, 1935-11-18
First Free Books Were
Made Available
100 Years Ago
BY vRRNA

by VEhNA
AL Texas is centennial minded
or should be! What with thousands
Of words being written about it and
all the talk that's being talked about
it from the tip to the top Of Texasl
But this is net about that CEN
tennial, this is about another CEN
tennial-the one nundredth anniver-
ssry of the first free children'S IL
hrary. Timely because Sunday start
ed National Children'S Book Week,
observed annually throughout the
United States the third week N
November.
And that first children's library
started 100 years ago was started
with a fund OF 500 dollars, be-
queathed in a viii by n Ebenezer
Learned, "a physician. A name both
appropriate and learnedl
Hospitality and friendship were
the foundation stones Of the first
free library for children given to the
little community Of West Cambridge,
Mass, in 1885. long years alter the
donor had moved to another state.
The gift, according 10 On. Learned's
will, was made in grateful spprecia-
ton for the hospitality and friend
ship accorded him when as s young
man earning his tuition to enter
Harvard college, he taught the chill
dren Sof that community. Perhaps
his gift so years later Of the juvenile
library grew out of the memory of a
need Of more books, experienced IN
his first school. The gift was gladly
accepted. The town voted TO spend
four-fifths of the money at once
and according to the will which
specified that the Selectmen, min
listers and physicians were to re-
ceive the money and buy the books,
choosing such books as will best pro-
mote useful knowledge and the
Christian virtues among the inhabi-
tantS Of the town who are scholars,
Or by usage have q right to attend
as scholars in their primary Schools!"
The books Travelled to their first
home in a wheelbarrow! A year
later the collection vas moved and
the town voted to appropriate $50
TO make the books free TO others be-
sides children. This was the Begin
ming Of the Arlington Public Lii
brary. The Boston Public Library
established In 1848 by legislative en-
actment was one Of the first Ameri-
can free Libraries in point of time
and was for many years the first in
Importance. taking second place only
after the merger Of the various foun-
dations Of the New York libraries
which now is the greatest institution
of its kind in the world.
Reading For Fun
Reading fer Fun" this years
theme for Book Week is one cf the
finest ever adopted. 1t stirs the i'm
Imagination and appeals strongly TO
the younger generation as it brings
to mind the broad field Of immagina-
tive literature and the great pageant
ca the classics. Reading for fun de-
lights one with humor and fantasy,
takes one to far and distant places
and inspires one with modern tales
Of character.
Unless a child can be convinced
that reading Is fun-as much fun as
baseball, bicycling, radio, the movies.
and other forms Of diversion-there
Is little hope Of converting him or
her into a constant reader" says a
writer IN the Wilson Bulletin for Lii
brarianS. From the same source
comes the statement that it Is high
ly important that the library shall
0an.a - SLa ~Af1l - -~- -
the school equipment and machin-
cry but from the public library as
with the former almost inevitably the
must" Of required work is tied ur
with every book to read; whereas
there is, or at least should be, the
may of voluntary reading attach.
ed to public library books. After all
stimulated interest and evoked taste
r more important for the indivi.
dual than the acquisition Of any
amount of cold facts.
When the public library ha.
placed in the hands Of young folk:
in school not textbooks. which al
taSkbooks too often lack inspiration
but interesting, vital inspiring pieces
Of literature, for voluntary reading
torpid minds have been quickened
school work has become better, anc
pupils have remained in school long.
or than they would without such
outside Stimulants," says George +
Bowerman. chief librarian, Public
Library. washington, d. c., writing
in the Wilson Bulletin for October
From this" Mr.. Bowerman con.
tinueS, the real purpose Of the IL
brary tends tc be accomplished.
that Is, the children learn to love
books and reading. develop gooc
taste for reading and the reading
hibit. and Sc are soon well on their
way toward becoming lifelong read
ers. 1t soon results that they ART
engaged in that never ending, con-
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