THE CULTIVATOR. 
151 
The American Society for the Diffusion of Useful 
Knowledge, 
Was organized in October, 1836, and now com¬ 
prises, we believe, gentlemen in every state, dis¬ 
tinguished for literature, science and public useful¬ 
ness. Its objects, as its title purports, is the diffu¬ 
sion of useful knowledge among the great body of 
the American people, in the cheapest, purest and 
most efficient form. Such an object is worthy of 
the philanthropist and the patriot. It is in conso¬ 
nance with our highest duties as men, and as free 
men. It invokes the best feelings of our nature, and 
promises, in its results, the enlargement of indivi¬ 
dual enjoyment, (for self, some how or other, will 
always be the prompting motive to action,) by 
PROMOTING THE PROSPERITY AND HAPPI¬ 
NESS OP ALL AROUND US. 
This society seems modelled on the plan of a si¬ 
milar one in Great-Britain, of which Chancellor 
Brougham is the distinguished head, and which has 
been eminently useful, not only to the country where 
it exists, but to the civilized world, in the publica¬ 
tions which it has issued from the press, relating to 
all the useful branches of knowledge, and which 
have had a circulation unprecedented in the annals 
of printing. It is by carefully selecting for the press, 
that public taste and public morals are improved, 
and general improvement promoted. It is by means 
of heavy editions, that works of merit are afforded 
at a third or a quarter of the ordinary cost, and that 
they consequently obtain a more general circulation, 
and a more benign influence upon national manners 
and character. We are indebted to the British so¬ 
ciety for a knowledge of many of the improvements 
of the day, in science and in the arts of labor. The 
farmer is indebted to them for the many valuable 
extracts, which appear in our agricultural journals, 
from their “Farmers’ Series,” on the various branch¬ 
es of husbandry ; and all classes of readers are in¬ 
debted to them for their Libraries of Useful and En¬ 
tertaining Knowledge, Journal of Education, maps, 
treatises on Political Economy—for their Penny Ma¬ 
gazine, Encyclopaedia, &c. Their labors have pro¬ 
duced a new era in intellectual improvement. The 
American Society, if properly supported by our ci¬ 
tizens, cannot fail of doing infinite good to our coun¬ 
try, and of conferring lasting benefits upon posterity. 
Common School Libraries. 
We insert to-day, a communication from “ A 
Westchester Farmer in answer to our remarks in 
the August No. of the Cultivator, on the subject of 
common school libraries. Although it does not al¬ 
ter our opinion as to the books which ought to con¬ 
stitute the basis of a common school, or rural libra¬ 
ry, it serves to explain why works upon rural affairs 
have not formed a larger portion of the first class, 
which has been recommended to the districts. 
From the documents accompanying the commu¬ 
nication, we find that it is in contemplation, to pub¬ 
lish a series of volumes upon agriculture—to con¬ 
sist of treatises “on the nature and properties of soils ; 
the products of the vegetable kingdom, the culture 
and use of all trees, plants and vegetables, usually 
cultivated for use or profit; on the history, nature 
and management of the different domestic animals 
and their productions ; in short, on all subjects con¬ 
nected with the pursuits of husbandry, designed to 
furnish the sons of the farmer, in a country destined 
to such high agricultural interests as ours, the best 
facilities for acquiring all necessary and desirable 
knowledge connected with their employments, their 
interests and their happiness.” And the synopsis of 
the contemplated library embraces the following 
enumerated subjects which relate to husbandry : 
Soil, its varieties and culture ; the vegetable king¬ 
dom ; timber and wood; vegetables for the food of 
man; do. of animals ; orcharding ; horticulture ; 
vegetable physiology ; chemical functions of vege¬ 
tables ; management of live stock; the horse, cat¬ 
tle, sheep, poultry ; the honey bee and silk-worm ; 
animal mechanics; chemical functions of animals ; 
agricultural economy ; household economy and the 
dairy. 
These works upon agriculture, together with oth¬ 
ers which are promised upon the arts, and upon 
physical, intellectual, moral and political science, 
will, when the whole is completed, form an invalu¬ 
able library, which cannot fail of producing, in a 
few years, the most benign effects, upon the indus¬ 
trial, moral and social habits of every school dis¬ 
trict into which it shall be introduced. 
Under the view of the subject which these facts 
present, we feel no hesitation in expressing a hope, 
that every school district will avail itself of the op¬ 
portunity which now presents, of laying the foun¬ 
dation of a work of usefulness, which, after benefit¬ 
ing the present generation, cannot fail of imparting 
lasting advantages to posterity. The books now 
published consist of 50 vols. averaging 250 pages 
each, of uniform size and binding, boxed in sets, 
the box serving as a book case, with lock and key 
—and the whole may be purchased, including the 
book case, at twenty dollars. 
The 4th section of the act of last session, “ to ap¬ 
propriate the income of the United States deposite 
fund to the purposes of education and the diffusion 
of knowledge,” is as follows : 
“ The sum of fifty-five thousand dollars shall at the same 
time be annually distributed to the support of common schools, 
in like manner and upon like conditions as the school mo¬ 
neys are now or shall hereafter be distributed, except that the 
trustees of the several districts SHALL appropriate the sum 
received to the purchase of a district library, for the 
term of three years; and after that time for a library, or for 
the payment of teachers’ wages, in the discretion of the in¬ 
habitants of the districts.” 
The law is therefore mandatory upon the school 
districts, for three years, provided the districts raise 
an equal sum for this purpose. After three years it 
is left discretionary with the districts whether the 
amount shall be applied to make additions to a li¬ 
brary, or to the payment of teachers’ wages. The 
proportion of this appropriation to each district will 
be about half the amount received last year from 
the common school fund. 
FORM OF THE BOOK CASE. 
[Fig. No. 55.] 
It is a flat box, two feet long, one foot wide and 
six inches deep, divided by partitions which become 
shelves, when the box is placed upright, into seven 
compartments. The cover is attached by hinges, 
so as to become a door when the box is opened. 
We cannot employ a page of the Cultivator more 
usefully, than by giving entire, the 
“ Prospectus of the American Library for Schools 
and Families .” 
“ The American Society Jor the Diffusion of Useful Know¬ 
ledge proposed from the commencement, to devote very early 
attention to the publication of a series of works, on the more 
important branches of popular knowledge, to be prepared and 
issued in a style and manner, suited to the purposes of a 
School Library. The primary object was, to have them 
placed as extensively as possible, in the common schools of 
the country, that they may be loaned to the children, and 
circulated through them among all the families of the dis¬ 
tricts. Some of the considerations which have led the socie¬ 
ty to attach special importance to this plan, are the following: 
“ 1. The social, circulating library is unquestionably the 
most economical and efficient mode of supplying the means 
of knowledge, to the large mass of young persons between 
the ages of ten and twenty, in the common school districts, 
throughout the country, now almost wholly unprovided with 
books of general information. 
“2. This class of persons are at a period of life, in which 
the means of knowledge are of the highest interest and value. 
In youth, the powers of the mind are all in active exercise. 
Curiosity is aw’ake ; memory is faithful; the attention, not 
yet distracted by the engrossing cares of active life, gives it¬ 
self wholly to its work. There is an ardor in the thirst for 
knowledge, which shows itself in the intense eagerness to 
hear and know; and many would seek constant gratification 
from books, if books could he obtained, of a character adapt¬ 
ed to their taste and age. This period is the best time in life, 
for storing the mind with knowledge, and almost the only 
time to acquire a taste for its attainment in future years. 
“ 3. Such a library will be the means of great advantage 
and impro\ement to the schools with which they are con¬ 
nected. It will, in fact, add a new department to the system 
of education, the influence of which will extend to the whole 
population. It will concentrate interest in the schools, en¬ 
large the sphere of the teacher’s instruction and influence, 
elevate his employment and office, connecting pleasant asso¬ 
ciations with it in the minds of the scholars and in the fami¬ 
lies to which they belong. It will raise the tone of literary 
interest and ambition among pupils, and relieve the dull rou¬ 
tine of mere elementary instruction, by the pleasures of en¬ 
tertaining and useful knowledge. It will be a kind of con¬ 
necting link, to unite the school with society around, and 
will naturally form the nucleus of an extended popular libra¬ 
ry, which by susequent yearly additions, will contain the 
materials for a general acquaintance with all subjects of inter¬ 
est and benefit to the community. 
“ 4. It seems necessary, in order to carry out and complete 
the work of school education, to provide some such supply 
of the means of reading. The elementary branches taught in 
the classes, are rather the instruments by whicli knowledge 
is to be acquired, than the acquisition itself. They consti¬ 
tute the preliminary training of the mind, and when this is in 
some good degree accomplished, how important that the pu¬ 
pil should have opportunity to employ his powers, in explor¬ 
ing the field of knowledge. The school teaches the boy to 
read; and gives him some elementary knowledge of various 
kinds which enables him to understand books. When this 
is acquired, we must give him the books, or our work is in¬ 
complete. 
“5. Such a library of simple, interesting and instructive 
works, would exert a vast influence in preserving the morals 
of the community. An entertaining book is one of the strong¬ 
est keepers a child can have. Its chain is invisible, and it 
neither chafes nor annoys the wearer. But it is more effectu¬ 
al than almost any other restraint. How many hours would 
such libraries rescue from idleness; from wicked conversation; 
from open dissipation and vice? how many from noisy brawls 
and savage fights ? And this, too, justintlie most important cri¬ 
sis; for, if a young man’s character is saved till he is twenty- 
one, it is in general saved for life. This plan also, by provid¬ 
ing a source of enjoyment and improvement for all the mem¬ 
bers of a family at home, will strengthen the domestic rela¬ 
tions and tend to revive and restore the love of domestic pur¬ 
suits and pleasures. The experience of ages shows that man¬ 
kind can exist safely and in happiness, only in the form of a 
vast congeries of families; and the more we can strengthen 
the love of home, and bring means of improvement and hap¬ 
piness to every man’s fireside, and keep the inmates of the 
household at home, the better for the virtue and solid happi¬ 
ness of the community. 
“ 6. It will be a very effectual mode of supplying the po¬ 
pulation generally with the means of knowledge. Through 
the scholars, the books will find their way, in constant rota¬ 
tion, to all the families around; and many circumstances will 
conspire to cause them to be extensively read, by the adult 
population. Parents are always specially interested in their 
childrens’ pursuits, and often like to read themselves what 
their children are reading. And the interesting nature of the 
subjects, the simplicity and directness of the style, and the 
practical utility which will every where be aimed at, will fit 
these works peculiarly to the wants of a large class of our 
population too much engrossed with cares, or wearied with 
the toils of life, or of too little mental cultivation to engage 
in more extended studies. 
“ 7. The plan is a very economical one. The amount of 
useful result is very large, when compared wtih the expendi¬ 
ture. A book sold to an individual is commonly read but by 
few, and is then laid aside idle and useless. These books, on 
the contrary, will circulate continually, and be used by new 
readers in succession, till worn out. An edition of 1000 co¬ 
pies, in the ordinary way, will reach perhaps 5,000 or 10,000 
minds. But on this plan, circulating among the families of a 
thousand districts, they will have opportunity to reach seve¬ 
ral hundred thousand minds. Indeed, if it were desired to 
make known a narrative of facts, as extensively as possible to 
the mass of a community, what cheaper or better mode could 
be devised, than to place a copy in every school to be loaned 
to the scholars in rotation? A sum not exceeding the ordina¬ 
ry endowment of a professorship in one of our colleges, will 
found such a national library; and enable the society to 
perpetuate its blessings indefinitely among the rising generar 
tion in our country. Tens of thousands, in our day, hundreds 
of thousands, millions, yet unborn,—would have their minds 
expanded, and their characters formed, under its benignant 
influence. Such a library placed in every school in our coun¬ 
try, would seem to be one of the most effectual and desirable 
measures for the general diffusion of knowledge and the im¬ 
provement of society, that could possibly be devised. Its be¬ 
nefits would be incalculable. It seems to the committee, that 
if the founders of such libraries as the Bodleian, the Harleian, 
and the Cottonian in England, had devoted one-half their 
munificent endowments in establishing a suitable library for 
the common people, with the means of giving it universal 
circulation among the towns and villages of our mother coun¬ 
try, they would have accomplished incomparably more for 
the improvement and happiness of their countrymen and of 
the human race, than they have now done, by their prince¬ 
ly gilts in the republic of letters. 
, “And they cannot but express the hope that the immense 
importance of such a benefaction may attract the attention of 
the opulent in our country, and that patriotic individuals may 
be found willing to give their influence and a portion of their 
property to the great work of diffusing among all classes of 
their countrymen, and through many future generations, the 
elements of a sound and wholesome literature.” 
“EXECUTION OF THE PLAN. 
“All the arrangements for carrying the design into execu¬ 
tion, are in a state of forwardness, so far as they can be, be¬ 
fore the necessary funds are secured. It is estimated that 
$15,000 are required to manufacture the stereotype plates for 
50 vols. If this sum were furnished, the library would be at 
once completely and permanently endowed, as arrangements 
can be made with publishers, if the plates are furnished, to 
supply the market fully and constantly, and defray all the 
expenses of manufacture and copyright out of the proceeds of 
the sales. Should, therefore, any benevolent individual, or 
the community, place in the hands of the society the means 
to procure these plates, the perpetual supply of the books, at 
the cost of $20 for the fifty volumes with their case, would be 
at once secured. 
“ The society take the liberty, therefore, to lay these sug 
gestions before the community, and they solicit from any in 
dividuals who may be interested in the subject, a reply to 
this communication, offering either suggestions in respect to 
the general interests of the plan, or proposals for furnishing 
particular books, or aid in raising the necessary funds. 
“ By the constitution of the society, the annual payment 
of $5, or more, constitutes an individual a member; of $100, 
within any one year, a life member; of $500, a life director; 
and of $1000, within the same period, a life director, and an 
honorary member of the executive committee. Members of 
the society are also to be entitled to the privilege of purchas¬ 
ing publications at a reduced price; life members and life di¬ 
rectors will be entitled to receive five per cent annually, on 
the amount of their payments in publications, if applied for 
within the year. 
“ Any individuals disposed, in either of the above ways, to 
aid the objects of the institution, are earnestly and respectful¬ 
ly solicited to do so, as soon as may be, through the treasu¬ 
rer, A. P. Halsey, Esq. cashier of the New-York Bank, to 
whom all communications relative to financial concerns, may 
be addressed. 
“ Any school or family, any lyceum or other institution dis- 
