During the year beginning in September, 1895, 20,691 books were issued 65,943 times by 246 teachers in 41 graded schools, 3 high schools, 1 State normal school, 1 school for the deaf, 3 Sunday schools, and 2 private schools. Books were also sent to hospitals, homes for the aged, and the State industrial school for girls. As soon as one set of books was returned from the schools or institutions there was an eager demand for "more books."

The present year shows a still greater increase in the work, or, as the old man who delivers the books expresses it, "They are hungry for books." It is indeed true, as the rapid increase at the main library testifies. Many a child living in the outlying districts, after reading all the books sent to his school, requests the teacher to give him his card that he may visit the library, which is probably miles from his home, there to still further satisfy his "hunger" for more books.

In addition to the books there is a collection of over 2,000 mounted pictures, which are loaned to the schools. These pictures, which are taken from the extra copies of Harper's Weekly, London Illustrated News, and other good weeklies, are neatly mounted on manila board. The work of cutting and pasting is mainly done by the assistants during the summer, when the regular work is not so heavy, although teachers have offered their services on several occasions and at such times have been assisted by their pupils. These pictures are sent to the schools for the same length of time as the books and prove a source of great pleasure to the children.

AT SPRINGFIELD, Mass.

By MARY MEDLICOTT, Reference Department, City Library, Springfield.

The work of our library as an aid to the schools of the city has been a growth of years, developing with use and further acquaintance with its desirability.

We, of course, provide works on the principles of education and on the theory and art of teaching, for the use of instructors; the writings of standard educational authors; pedagogical periodicals, and reports of the board of education of our own State, the commissioner of education, and others; also the latest and best books of a practical character as they come from the press. We furnish many of the best books for reading, directly illustrative of the various studies pursued in the schools, for collateral and general study.

Each teacher is furnished with a personal card and also a teacher's card, entitling to the use of six books at a time for school work. Pupils of 12 years old and over are also entitled to cards for personal use. Teachers are invited to furnish in advance the topics they propose to give to their classes, and we select the best available books upon these topics, placing them at the disposal of the students for use out of school hours. This tends to improvement in the work of the schools and to familiarity with the use of books for purposes of study, cultivating habits of investigation, which will be of service later on in life.

To go a little more into detail as to methods: We lately placed in the reference room additional shelves, which are used exclusively for books for classes in the schools, assigning special shelves to each class or teacher who desires it, and labeling them (in L. B. label holders) with the subject represented on the shelf, changing the label when the books or subjects are changed, as, for instance, French history, general history, American literature, astronomy, electricity, glass making, etc. Thus the scholars soon learn where to go for their books, and if they require additional help they have only to ask at the reference desk. Sometimes the teachers prefer to make their own selections of books.

For this work we utilize the best material that the library can furnish-books, the newest encyclopedias, magazine articles, and even newspaper cuttings occasionally, especially for recent biography. All these are treated as reference books for the time and not allowed to be taken home. The scholars are also encouraged to search out for themselves books or magazine articles that will be useful by the aid of the catalogues, Poole's Index, etc., thus varying the methods of study. In our monthly

bulletins we frequently print special lists which are of help to them, and we are always glad when any of the teachers will aid in the selection of the best books for these printed lists.

We have been very fortunate in the spirit of harmony and cooperation between library officials and teachers, resulting in mutual benefit.

Our library is especially well located for the work of helping the public schools. It is in close proximity to the high school, so that often during school hours some of the pupils will come in-between two "periods"-to use the books set apart for them, and again after school closes. In immediate connection with the library and under its management is the Art and Natural History Museum, and the resources of both collections are available for purposes of school study.

From the duplicate geological, mineralogical, and lithological specimens in the Natural History Museum, collections have been prepared and loaned to the various grammar schools of the city. We have prepared and printed in our monthly bulletin a selected list of the best books in our library to use in connection with the study of these specimens, and which may also serve as a guide in the building up of school libraries.

A course of lectures on natural woods, vegetable fibers, and kindred topics is being given before the teachers, in the natural history hall, and for this, too, we have prepared a list of helpful books, which has been printed for circulation among the teachers.

For the weekly lectures or talks on art, given to high-school pupils in one of our lecture rooms, we likewise furnish much material in the way of illustrative books, both for lecturer and pupil. To these may be added the easy and practical exami nation of art objects and pictures, and art books, and of the fuller natural history collections.

The teachers bear witness to the usefulness of the library in these ways, and to the extension of the so-called "laboratory method" to all branches and grades of study. One of our school principals writes: "The books thus supplied in history, geography, and other departments of school study are of inestimable value, stimulating and developing in the pupils a taste for solid literature, and enabling the teachers to give a broader education than could possibly be done by the use of textbooks and oral instruction alone." Indeed, he adds that, "after having been accustomed for a time to this method, he should hardly know what to do with his school if he could not avail himself of the opportunities for this supplementary use of books in connection with the text-books in use."

The librarians also notice gradual improvement in the methods of study in those who come week after week, perhaps year after year, to make use of our books for school work.

CHILDREN'S READING: WHAT SOME OF THE TEACHERS SAY.

By JOHN COTTON DANA, Librarian Denver Public Library.

The Public Library of Denver is maintained by school district No. 1, a district embracing about half the population of the city and a large proportion of its taxable property. It has at present an enrollment of about 10,000 children. The library is a part of the district's educational system, and while it serves the public as effectively as its resources permit, every care is taken to make it popular with the teachers, attractive to the children, and adapted generally to the needs of the schools. With this end in view a great deal of attention has been paid to the purchase of books for teachers and pupils, and every effort has been made to induce both teachers and pupils to make use of the library. A recent inquiry showed that of the 700 children in the high school over 90 per cent have library cards. Of the total books lent for home use about one-third are from the juvenile room, which contains about one-fifth of the library's lending department. Of the total number of visitors to the library-they have averaged for a good part of the last winter about 1,500 per day-nearly 700 are children.

The library came into existence, as an institution of practical use to the schools, about five years ago, with about 7,500 volumes. Since that time its connection with the schools has increased as rapidly as the growth of volumes on the shelves has permitted. It now has 35,000 volumes, a great many of which are all the time in teachers' and pupils' hands. Collections of from 10 to 50 and 60 volumes are sent to teachers' rooms on their request and largely of their own selection, and are kept for one month or six months, or as long as wanted. Teachers lend these books for home use, or not, as to them seems best. This work in the schools has been going on for several years, but to a large extent only during the past twelve months.

The school district itself purchased, four years ago, about 3,000 volumes of supplementary readers. This collection it has increased to about 8,000 volumes, the list now including not only supplementary readers but a large number of books called desk books, like Matthews's American Literature, Portraits and Sketches of American Authors, How to Teach Reading, Dole's American Citizen, etc.

The fact that the school district sustains and controls the library, that it is under the supervision of the superintendent of schools, and that it has been for several years in close touch with teachers and pupile explains the interest taken by teachers in a circular of inquiry about children's reading which was recently sent, through the principals, to every teacher in grades one to four, 101 in all. The principals were requested, at one of their meetings, to call the attention of the teachers to the fact that in answering these inquiries they could help the library in its work, but that they were under no obligations whatever to make any reply, and that no one' save themselves and the librarian would ever know whether they replied or not. The object of this explanation was to make sure that only those teachers who were interested in the matter for its own sake should express any opinions. Of the 101 circulars sent out, 73 were returned. The principals of the grade schools, 16 in number, were also asked to reply to the questions, and 13 did so. Their replies are included in the figures below. The questions and the replies, the latter tabulated as fully as possible, were as follows:

CHILDREN'S READING: OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS OF TEACHERS

Will you help the public library by answering as fully as you can the following questions? Return this sheet by mail in the inclosed envelope.

1. (a) Do you think it would be well for pupils in your grade to read more books? (b) What are the reasons for your opinion?

To (a) 13 answer, yes; 1 answers, no.

2. How early in their school life is it possible, on the average, to interest children in independent, outside reading?

Thirty-two say, in the first grade (children about 6 years old); 25 say, in the second grade (children about 7 years old); 14 say, in the third grade (children ́ about 8 years old).

3. (a) Could you increase the amount of reading done by the children in your grade if you had books which you could lend them for home use? (b) Could you increase the reading, even in the first grade, if you had appropriate books to lend? To (a) 73 say, yes; 2 say, no. To (b) 44 say, yes; 6 say, no.

4. Can you name some of the more essential characteristics of the books which especially interest the children in your grade?

Thirty-one say, "Should be about plants, animals, and other familiar things; " 24 say, "Should be about fairies and the like;" 11 say, "Must have human interest" (this essential is also impliedly mentioned in many other replies); 10 say, "Should have illustrations."

5. (a) To the children of what grade can you show the difference between booksbetween those that are true to life and those that are not; between those that may be called literature, and those that may be called silly? (b) To those, say, below the fifth grade?

To (b) 32 say, yes; 5 say, no.

6. What proportion of the children under your care do you think are in the habit of reading books-as many as one in ten?

Average of all estimates is 30 per cent.

7. Do the children under your care read the trashy story-paper and "nickel libraries" to any great extent?

Fifty-one say, no; 6 say, yes.

8. If so, do you think some of them would change to better reading if the better were offered them?

9. If you have any decided views on children's reading in general, will you write them down on the other side of this sheet?

The replies to question 1 (a) are perhaps what might naturally have been expected, and yet it seems a little remarkable that there are among 101 average teachers of children between 6 and 11, or among the 73 who replied, only 1 who is of the opinion that it would not be well for pupils to read more books than they now read. The reasons for the affirmative replies, and a good idea of the character of the notes accompanying them, will be found in the following extracts:

The reading habit should be formed early.

Reading would add greatly to their limited vocabulary, and improve their language, written and oral.

Reading will make them more intelligent thinkers.

The pupil who does the most outside reading is a better reader than the one who does little or none; is more intelligent and a better talker.

I find all my good readers are those who read at home.

Those who are liberally supplied by their parents with good books as a rule express their thoughts correctly.

It is easier to influence a child's taste for good reading at the age of 8 or 9 than several years later.

Reading awakens their interest for other things.

Children who read good books are better prepared for their grade work.

I find that pupils who read most are those who most intelligently grasp nearly all subjects.

If outside reading did nothing but familiarize children with good conversational English it would be worth while.

The answers to the second question are probably very much affected by the experience of those who make the replies. Teachers who have never taught in the first grade would be commonly, I suppose, more skeptical about interesting children in reading while they are still in that grade than those who have had experience in primary work. It will be noted that the 71 replies to this question all say that it is possible to interest children in outside reading by the time they are in the third grade. This means by the time they are 10 years of age.

Question 3 (a) comes as a natural result of the opinions indicated in the replies to 1 and 2. If one can draw any conclusions from these answers it would seem that they indicate that not yet has sufficient attention been paid to the reading of the very young. We have been talking about the "juveniles" in our library work for years, and have meant, in general, books for children of the age for Oliver Optie and Harry Castlemon; we should have been putting in a good part of our time in the consideration of books for children of the age for Mother Goose and Puss in Boots and Jack the Giant Killer.

Question 3 (b) is also in effect a part of the reply to question 2. Forty-four out of 50 teachers are evidently of the opinion that children of 6 and 7 years of age cɔnld easily be persuaded to take an interest in books at home. In their replies to question 2, teachers make such remarks as the following:

"Every child would read at home if he had anything interesting to read." "You can interest children in outside reading just as soon as they are able to read at all."

"My pupils are second grade, and have surprised me by asking for stories."

In replying to question 3 some of them say:

"Surely, and to great advantage even in the first grade, and in this grade many more books are needed than we now have. The little ones are greedy for them." Another says that most of the children in her grade are from homes where parents have little or no leisure to procure books, but gladly make use of whatever is placed in their way for the children.

Another says: "I find that two-thirds of my children's reading is confined to Sunday-school papers."

The replies to question 4 must be considered as being the natural outcome of the movement of recent years toward nature study. In the schools of this district, in the last two or three years, very much attention has been paid to natural history. The most elaborate of the courses of study issued by the district last fall was devoted to the sciences of botany, geology, zoology, metallurgy, astronomy, etc. It would seem from these replies, in the first place, that it is evident that teachers can interest their children in any subjects they wish; and, in the second place, that the result of the work of recent years, in these particular schools at least, has been to interest children in plants, animals, and like familiar things. Of course, it is not yet proven that paying so much attention to natural history is a good thing from an educational point of view. The important point to note is that teachers can produce certain specific effects upon children-can direct their attention and their interests, if they wish.

In answering question 4 some of the teachers say:

Almost any subject if expressed in short sentences and illustrated.

Must be true to the child's experience, and expressed in the child's simple way. You can interest primary children in any tale on earth that you tell them, and in almost any that you read to them.

A child is interested in the life and actions of a normal child if naturally and pleasantly described; he is very fond of detail.

I find the boys mostly interested in historical works, while the girls are attracted toward accounts of the manners and customs of the various nations.

They like stories of modern life which come near enough to their own experience to be easily understood.

Question 5 is, of course, very much of a leap in the dark, and not much reliance can be placed "pon the replies.

It was understood in the drawing up of these questions that they would not be of any great value by reason of the replies to them that might be received. The object kept in view in preparing them, and in sending them out, was the interesting teachers in several aspects of the problem of children's reading. We wished to draw attention to the library and to books in general; and we took pains to frame the questions in such a way as to call the attention of the teachers to their own indifference, if they were indifferent, and their own ignorance, if they were ignorant, of the things the circular spoke of. Question 5 it was thought would raise certain questions, and, perhaps, for the first time in a good many of the teachers' minds. The replies to 5 would indicate that more of the teachers had given the question serious consideration than librarians generally have supposed. They say, for example, that first-grade children "can appreciate the difference between a good story and 'goody-goody' stories." And "any child of average intelligence can be made to see and understand the difference, if one will give time and attention to the effort."

The replies to question 6 are, on the whole, rather encouraging. If one-third of the children from 6 to 11 in the average city school are in the habit of reading, we have a great field for work, and there is enough to do to keep us all busy for many years in taking pains that the reading they do is of the proper kind.

In regard to question 7, the general opinion seems to be that the story paper and the "nickel library" do not come into a child's life until he is past the fourth grade, or is nearly 12 years of age. It would be interesting to know if this is a fact.