writes from northern Mexi-
&c that bis mind was never clearer
o. more vigorous. militiaman
frcm Chicago stationed at Camp
Wilson few miles from San An
tonic. says that he feels like run
ming and jumping all the time
In the second place. there is a
reel demand for technical litera-
ture. Even in the training camp
there is some time that could be
spent in reading, In the border
camps even more A man in a
Iberder camp writes that only
about four hours day are spent
by the men In drilling, and that the
rest OF the time Is on their hands.
This man il member OF bat
terry composed entirely of college
linen. who desire books on engineer
ling and agriculture. as we'll as some
books merely for recreation. OtE-
|ers have asked for books on the
history. natural history, etc. OF
Mexico and Texas. And so the
story goes.
The Carnegie Library, of San
Antonio. is too hard pressed in sup
plying the demands at home to De
able to lend books to the border
troops; the most that We can do is
to place deposit of books at Camp
Wilson in the Y. NJ. G. A. clubhouse,
and to give borrowers privileges
to the troops who care TO use the
main library.
Other Texas public Libraries are
in the snme plight, as are also the
college libraries. The state library
In haiapered by lack OF funds for
besides the fact that
their collections are largely Of .
specialized sort that would hardly
meet the demand in full.
The Library OF Congress, II as
hoped, might be able to do some
thing. but the Library Of Congress.
being primarily q research library.
has never undertaken, even
for those in the government de-
near at hand, to furnish
general and miscellaneous reading. !"
and suggests that. 1t would be "an
undertaking for the
Department Of War" TO supply such
material. II is hardly likely, how
ever. that the Department Will he
able at any time soon, II ever 70
undertake this work.
Meanwhile. what are our boys 10
do with their spare timer The old
|adage about the occupation which a
certain enterprising gentleman al
WAYS finds for idle hands is too
well-known to need quoting here.
Even IL these full-blooded young
Americans could compass the
humanity impossible feat of keeping
|entirefy out of mischief. think Of
the waste involved in taking out Of
their lives so much time that could
be profitably spent!
The best~--at present the only
solution OF the difficulty lies in the
placing of books at the Y. Nj. G. a.
lighthouses which are being estaD-
|lished on the border. Such books
should become the property of the
II. NJ G. A.
The Texas Library association VIII
gladly administer contributions ioi
this purpose Anyone who has con
Itributions To make for this specific
object would do we'll TO write di-
rectly to the undersigned.
ELIZABETH HOWARD WEST.
President Texas Library Associa-
Ition. San Antonio, Texas.