Milford chronicle., 1922-11-17
DON'T BE WITHOUT A LIBRARY
IN YOUR TOWN.
By Mary Collins Terry.


1
"It can't be DONE" How would you
do it?" Nobody reads around this
place." These were some of the dis
couraging responses met with when
the Interested Mother suggested
starting a public library in the tiny
western town in which she lived. But
there were others who were eager to
have it.
well it won't hurt to try" was the
determined and CHEEKY response which
answered the objections.
There were several things to be con-
sidered. Granted she could gain the
general cooperation of the town,
there were books to be secured, a
suitable library station found, and Ii
Drarians located to take charge. 1t
was decided to divide the town up
into districts, and to have these dis
tricts canVassed by some of the town
people. A meeting was called of all of
those who were willing to help, and
the enthusiastic response was gratify-
ing.
Prior to the actual canvass for do
nations of books and magazines, sew
eral attractive posters announcing
the project were displayed in the
churches and village postofice. One
of these read:
Lend the book you like to your
neighbOr. Help start a library for
WOodville."
One hundred and eighty-seven books
rewarded the solicitors. And these
were collected by generous autOmo-
bile owners, and taken to the home of
the Interested Mother who through |
previous knowledge of library work |
was able to catalogue. them simply |
and get them ready for circulation.
Meanwhile plans were being made |
to secure an empty store in a build
ing of central location. A warm little
note appealing to the owners civic
spirit secured the use of the place,
rent free, for a month while the pro-
ject was being started. After that a
very nominal rental was to be charg-
ed which could be easily raised by an
occasional entertainment.
1t was a great day when the little
band of workers opened the library.
The shelves once used for dry goods
the one hundred and eighty
seven cherished books. One large
table did for a librarians desk. A few
chairs and several shelves of maga-
zines, all in good condition, compris-
ed the furnishings. The enthusiastic
book canvassers became librarians,
giving an afternoon week of their
time, and enabling a neat little sign
on the door to say
"WOOdville Public Library"
Open Mon., Wed, Fri, and Sat, 2
P. M. to P. M. !
At present the children of the COM
munity are the most frequent bor-
'OWers and it is a source of pleasure J
% those in charge to place good juv- {
mile reading in their hands.
Plans are on foot for a picnic for '
he ibrary's benefit. By this and sim
lar affairs the library board, compos-
d of other interested Mothers and I
ome of the towns business men ex- L
,ect to add new books and defray the
cry nominal expense of running the &C
library. @
"The majority of men know moth R
ing about the fundamental princi- S
pies for which the kindergarten Z
stands" says DR.. Elmer E. Jones, di- D
rector of the School of Education, A
Northwestern University, Evanston, v
Illinois. Mothers knew" he says, Il
"that it is more than step in ed Is
ucation, that it is the educational H
institution in the history of educa- B
ton that has stood for the cultiYa- T.
tion of religious feeling in the T
child" The kindergarten, DR.. Jones
holds, sis more than a college, and Fl
as a social institution holds the IT
promise of the solution of problems TT
we must face in the future" Oh
At Evanston, near Northwestern NJ
University, the National Kindergar- 1
ten and Elementary College, pioneer Al
in the field of training young women H,
as teachers of little children and as NJ
future mothers, is planning to erect Be
a national college of childhood TIE
where cultural subjects and train ]
ing in the technique of kindergarten Bu
work will be supplemented by train FL
ing. In "Mothercraft," specific ed
ucation for motherhood and the re-
sponsibilities that come in properly sh
rearing the "grown-up" of tomor- sol
row. bu
In this proposed move of the Ma aw
.ional Kindergarten and Elementary eri
College to Evanston and the inter try
change of professors and credits of
With Northwestern, the attention of the
educators of this country is focused an,
IN that city as the stronghold of the
and elementary educa- abe
ion in America. Northwestern is '
Inown for its standard in education, sch
md the National Kindergarten and VIII
College leads in its the
eld IN scientific approach to bet ed
er understanding childhood and "wi
haplng the plastic young mind. the
the