10 . 



It will be seen that considerably more than one-half of the readers are 

 under the age of twenty-one years. This is a most hopeful sign for the 

 future, and points to a vast increase of intelligence in the community, 

 as these youths grow up to take their places in the struggle of hfe, and 

 are constantly succeeded by others with similar tastes and feelings. 



The following remarks are made on this subject by the Kev. W. J. 

 Kennedy, Inspector of Schools, in his recent Report to the Committee 

 of the Privy Council on Education : — 



" The Free Libraries, to which I have just referred, promise to be a 

 very great help in the work of educating the people. They are already 

 established in several towns in the district, viz., in Manchester, 

 Liverpool, and Bolton ; and subscriptions are entered into for one in 

 Preston. Other towns in Lancashire are hkely to follow these 

 examples. I regard them as a part — a necessary part — of national 

 education. I have always contended that the work of the elementary 

 school should be much more directed towards developing and strength- 

 ening the powers of the intellect, than towards imparting information 

 and a knowledge of facts. The end and aim of the elementary school 

 is not so much to infuse knowledge as to cultivate within a child the 

 power to acquire knowledge. Considering the very early age at which 

 a child leaves such a school, we cannot educate him ; but we may, I 

 think, so train him as to make him a self-educator. And here it is 

 that these admirable Free Libraries step in to supply the exact want 

 of the artisan. By means of the Lending Libraries, now happily being 

 attached to elementary schools, and still more by means of these Free 

 Libraries and Museums, which are to contain works of reference, as 

 well as works for home penisal, the youth who has been early com- 

 pelled to leave school, and to help, at least, to maintain himself, will 

 be enabled to carry on the work of self-education in his leisure 

 moments, if only the elementai-y school has done its duty by him, and 

 infused into him the taste and the power for private study." 



The very small number of females obtaining books is matter of 

 regret ; but it is probable that many more females obtain the perusal 

 of the books procured by the male members of the families to which 

 they belong. 



The Libraries were largely used by the working classes during the 

 severe weather in January and February last, when large numbers of 

 the poor were thrown out of employment; as many as 1,100 volumes 

 having been received and lent in a day. A painter, then out of work. 



