Official Document, No. 6. 



SCHOOL LIBRARIES. 



BY LIZZIE FLEMING, Shelocta, Pa. 



READ AT PARKWOOD INSTITUTE, INDIANA CO., DEC. 4, 1900. 



The first aud most important point to be considered on this subject 

 is the benefits derived from school libraries. Of the innumerable 

 benefits which may be derived from the possession of libraries in our 

 schools, I wish to mention a few of the most important. 



Many children will acquire a desire for reading who otherwise may 

 never have that opportunity elsewhere. And by so doing they have 

 advantage of the grand opportunity of becoming acquainted with 

 the standard literature; and this should be regarded as one of the 

 greatest advantages which can be offered to any child. 



Reading matter outside of our regular school text-books serves as 

 a recreation when pupils become wearied with the regular routine of 

 lessons. And if the precious moments sometimes spent in idleness 

 were occupied in reading good literature the desired effect would be 

 keeping the minds of the pupils continually employed and thus pro- 

 duce the tendency of. their becoming more interested in their lessons, 

 because ''we grow by doing." 



The ideas conceived by children and the impressions made upon 

 their young minds is what, to a great extent, determines their suc- 

 cess in future life. We have many examples given to prove this 

 statement, of children by reading the biography of some noted char- 

 acter, have, themselves, been induced to lead noble lives. 



There is nothing which cultivates the mind to such an extent as 

 literature. Literary culture enables man to avail himself of the 

 achievements of genius struggling with the inertness of matter, or 

 fettered by the restrictions of ignorance and barbarity. It brings 

 all his noblest powers into action, multiplies and refines his enjoy- 

 ments, gives him the habit of wishing to find out the good and beauti- 

 ful in everything that meets and surrounds him, and clothes him 

 with a fictitious strength, as great as that which has been conferred 

 on him by nature. It gives room for the exercise of that faculty 

 which is to increase the skill of the physician, guide the speculations 

 of the merchant, prompt the arguments of the lawyer, make the 

 sermon of the minister palatable and nutritious, and, in reality, there 

 is scarcely any branch of business in which the cultivated mind does 

 not excel. Thus it is reasonable to conclude that literary culture 



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