Evening star., 1925-01-19

PARIS, France-New York's Pub
lie Library stands like a symbol. in
it's pure robe of white marble, be-
tween Fortieth and Forty-second
streets. It's purpose is defined by the
Inscription placed above the hospita-
BILE entrance. The diffusion of educa-
ton among the people alone can
guarantee the preservation and the
perpetuation of our institutions.
Once again observe the rapidity of
progress. In 1901 the New York Lii
brary had only II branches. Thanks
to Andrew Carneg it has 40
branches today. This establishment,
founded by three citizens, owns ap-
proximateIy 100000 books. 1t is
omen daily from in the morning un-
til 10 in the evening. including Sun
days.
three inhabitants). The books are
loaned 10 any one presenting two ref
erences. The personnel consists of
$50 employees for the central building
and 1900 for the whole. Everything
seems broadly planned practical and
syrupulouSly clean. Already they COM
plain of lack of room, although they
offer u reading rooms to the public,
the largest of which accommodates
700 readers
The library is completed by a mu-
scum l saw here again the work of
gilbert stuart. who. because he paint
Cd Washington so often, gave the ica-
lures OF tho general 70 all hts models.
a striking example is the portrait OF
Mrs. Robert Morris.) There are old
French engravings and Italian Rem
aissance bookbindings 10 rest the
tired reader.
Charming ChiIdren's Room.
liked especially the charming
children's room. with its low tables,
where the little ones are admitted as
soon as they can write their own
names. More than 1900 little New
Workers We're registered there. Flow
ers renewed daily and old pictures
gave this great square room touch
ing air of home. \ little boy, over
whose shoulder I looked, was low
ingly copying the picture OF a sailing
vessel Of olden times. Every after
noon stories are read. to the young
est. Tho others have free choice among
the shelves.
ore cannot have too much sincere
reenert for the women who Come
daily 10 cousecrate themselves to this
precious task. Their ingenuity dis
covers hundred means to attract
thjther their childish clientile. 4 real
tenderness fills the hall, and the poor
est boy rubs elbows here with he son
of the rich merchant or the wellto-
do industr ialist in the sincerest fra
ternity.
Tell me where you will find the
equivalent of such an institution in
our country?
But it is in the great centers of
learning that one sees the American
enthusiasm for culture at its best.
Breaking with the old system, the
states of the Middle West and of the
West have adopted the regime of pub
lie universities, less costly for the
students than the private universi-
ties, such as Harvard Work contin-
ues all the year around in these
temples of science, which offer them
selves to the widest possible public.
The war greatly augmented a number
of young men, coming, not only from
the middle classes but from the farms,
the factories and the shops. The mo-
ment that a farmer OF the Middle
West becomes even moderately well
TO do he sends his children to the uni
versity For them the classical cul-
ture is not quite assimilable. / is for
them that 50 many new courses have
been created.
1t was under the guidance of Proi