Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-01-23


ing circle, making your own selection
THE best and most complete ex-
preston of the ideals and ten
denotes of any people at any time is
to be found in their literature. For
modern times this expression is to be
found most often and most fully in
great works of fiction. Without an
acquaintance with some of these
books it is impossible to know the in
ner life-the real life-of the peoples
of whom such knowledge is most
worth while.
Any reading of history, any scien-
tific study of economics or sociology,
should be supplemented by some
reading of the writings of the mas
tiers of fiction. The Home Educa-
ton Division of the Bureau of Edu-
cation has therefore prepared the fol-
lowing list of 30 books of fiction,
mostly modern, for those who wish
to read to good purpose in this field.
The value of such literature is
well indicated by DIR. C. Alphonso
Smith, of the University of Virginia,
in his book, "What Can Literature
Do for Me?" He says of literature
of this and other kinds that it can
give you an outlet for your own
ideals and thoughts, it can keep be-
fore you the vision of the ideal, it
can give you a better knowledge of
human nature, it can restore the past
to you, it can show you the glory of
the commonplace, it can give you the
mastery of your own language.
At the end of this list of 80 books
is list of books helpful in fixing
a purpose and acquiring a method
in reading. Those who take this
course of reading under the direction
of the Bureau of Education will be
expected to read these 5 books also.
For admission to this course it is
necessary only to write to the Home
Education Division of the Bureau of
Education, Washington, D. c., giving
your name, postoffice address, your
age, and a brief statement of your
education and occupation. Readers
who wish to secure the bureaus GER
titicate must notify the bureau at the
time they begin each book, and when
each book is finished they must send
a summary consisting of a descrip.
ton of the principal characters, the
chief episodes, and their own impress.
sions. Some of the books do not
lend themselves to this form of sum.
mary. In these cases a brief state
ment of the essential features of the
books.
To each person who gives salts
factory evidences of having read all
the books on the list certificate will
be awarded bearing the seal of the
United States Bureau of Education
and signed by the Commissioner of
All men and women who
want to know the best there is in the
literature of the world and to gain
the inspiration it gives are invited to
join this national reading circle.
By special application to local or
state libraries readers may be able
to borrow these books The Bureau
of Education does not furnish them.
Charles Alphonso Smith. Edgar
Allan Poe, professor of English in
the University of Virginia; Charles
Forster Smith, professor of Greek in
the University of Wisconsin; Richard
Burton, professor Of English litera-
ture in the University of Minnesota;
and William Lyon Phelps, profess, r
Of English literature in Yale Univer-
sity have assisted the Bureau Of Edu-
cation in direction this course.
In writing about this course refer
to it as Omitted States Bureau of
Education, Home Education Division,
Reading Course No. g." or Thirty
Books of Great Fiction"
Reading Course No. 6.
/. Adam Bede. George Eliot.
g Arabian Nights.
3. A Modern Instance William
Dean Howells.
4. Clarissa Harlowe. Samuel Rich
ardson.
5. David Copperfeld. Charles Dick
ems.
6. Guy Mannering. Sir Walter
Scott.
7. History of Henry Esmond. Will
liam M. Thackeray.
8. Ivanhoe. Sir Walter Scott.
8. Joseph Vance. Williams F. De
Morgan.
10. Kidnapped. Robert Louis Stew
enson.
II. LORNA Doone. R. D. Blackmore.
-. Luck of Roaring Camp. Bret
Harte.
IS. Ordeal of Richard Feverel. Geo.
Meredith.
IA. Pilgrims Progress. John Bun
yam.
Is Pride of Prejudice. Jane Aus
ten.
10. Robinson Cruso Daniel Defoe.
II. Romola. George Eliot.
IS. Tale of Two Cities. Charles