The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-02-27
HOW ST. JOHNSBURY
ATHENAEUM HELPS
THE YOUNG FOLKS
School Children Flock to
the Library and Read
Good Books
Editor Caledonian- Record:

Editor Caledonian Record:
Even my short residence in this
town has revealed to me a truly
remarkable custom that the citi-
zens have of resorting frequently
to the Athenaeum. | know libr-
airy conditions in a number of
towns and cities in New England
and the middle states but certain
ly | know of no library so thor
oughly used. A certain hours of
the day the Ahenaeum is Crowd
ed" if one wants prompt service
one must "shop early" because, in
spite Of the fact that there are
five desk employees, service can
not be given to a dozen people at
the same time. After three O'Clock
school children literally flock
there; some in search of enter
tainment, oilers to look up refer
cnces for the next days assign
ments. The Athenaeum is the
young peoples club OF st. Johns
bury and there can be no doubt
that its effect is wholesome. The
magazines on the tables are not
the kind which print questionable
stories. | have frequently been
surprised and pleased to find our
Academy athletes ensconsed in
library chairs, deep in book or
magazine. OF course there is no
reason why boy should not be
interested in athletics and read
ing too, but beyond the borders
of St. Johnsbury it is not general
Last fall while visiting a neigh
boring town with the football
team was more than gratified to
find that hall Of the team preced-
ed me to the local library. This
may not sound unusual to St.
Johnsbury people, but | know
of some towns where moth
ers and fathers would be
tremendously relieved to know
that their boys sought out
the library rathe rthan some less
elevating resorts. Surely we must
find the reason for this in the
spirit of our Athenaeum. And |
have been given to understand, by
a man in middle life, that the
same substantial love for reading
existed in this town when he was
boy. Think what 80 years have
meant to the citizcnry of this
town, If we could reduce the
effect of the Athenaeum to
measurements such as dollars and
cents or bushels and pounds, its
appeal would be, in this age, more
easily comprehended, but we can
not do that; we shall simply have
to remember that it is the impon-
derable which, after all, means
the most to all of US.
The library facilities of the
Athcnaeum are invaluable in CON
nection with the Academy's de-
partment of history Text book
history is nearly worthless; unless
a history course opens up avenues
for future reading. Better leave
it out of the curriculum. The
same is more or less true for all
departments. The Academy relies
upon the Athenaeum to supply
the resources for this reading.
Therefore. any support given by
the town to the Athenaeum can
very well be charged in part to
the educational account, the re-
payment in many fold.
But the Athenaeum is not sole
ly a young peoples institution;
adults aplenty, use it; all after
noon and evening there is con-
tinuous stream of them through
the reading rooms. Every new
work Of fiction has a long list
waiting for ii turn at it. Such
books as Wells Outline of His
tory" and Lytton Strachey's,
Queen Victoria and Robert
Lansing's, peace Negotiations
are not read by children on the
frivolous yet they are never at
rest on the library shelves, one
has to inquire to find out whether
the library owns them or not. St.
Johnsbury in the hills Of Vermont
may be far from the centers Of
of the world but all the import
ant events the Athenaeum brings
to US. We cannot allow any de-
terioration in its work; it must 90