Evening star., 1947-06-24
This and That
BIZ Charles E. Trace,DeU.

He or she who likes to read is never at a loss
Such persons do not require the latest best
seller or even something between boards, but
Will be content with magazines newspapers
circulars, dodgers, leaflets pamphlets.
We know local man who specializes on old
patent medicine almanacs. He has dozen Of
them, perhaps hundreds of them, which he
keeps in safe place. Every now and then,
when the urge comes over him. he takes out
his almanacs
They never fail to amuse him. Similarly, he
has picked out from wastepaper baskets in
his place OF work scores of pieces of printed
matter interesting to him, although evidently
not to those who threw them away.
He advises every one to make careful in
spection of wastebaskets. There is so much
matter printed today, he says, much of it
instantly thrown away by those who receive it.
In many cases, according to his observation,
the material is not even looked at, but thrown
into the basket unopened
He feels. and probably he is right, that
these receivers are short-sighted, that they
miss some good things, now and then, through
their mental laziness.
Undoubtedly there is great mass of ma
terial printed which ordinarily simply goes
into wastepaper baskets. The war years saw
no diminution of this sort of thing. At the
very time the howl about the paper shortage
was the greatest there was veritable flood
of leaflets, pamphlets and the like.
A large proportion of this was chucked into
baskets without inspection. Some of it was
beautifully printed, with fine Illustrations
A careful collection made from this waste
basket material would end with something of
real value.
We will never forget the man we saw
perched at the rear of trash collection wagon
While it was busily spinning down Connecticut
avenue this man crouched with paper
backed book in his hand. He had rescued it,
twas oY1l inf tnd
in it as if it was the last book on earth.
He was an mpromptu example of "The
Thinker" and almost had that famous pose.
Reading is not something just for quiet and
well-lighted room, but may be done anywhere
Many newspapermen have written articles on
the running boards of automobiles. Reading
is easier than writing, so there is no limitation
on it at ALL
Many persons imagine they cannot read on
public vehicles This, we believe, is mostly
imagination. But the eyes have to be trained
to it. Those who have fixed gazes, lacking
a certain f1uidty of the eyeball, cannot read
on such vehicles with any comfort. 1t is easy
enough, however, to teach the eyes how to do
this. Perhaps the distraction of so many
human beings so close together accounts more
for a lack of reading ease on such public
transport. Then, too readers build up certain
inhibitions. One of these is the dislike Of
some one else reading over the shoulder
first ones to so read If the roles were reversed.
There is no zeal reason why any reader need
resent some one else reading over his shoul-
der The temptation is irresistible to a real
reader.
Collection of old materials from odd sources
offers pleasant way to the person of right
temperament to increase his library Books
alone are not all there are, as any well-stocked
library will show. Many a pamphlet is both
interesting and beautiful, both as thing and
as mental creation.
The age of pamphleteerlng never really
ended There are today hundreds of inter-
esting ones, flowing in a perfect stream from
the presses. They have the benefit OF good
scholarship and fine printing craftsmanship
Many of them are well worth keeping
They offer easy roads to knowledge, and
may be carried conveniently. In fact, the
widespread popularity of small books with
paper covers in recent years goes back solidly
to the plain fact that most literate persons
have become accustomed to pamphlets, and
find them convenient and chummy. They
take" to the pocket editions of great works
and of works not great
Never pass by anything printed, especially
If it has been thrown away. Look 1t over and
see if it will not be of interest to you.
Business and Government offices are flooded
with such material, but all of it need not be
wasted, for some of 1t Is worth keeping If one
has an inquisitive mind and is willing to be
informed about peoples and things about which
he formerly knew nothing.