Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1926-08-06

the United Sttaes began their daily
tasks at loom, machine. at lathe or in
mine.
They are producing the locomotives
and trains that we shall be riding on
IN few weeks, turning out the steel
girders and bricks that few months
hence win be buildings, and homes
and stores, making our clothes, our
tools. indeed al the thousands Of the
things that fiji the nations market
places, that make up commerce and
trade.
These 100000 people who are d.
rectly engaged in producing our ma
teriai wealth make up 33 per cent Of
al who are gainfully employed. More
thar 1000 600 Of them are between
the ages Of 10 and 20. Each year 500,-
600 Of our American youth put away
their school books and Join their ranks.
How much schooling have these 14,-
00o. 900 people had7 How many are
following any systematic plan for
their education which win have . die
rest bearing upon their production.
their earnings, their promotion. and
their general knowledge and happi-
ness7
A study Of the available statistics
shows that the average education Of
al those who work in our shops and
mills and factories Is less than T1k
pears. Out Of every hundred engaged
toda yin industry less than 2 have
been to colleg or university, 4 are en-
tered in part-time vocational, COM
mercial or night schools, 9 are enroll
ed in the correspondence. Education
after the public elementary school has
ceased for 80 per cent.
In democracy educated intelligence
seems scarcely less necessary in the
followers than in the leaders. Upon
education largely depends tho future
Of our civilization, the trend Of our In
stitutions, the kind of society and the
measure Of its opportunities under
which our sons and daughters and
their children shall work and live.
What other means at hand which
win provide . way for cur American
producers to increase thelr practical
knowieinn of their daily work. help
seeufS tn Understanding q TIE 4aets
and processes Of business and industry
and their share and part therein, aid
todward an insight into the functions
and operations Of government for 49,
000, 900 Of them TO vote. assist in gain
ing q knowledge Of the rules By which
group affairs are carried on so that
they may take an active part in them
and give them an acquaintance with
the new knowledge Of man-why he
behaves like = human being?
Aside from the influences Of the
home, the church, business, sccieties
and clubs, the principal channels Of ed
ucation open to the American worker
are books, magazines, newspapers,
moving pictures and the radio
Of these, the moving picture and
the radio are largely recreational than
educational. And although magazines
and newspapers are one Of our most
important sources Of education, they
are Of value chiefly to those who are
already well begun on the path Of ed
ucation; they pre-suppose the ground
work Of knowledge.
It is books which seem to hold the
possibilities Of widest usefulness. In
them all the great aggregations Of
knowledge are embodied. All new
learning eventually finds its way into
book form. They supply knowledge
in units; they tell 3 whole story as
no other medium can. And, most inn
portant Of all, books can furnish, as
no other agency, the materials either
for beginning an education or eontinu-
ing its progress at any point.
II books could be brought within
the reach Of every worker, together
with some form Of advice and guild
ance in ordering and correlating that
knowledge, a real contribution TO the
education Of 14,000,0 ,0O0-to national
education-would be made. Is it a
task for the American public library
The public libraries are free to all.
They possess the organization and ex-
perienee for giving each individual
the necessary guidance InrOugn bne
various fields Of knowledge essential
TO the modern American worker, such
as economies, elementary engineer
ing, politics and government, parlia-
mentary law and psychology. The IL
brary provides q path to q knowledge
Of these which need not exclude any
other activity but which may accom-
pany It, make It more valuable.
The American Library Association
is a national advisory body Of $500
libraries throughout the country, and
is engaged in = program to acquaint
the nearly 100000 American work
eFs who today do not or cannot con-
tinue their educations through our va
rious schools with the practical value
Of the public library, to bring the
library to them.
To achieve this end, the diffusion
Of knowlsdge and education through
free books, and the organization Of
this knoWlodgs through library guid-
ancs. . program Of cooperation with