SECOND SESSION

[5]Not the same libraries as are represented two lines above.

[6]Maximum.

[7]For first year.

The second session of the section was held June 27th, at 2:30 p. m., in the ballroom. Miss MARTHA WILSON, supervisor of school libraries, state department of education, St. Paul, Minnesota, read a paper entitled

On the outermost fringe of library influence they wait—the country children.

To fulfill to them the mission of the library, to make books necessary and accessible, we must take account of the agency which touches the life of even the most remote group—the country school.

Relationships between libraries and schools have long afforded discussion and the librarian is rare who does not feel a sense of her share in the educational work of the town and her responsibility in making her library serve as an adjunct to the school, supplementing or supplanting its library resources.

The country school and its library has in the main been outside this friendly concern or ministration on the part of the town library and but little account taken of it as a part of the library resources or possibilities of a county or state.

The present revival of rural interest has quickened every phase of country life, social, economic and educational.

The country school has shared in the enlargement of interest and is undergoing many radical changes in its spirit, its teaching, its relationships to the neighborhood and the world outside.

While in former times the country child went to school only when not needed at home and received through the year an intermittent schooling, amounting in all to but few weeks a year, compulsory education laws in the majority of states have prolonged the period which he now actually spends in school, and subsidies in state aid for longer terms have lengthened the season through which the school is in operation.

The new emphasis on country life is a transforming effect on the country school, "the ragged beggar sunning" is being replaced by a modern building planned according to state regulations, with regard to comfort and convenience, seats and lighting are seriously considered and the individual drinking cup adds the last touch of modernity.

It is changing its teaching as carefully. The leaders in country school work are striving to give a standing to country service, to reshape it to new country conditions and connect its work very definitely with the neighborhood in which it is placed.

In Minnesota there are three types of rural schools. The first of these is the one-room, one-teacher school in an isolated community where every grade is represented and all subjects taught. The second type is the associated school where several districts have connected themselves with a town school, where the pupils of high school age are received on the same term as their town cousins, and the one-room schools continue the work with the lower grades in the country but under the supervision of the central school. The third is the consolidated school where a number of districts have combined andestablished in a town, village or open country a modern school for the grades and high school, transporting to it all the children within the radius of five miles.

In all of these schools, the old course of study is adapted to include health instruction, nature study or agriculture, some manual training, sewing and cooking. The high school training departments and the normal schools are making all haste to prepare teachers to fulfill the new requirements while the teachers already at work must bring themselves up to grade at the summer schools. The practical subjects make a strong appeal. A country teacher at the summer school was heard to remark that "the rope-tying lessons were awfully interesting and the course in agriculture was just grand."

As a help in the new order of things a strong school library is needed more than ever. Even in the smallest school there is indeed a collection of books known as the school library, the heritage of the years. These show no design in selection further than meeting the state aid requirement of the expenditure of a certain amount of money every year for library books. The trail of the book agent is over them all: witness the sets; Motley—"History of the United Netherlands," Grote—"History of Greece," Gibbon—"Rome," and such subscription books as "Lights and shadows of a missionary's life" and "The Johnstown flood."

The erstwhile teachers and their interests have left an impress; the correspondence courses which they pursued while teaching are reflected in such books as Hamerton—"Intellectual life"; "The literature of the age of Elizabeth"; and all the Epochs, and Eras and Periods in which they delved for credits; their faith bears witness in the "Life of Luther" found in every school library in one western county and their hopes in "How to be happy tho' married," common in another.

The average number of volumes in each school is impressive in reports, but inspection of the libraries too often shows that the majority of the books are entirely useless in connection with the school work and quite beyond the grasp and interest of the pupils who may be typified by little moon-faced Celestia who trudges two miles through the pine forest to the little log schoolhouse and to whom an illustrated book is a revelation of worlds unknown; Anna, eleven years old, who at the time of our visit was doing the work of the household and caring for her mother and the new baby brother before she came to school, for in this county the size of the state of Connecticut there are but five doctors and fewer nurses; Mary, aged 13, who keeps house for an older brother and his logging "crew" of four grown men; and little Irven, 7 years old, who reads so fast the words can hardly come and who is willing and eager to aver in round childish scribble that his favorite books are "Seven little sisters," Eskimo stories and Fairy stories and fables.

However hard to realize, the needs are simple to state; better books and direction in their use.

In many of the newer libraries there are many good and suitable books and the more progressive county superintendents are paying more attention to their libraries, making use of the suggestive lists furnished them and selecting all the books for the schools in their counties. One proudly reports the purchase in his county in the last year of 2144realchildren's books. The standardization of the state school list has helped in later years, and as they are obliged to buy from this list there is a pleasing lack of "Motor boys" and "Aeroplane girls."

Some few of the teachers have the notion of the purpose of the school library and are eager to extend its influence. One teacher, combining school work with homesteading, asked for help in getting illustrated books and pictures, explaining that he found it difficult to give images to the words in their texts as the children in his school had never seen a locomotive, a train of cars, a bridge, a tower, a brick or stone building, and the nearest approach to the palace of which they readin their stories was the two-story square frame building in the adjoining settlement. The teacher of Anna and Mary realizing that they would not be allowed to stay in school longer than the law required, having now had more schooling than their father or mother, was trying to give them some simple instruction in household work and was glad to know of "When Mother lets us cook" and the simple books of sewing; and the town girl teaching her first term in the country school tells of her experience in using books of drawing to tame the young "Jack-pine savage" who had been the bully of the school.

The country teacher, as a type, is hardly more than a child herself, born, or transplanted at an early age, into pioneer conditions of work and living with the energies and thought of the family concentrated on getting a start in life in the new land.

In these homes books have not been plentiful, in some the catalog of the mail order house is often the only printed matter in evidence, having apparently displaced the family Bible from its time-honored place on the center table.

In the early schooling and life of the country teacher only the textbooks have left an impress and when she is asked at a country teachers' meeting or in the beginning of her normal school course to name favorite children's books, she puts down the texts she studied in the country schools, the Baldwins, the Carpenters, the Wheelers and the rest.

The stage of poverty and extreme hardship is fast passing. With increased prosperity comes the opportunity for better things, usually desired by the children, not always by the parents.

The school inspector was urging a new schoolhouse. The farmer thought this one good enough. After dinner they went out to see the fine stock and seeing the splendid barns for the stock the inspector said: "You provide such good buildings for your stock you ought to be willing to do something for your children." The farmer still demurred and the inspector pressed the matter. "Do you care more for your stock than for your children?" The farmer became indignant and said: "I want you to know that stock is thoroughbred." If the parents have lost or never had the power to enjoy books, the school and the library must see to it that this asset is given the child in the country, who tomorrow must deal with the problems of the new country life more complex than his fathers have known; the farmer's wife to become emancipated must learn to use the books which will help her, and there must be foundations for the larger citizenship for in spite of all efforts to keep the boy on the farm he will continue to join the ranks of the financiers, the doctors, the judges, the governors and the like.

The newer idea of the use of books and reading in the country schools is taking hold if sometimes vaguely. "I tell them to read library books," she said when asked what use she made of the school library. "Oh no, I have never read any of them myself," and "Little women" and "Captains courageous" and many other live children's books stood in perfect condition on the shelf, though there were a number of children in the school old enough to enjoy them, and only such books had been used as the more adventurous spirits in the school had tasted, found good and passed on to their fellows.

Few children have books of their own—one-third—one-fourth—one in ten being the answer which comes from the teachers to this query. Generally speaking, they read the books in the school library or none at all unless there is a traveling library at hand.

Teachers' training departments in the high schools are doing much to help the country school. In the year's work the students get much of the spirit as well as methods of country school teaching for the training teacher is usually eager to give them all she has of enthusiasm and efficiency and reaches out for all help in her work.

In one teacher's outlines, familiar looking notes on book selection and lists ofchildren's books were discovered. She had patiently copied them from the summer school notes of the librarian in her home town and was using them with her students. In addition to her regular work she looks after the school library which is open to the public and also gives help to schools in the country in the arrangement of their school libraries. In most of these departments some work is attempted on the rural school library with required reading of children's books.

The town librarians find these classes an opportunity to extend their influence by talks in the schools and showing the resources and use of the library. Acquaintance and work with country teachers helped one librarian to put through a long-cherished, long-fought scheme of county extension. As the teachers understand more fully the help they can get from the library the more eagerly they consult the librarian about their work.

The inclusion of talks on children's books, reading and school libraries on the programs of the county teachers' and school officers' meetings, talks and exhibits at district and state educational gatherings and the University weeks have helped to give school libraries new importance in the estimation of the teachers.

The country school library to become useful must be reduced to a collection of books suited to the ages of the pupils as well as to the work in the school. As elsewhere, the best way to get the country child to read the best books is to have no other kind.

Recent library legislation makes it possible for any country or town school library in Minnesota to combine with a public library for service. They may turn over their books not needed in the school and what is more valuable to the library, the fund which they are annually required to spend for library books. In return the library must furnish the school with traveling libraries of books selected from the state school list, suited to the pupils in the school, and the school may also be a distributing point for books for the neighborhood, a real branch.

In some of the associated school districts the central library sends to the associated schools traveling libraries purchased by the district or borrowed from the library commission. In others, the country pupils act as a circulating medium for the central school library. In one town the school and town jointly maintain a good library with a competent librarian in the schoolhouse and it successfully serves the town, the pupils for their reference work and the country 'round about through the country boys and girls who come in every day to school.

The village or open country consolidated school presents yet another opportunity. These schools are the direct outgrowth of the new spirit of country life and are planned to minister to the social as well as the educational needs of the combined districts; and serve as a social center. The library is an important part of the equipment for this work.

State plans for these buildings include a good-sized assembly room, and a room for a library is required. The principal of the school must be shown how the library may help him in his work and he must be assisted in the selection of books not only for the school work but also for the boys' and girls' club, the potato and corn growing contests, the farmers' club, the women's club, the debating societies, literary evenings, and social gatherings which he plans to make features of his school.

Such are some of the possibilities. To make them realities, the teachers must be trained in an understanding of the purpose of a library and a knowledge of children's books, and every library agency in every county and state must be quickened toward the most remote of "all of the children of all of the people."

In the discussion by Mr. Kerr, Miss Burnite, Miss Brown, Miss Allin, Miss Zachert and Miss Hobart, which followed, the following points were made: That the time to accomplish the work in question iswhen the teachers are in the normal schools, that such work should be based upon the teachers' intensive knowledge of children's books, and that influence may be gained by approaching the superintendents and by using as advertising mediums the school papers to which the teachers subscribe.

Miss Power then gave the chair to Miss Mary E. Hall, librarian Girls' high school, Brooklyn, N. Y. Miss Hall introduced Miss MAUDE McCLELLAND, who told of her work in charge of the library in a high school in Passaic, N. J., pronounced by Miss Hall to be a model of its kind. Miss McClelland made a very happy comparison of the old time school boy and the school boy of today and discussed modern high school methods of helping children to meet actual problems in life.

Miss McClelland said in part:

In the preface to a volume of essays entitled "Literature and life," William Dean Howells defends the doctrine that the tree of knowledge, so familiar to all of us, is in reality but a branch of the tree of life. Literature, instead of having a separate existence of its own, is, as a matter of fact, but a part of life, and all that is necessary to make it a vital force in the lives of human beings is to establish its identity with life.

Now the emphasizing of this unity of literature and life has become the self-appointed task of the modern public library—a task which it is approaching from a number of different angles, such as work with children, work with clubs, work with foreigners, and work with schools. Something of what the library is doing along one of these lines—that of work with schools—may be learned by studying the methods in use in the high school branch of a public library.

Perhaps these methods may best be illustrated by contrasting the school days of two brothers, Adam and Theodore. Now Adam went to school in the good old days when there were no high school libraries, and indeed very few libraries of any kind. At 9 o'clock every morning the active interests of life ceased for him. He then entered the schoolhouse and began the study of a set of lessons, which far removed from real life in themselves, could not be made intensely vital even by the best of teachers, because there was no library in the building upon which the teachers could draw for books and other materials to illustrate the connection between the classics and real life.

The first subject upon his program was ancient history. This he learned with the aid of a textbook, condensed in form, and attenuated in spirit. To him the book was a collection of disagreeable facts to be learned by heart and then forgotten as quickly as possible after examinations were over.

Now, when Adam's brother Theodore entered the school, matters had changed. A branch of the public library had been installed, and the history teacher was no longer handicapped in her work. The members of Theodore's class had all been given special topics for investigation, so when the class in ancient history was called, one pupil drew upon the board the plan of a Greek house, which he had copied from Harper's classical dictionary, while another pupil, who had been to the library and interviewed Gulick's "Life of the ancient Greeks," described the furniture and cooking utensils of the Greeks, and told about the kind of things they had to eat. And Theodore began to realize that after all, those ancient Greeks were real people, just like other real people. So from that history lesson he carried away inspiration from the life of the past toward the living of his own life of the present and future.

The next lesson on the schedule for the day was English. Now, when Adam went to school, he had been rather fond of reading—but that there could be any connection between reading and the English work given him at school never entered his head for a moment. True, they did some reading in the English class, but it was reading in which he wasn't very much interested, though he supposed that in some vague way it probably did him a great deal of good. The real reading, which he did surreptitiously at home was of an entirely different kind. Far from imagining that he derived any benefit from it, he at times even feared that he was endangering his immortal soul. But he felt that the pleasure was worth it. The two kinds of reading, if tabulated, would be about as follows, the comparative amount done being in about the ratio of 16 to 1 in favor of the kind he liked—if he had luck in borrowing books from the boys:

School Reading

Home Reading

The school reading was unexceptionable as to literary character, but, at least for the growing boy of average intelligence, it seemed to lack attractiveness.

When Theodore entered the English class in high school, times had changed. The first thing the teacher did was to give him a list of books for home reading. At the top of the list was written, "These books may be borrowed either from the high school branch or from any other branch of the public library." On the list were such books as "Huckleberry Finn," "Tom Sawyer," "The jungle books," "Story of a bad boy," "The wonder book and tanglewood tales," "Treasure island" and "The man without a country."

Now, these books have literary character; they are attractive; furthermore, they were written by authors who at all times observe with proper respect and deference the laws of the English language.

So, once more, through the aid of the library, we find the connection between literature and the joy of life established.

In the old days, not much had been said about vocations, or working for a living. Indeed, the only ambition considered really worth while was that of going to college and becoming educated. To leave school before graduation was rather a disgrace, and if any boy was, like Lady Macbeth's guests, by force of circumstances, compelled to "go, and stay not upon the order of his going," his method of departure can best be described by the expression, "slinking out." But now, Theodore found the school ready and willing to help all those who had to leave school to go to work; and again, the connection between real life and school was established.

And if Theodore found that the library was not lacking in books that would help in the practical issues of life, neither did he find a dearth of the books that are needed for companionship—the books that we are inclined to group under the heading "Cultural reading." Oliver Wendell Holmes, in one of his essays, says, speaking of libraries, that he has the same easy feeling when among books that a stableboy has among horses. And it is perhaps along this line—that of inculcating a real love for books—that the greatest work of the high school library lies.

In an article on "Children's reading" in Harper's Weekly for May 31 there are some valuable suggestions for the librarian, not least among them that contained in the last paragraph, which I shall quote:

"An excellent suggestion is that in all public schools there should be, as well as the supervisor of drawing, and the supervisor of music, and the supervisor of manual training, a supervisor of the art of reading. For is not reading, after all, an art, and an uplifting, consoling and educative art?"

Mr. SAMUEL H. RANCK, librarian of the Grand Rapids public library, read a full and interesting paper on

In October, 1911, the Grand Rapids public library published in its monthly bulletin an outline of the Central high school course in vocational guidance, with a selected list of the library's books on this subject for teachers and pupils. Five thousand copies were printed, and no number of the bulletin we have ever published has received so much attention. Requests for it have come from all over the world, and a number of institutions have purchased as many as 50 copies. This bulletin is now out of print. In the near future, on the basis of our experience of the last few years, we expect to publish a revised edition of the vocational guidance list, which will include much new material purchased on this subject in the last two years.

Although this list has received so much attention outside of the city its greatest success has been in the city itself. It has brought to the library a great number of young people for the books for circulation and to the reference department for the preparation of all sorts of themes on vocational subjects as a part of their high school work in English. It is not an uncommon thing to find from 20 to 50 high school students at one time working on this subject in our reference department. Incidentally this work at the library has been a splendid training for the boys and girls in the use of the reference books, and regardless of any direct effect it might have on their choice of a career it is certain that the consideration of a number of subjects in connection with the possibility of their being followed as a vocation tends to broaden the life of any young person.

At first this work was regarded somewhat as a joke by some of the pupils but there has been less and less of this as time goes on. No work that the library has ever done in the way of making certain classes of books known to its readers has met with anything like the response as has this work of co-operation with the Central high school.

All through this work the thought of the library has been that it is a co-operating agent rather than an institution working independently, and it seems to me that in all work of this kind the teacher and the school through their intimate personal knowledge of the child are in a much better position to guide the boys and girls than is the library. The library's place is simply that of being fully alive and sympathetic with the whole situation, and in putting forth every effort to gather all available data and to supply the needs of those who can use printed material on this subject. It does not of course neglect opportunities for personal influence, but it seems to me that the library can not take the initiative in the same way nor on the same scale as does the school. Through the reading rooms the library has special opportunities to direct the "misfit" who comes to the library for a clue to a better occupation.

Along with the list in our bulletin of October, 1911, which by the way includes only things in the circulating department of the library, we published an outline of work in vocational guidance in the Central high school by Principal Davis. The following is his statement and the outline, as then in use, since modified somewhat on the basis of practical experience.

By Jesse B. Davis, Principal

"Vocational guidance aims to direct the thought and growth of the pupil throughout the high school course along the line of preparation for life's work. The plan is intended to give the pupil an opportunity to study the elements of character that give success in life, and by a careful self analysis to compare his own abilities and opportunities with successful men and women of the past. By broadening his vision of the world's work, and applying his own aptitudes and tastes to the field of endeavor that he may best be able to serve, it is attempted to stir the student's ambition and to give a purpose to all his future efforts. Having chosen even a tentative goal his progress has direction. In the later study of moral and social ethics he has a viewpoint that makes the result both practical and effective.

"In order to reach all the pupils in thehigh school this work is carried on through the department of English, which subject all pupils must take. Brief themes and discussions form the basis of the work. Pupils are directed in their reading along vocational and ethical lines and are advised by teachers who have made a special study of vocational guidance. The following outline is but suggestive of the types of themes and discussions to be used. Each teacher is given opportunity to use her own individuality in working out the details of the scheme.

First Year

1st Semester—Elements of success in life.1. Every day problems.(a) The school. (b) The home. (c) The athletic field. (d) The social group.2. Elements of character.(a) Purpose of life. (b) Habit. (c) Happiness. (d) Self-control. (e) Work. (f) Health.2nd Semester—Biography of successful men and women.1. Character sketches.2. Comparison of opportunities of ... with self.3. Comparison of qualities of ... with self.

1st Semester—Elements of success in life.

1. Every day problems.(a) The school. (b) The home. (c) The athletic field. (d) The social group.2. Elements of character.(a) Purpose of life. (b) Habit. (c) Happiness. (d) Self-control. (e) Work. (f) Health.

1. Every day problems.

(a) The school. (b) The home. (c) The athletic field. (d) The social group.

2. Elements of character.

(a) Purpose of life. (b) Habit. (c) Happiness. (d) Self-control. (e) Work. (f) Health.

2nd Semester—Biography of successful men and women.

1. Character sketches.2. Comparison of opportunities of ... with self.3. Comparison of qualities of ... with self.

1. Character sketches.

2. Comparison of opportunities of ... with self.

3. Comparison of qualities of ... with self.

Second Year

1st Semester—The world's work.1. Vocations: Professions, occupations.2. Vocations of men.3. Vocations of women.2nd Semester—Choosing a vocation.1. Making use of my ability.2. Making use of my opportunity.3. Why I should like to be....4. The law of service.

1st Semester—The world's work.

1. Vocations: Professions, occupations.2. Vocations of men.3. Vocations of women.

1. Vocations: Professions, occupations.

2. Vocations of men.

3. Vocations of women.

2nd Semester—Choosing a vocation.

1. Making use of my ability.2. Making use of my opportunity.3. Why I should like to be....4. The law of service.

1. Making use of my ability.

2. Making use of my opportunity.

3. Why I should like to be....

4. The law of service.

Third Year

1st Semester—Preparation for life's work.1. Should I go to college?2. How shall I prepare for my vocation?3. Vocational schools.4. How shall I get into business?2nd Semester—Business ethics.1. Business courtesy.2. Morals in modern business methods.3. Employer and employee.4. Integrity an asset in business.

1st Semester—Preparation for life's work.

1. Should I go to college?2. How shall I prepare for my vocation?3. Vocational schools.4. How shall I get into business?

1. Should I go to college?

2. How shall I prepare for my vocation?

3. Vocational schools.

4. How shall I get into business?

2nd Semester—Business ethics.

1. Business courtesy.2. Morals in modern business methods.3. Employer and employee.4. Integrity an asset in business.

1. Business courtesy.

2. Morals in modern business methods.

3. Employer and employee.

4. Integrity an asset in business.

Fourth Year

1st Semester—Social ethics: The individual and society—from the point of view of my vocation.1. Why should I be interested in(a) Public schools? (b) The slums? (c) Social settlements? (d) Public charities? (e) The church? (f) Social service?2. The Social relation of the business man.2nd Semester—Social ethics: The individual and the state—from the point of view of my vocation.1. The rights of the individual.2. Protection of the individual from the state.3. The obligations of citizenship.4. The rights of property.5. The responsibility of power."

1st Semester—Social ethics: The individual and society—from the point of view of my vocation.

1. Why should I be interested in(a) Public schools? (b) The slums? (c) Social settlements? (d) Public charities? (e) The church? (f) Social service?2. The Social relation of the business man.

1. Why should I be interested in

(a) Public schools? (b) The slums? (c) Social settlements? (d) Public charities? (e) The church? (f) Social service?

2. The Social relation of the business man.

2nd Semester—Social ethics: The individual and the state—from the point of view of my vocation.

1. The rights of the individual.2. Protection of the individual from the state.3. The obligations of citizenship.4. The rights of property.5. The responsibility of power."

1. The rights of the individual.

2. Protection of the individual from the state.

3. The obligations of citizenship.

4. The rights of property.

5. The responsibility of power."

The books in the bulletin were arranged in accordance with the foregoing outline, which takes the pupil through the whole four years of high school work. Principal Davis' statement of the aims and methods of vocational guidance as it is being carried on in Grand Rapids is sufficiently clear I think, and does not require any additional explanation. It should be clearly understood, however, that vocational guidance is altogether different from vocational education and from industrial education, subjects with which it is sometimes confused.

To meet the many demands which come to Mr. Davis for information regarding vocational guidance he is now at work on a book which will discuss the whole matter fully. This book will probably be ready in the fall. It will contain a revised list of our books on this subject.

At a recent meeting of the Board of Education this work was organized and systematized for the whole city, for all thepupils in the seventh grade and upwards, with Principal Davis as director of the work.

In the light of our experience we believe that the library, in addition to printing a list of books such as given in accordance with this outline, needs a supplementary list arranged according to vocations. On account of the growing interest in vocational education and industrial education there have been many useful books published within the last few years. When this work was first begun there was a dearth of suitable material on a good many subjects, and it was necessary for the library to depend largely on magazine articles, pamphlets, etc., in the reference department, the best of which we have indexed according to subject, along with our indexing of other material such as college catalogs, to show the institutions where courses are given on particular subjects, etc.

The following are a few of the subjects called for recently, as they were noted in the reference department: Nursing, Teaching, Drafting, Social settlement work, Dressmaking, Library work, Dentistry, Music, Mining engineering, Electrical engineering, Farming, Physical training, Agriculture, Education of defectives, Forestry, Playground work, Stenography, Art, Mechanics, Magazine illustrating, Domestic science, Landscape gardening, Designing dresses, Housekeeping, Social secretary work, Private secretary work, Decorative painting, Baseball managership, Surveying, Civil service, Kindergarten work, Scientific farming, Physical culture.

The purpose in all this work is to endeavor to aid boys and girls to find a work in life that will command their best energies, their intelligent interest, and is adapted to their capacities, thus avoiding so far as possible the bane of young people drifting into the first thing that comes along, whether they are fitted for it or not. This work puts before them the widest possible range of choice of vocation, enlarges their horizon, and then endeavors to ground them in those fundamental moral qualities which are the basis of every successful life.

By putting the right sort of books into their hands in this way the library has a tremendous opportunity for influencing their lives at the most formative period, and at the same time developing in them a more or less serious attitude toward life and its work. The study of the lives of successful men and women and the study of the work and requirements of different vocations can not help but impress upon boys and girls the importance of preparation and conscientious effort as prime requisites for success in any line of work.

We of the library in Grand Rapids are of the opinion that the library alone in such work could do very little. As already stated we believe that the initiative should come from the school. On the other hand, we are firmly convinced that the school alone without the co-operation of the library would be very seriously handicapped. In the first place the school would be required to duplicate unnecessarily a large number of the books which are in our public libraries, and this of course would be an economic waste. In the second place the school would be denying the children one of the best opportunities to come in contact with an institution which aids them in the continuation of their education all through life after they leave school. It is of immense value to the child to get training in the use of the library in connection with the thinking he is giving to his work in after life. A better introduction of the child to the value of books and a public library, the library itself could hardly ask.

But the library's greatest opportunity in vocational guidance is in the fact that all this work is really constructive manhood and womanhood, or if you please, constructive citizenship. And this is not only the greatest work the library can do, but the greatest work any institution can do.

This subject proved a timely one and aroused considerable discussion. Many questions were asked concerning the co-operation of the public library in Grand Rapids with this department of work in the high school. Mr. Ranck announced that Mr. Davis, principal of the Central high school, expects to bring out a book in the fall which shall include outlines and the list of books which has been in such great demand and which is now out of print.

The discussion seemed to show that "vocational guidance" is a legitimate field not adequately covered by libraries. Miss Power now took the chair.

Miss Burnite made a motion to adopt the following resolution:

Whereas, the members of the American Library Association who are engaged in work with children feel the great bond of affection for all those who have rendered that service to child life which the achievement of efficient library service for children signifies;And whereas, the Dayton public library has suffered the destruction of its children's department and thereby the children of the city are without the influence of good books at the time they need them most;Be it resolved: that we express to the Board of Trustees, the librarian, Miss Clatworthy, the head of the children's department, Miss Ely, our deep sympathy and the hope that their work may be rehabilitated upon a greater plane of service.Be it resolved also, that these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of this meeting and the secretary be empowered to forward them to the library officials mentioned with the request that the resolutions be forwarded to the Women's Clubs of the city and especially to the Mothers' Clubs as an expression of sympathy for them also, in the loss of the department of the library which has furthered their own efforts in bettering child life.

And whereas, the Dayton public library has suffered the destruction of its children's department and thereby the children of the city are without the influence of good books at the time they need them most;

Be it resolved: that we express to the Board of Trustees, the librarian, Miss Clatworthy, the head of the children's department, Miss Ely, our deep sympathy and the hope that their work may be rehabilitated upon a greater plane of service.

Be it resolved also, that these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of this meeting and the secretary be empowered to forward them to the library officials mentioned with the request that the resolutions be forwarded to the Women's Clubs of the city and especially to the Mothers' Clubs as an expression of sympathy for them also, in the loss of the department of the library which has furthered their own efforts in bettering child life.

The motion was carried and the session adjourned.

At the business meetings of the section held June 25th at 2:30 p. m. and after the session, Friday, June 27th, the chairman appointed three new members of the advisory board, as follows: For one year, Mr. Henry E. Legler, and, for three years, Miss Linda Eastman and Miss Lutie E. Stearns. Miss Annie C. Moore, Miss Clara W. Hunt and Miss Caroline Burnite were appointed members of the nominating committee and upon their recommendation the following officers for the ensuing year were unanimously elected: Miss Agnes Cowing, chairman; Miss Mary Ely, vice chairman; Miss Ethel Underhill, secretary. Miss Adah Whitcomb and Miss Faith Smith were appointed by the chair to investigate the subject of simplified headings in several different libraries, to confer with the Catalog Section and A. L. A. Publishing Board, and to report to the Section.

The main session of the College and Reference Section was held on Tuesday afternoon, June 24th, at the Hotel Kaaterskill. Mr. Andrew Keogh, reference librarian of Yale University, presided; Miss Amy L. Reed, librarian of Vassar College, acted as secretary.

The chairman asked for a motion to fill the vacancy on the committee of arrangements which would be caused by his own retirement. It was voted that the Chair appoint a nominating committee; Mr. L. L. Dickerson, librarian of Grinnell College, and Miss Laura Gibbs, cataloger of Brown University, were asked to serve as such a committee.

The session then proceeded to the program for the day, which was the work of Miss Sarah B. Askew, New Jersey public library commission, and of Mr. N. L. Goodrich, librarian of Dartmouth College. In order to secure pointed discussion Mr. Goodrich had caused brief summaries of the papers to be printed and distributed to members of the section two weeks before the meeting.

Miss LUCY M. SALMON, professor of history at Vassar College, read the first paper, entitled

Students who enter college are in an altogether hopeless state, if we are to believe the lamentations poured out in educational reviews and in library journals. In familiar phrase, "they have left undone those things which they ought to have done, and they have done those things which they ought not to have done, and there is no health in them." But it is not given either a college librarian or a college instructor to remain long hopeless, either for himself or for others,—the very nature of his calling demands that somebody do something. Discouragement over ignorant and untrained freshmen dissolves into the bewildering questions of who is to do what, and when, and where, and how. And so the college year begins.

It is undoubtedly true that a very large majority of college freshmen are not familiar with a large library such as they meet in college, that they have never used a card catalog, and that they would not even recognize it if they saw one.

But is it reasonable to expect such knowledge? The majority come from small places where such opportunities are not found, the work of the secondary schools does not demand extensive use of a library, and the mental immaturity of pupils of the secondary school age does not augur well either for an understanding of the intricacies of the card catalog, or for any special interest in the cataloging of books, or in general library history and administration. If the entering student had a knowledge of these things, one reason for going to college would be lacking,—he goes to college to learn what he cannot reasonably be expected to know before that time.

Cheerfully accepting then this condition of ignorance of all library procedure on the part of the rank and file of college freshmen everywhere, and unanimously agreeing that the college student must in some way learn how to use a library, diversity of opinion is found in regard to these two questions:—Is this instruction given better as an independent course to the entering students, or is it better to give it in connection with regular college work? Should the instruction be given by members of the library staff, or by college instructors?

The very fact that this question has been broached is helpful, since it is significant of the great changes that are coming both in library administration and in educational theory and practice. It suggests the increasing specialization in library work, the growing co-operation between the library force and those engaged in the more technical side of education, newer and, we believe, higher ideals of the object and therefore of the process of education, and the reflection of these changes in the development in the student body of independence, self-reliance, and the desire to do creative work.

Assuming therefore that we are all interested in securing for the college student fullness of knowledge at the earliest hour possible, I venture personally to differ somewhat from the report of the majority of the committee of the New England college librarians and to say that from the angle of the college instructor, it seems clear to me that the knowledge is better acquired in connection with regular college courses and that it can best be given by college instructors. It is with most of us a favorite occupation to see how many birds we can bring down with one stone, and this desire is in a sense gratified if we can incorporate knowledge of how to use a library with the subject matter included in a particular course,—it seems a saving of time for student, instructor and librarian. Everything is clear gain that can be picked up by the way.

But quite apart from this general desire to telescope several subjects, there are specific advantages gained by the student when the instruction is given by the instructor of a regular college class. The knowledge acquired falls naturally into its place in connection with definite, concrete work. Abstract theory has little place in the mental equipment of the freshman, he seeks out relationships, adds new knowledge to what he already has, and quite reasonably is impatient, even intolerant in spirit when new ideas and facts are presented to him that he cannot immediately assimilate. To use a homely illustration, an article of food, like butter, that is essential for our physical diet serves its purpose much better when distributed through other articles of food than if taken independently and by itself. All new ideas in regard to library organization, cataloging, bibliography, searching for material, the handling of books, if gained through the usual channels of college work, are quickly and easily assimilated by the college student. If, however, these same ideas are presented to him unrelated to other work they are in danger of remaining unassimilated and of becoming a hindrance rather than a help.

On the other hand, the advantages in having the instruction given by a regular college instructor are that he deals with small sections of students, not with "numbers which are appallingly large;" that he knows the individual student; that he is able to relate the bibliographical work with the individual student on the one hand, and on the other hand with the special subject with which the student is working.

Personally, I can but feel that the assumption made by the committee of the New England college librarians, by the librarian of the Newark public library, by the dean of the collegiate department of the University of Illinois, and by others in the library field that college instructors are not interested in this matter and would oppose instruction in it is not really warranted by the condition that exists.

May I venture to describe somewhat in detail what is done in one college in showing students how to use books, how to become acquainted with the opportunities of a large library, and how to avail themselves of these opportunities in a direct personal way. In giving this account of what is done in Vassar College, may I emphasize the statement that the work done is by no means peculiar to one college,—other institutions all over the country are doing much that in principle is precisely the same, although the details may vary.

The first aid in knowledge of the library building, of its equipment, and of how to use its collections is given the Vassar College student literally during her first hours on the college campus. She is met by a member of the senior or the junior class and taken about the campus, and it is the duty of these student guides to give every entering student a copy of theStudents' Handbook. In this she is urged to "become acquainted with the library as soon as possible." "The reference librarian," theHandbooktells her, "expects every new student to come to the reference desk to be shown about the arrangement of the library and the use of the catalog and to receive a copy of the library Handbook."

The guides point out the library and they are instructed to urge the new students to seek out the reference librarian at once and to make the library trip immediately. The new student goes to the residence hall where she is to live and she finds on the bulletin board in this hall an invitation to take the library trip. The records kept by the reference librarian show that a very large percentage of the entering students almost immediately avail themselves of this invitation extended by guides and reiterated byHandbookand by bulletin boards.

When the new student first enters the library she is given a plan of the building showing the arrangement of the different sections and a handbook explaining in full the library privileges. Armed with this, she is met by the reference librarian and then joining a group of three others she is taken through the library where she makes connections between the plan in her hand, the books on the shelves, "the inanimate reference librarian—the card catalog—" and the animate reference librarian in whom she finds a guide, counselor and friend.

This library trip can be, and is intended to be only general in character. The student gains from it first of all the consciousness of having found in the reference librarian a friend to whom she can always go for help and advice; second, her interest is aroused to become better acquainted with the card catalog and with the general facilities for work afforded by the library; and third she gains a determination to follow the injunction of theStudents' Handbook, "do your part to make the library an ideal place in which to work."

It is at this stage, after this general instruction given by the reference librarian, that the majority of the entering students meet the officers of the department of history. We give them collectively during the first week, usually the second day, an illustrated lecture on the library. This includes slides showing the catalog cards of a few of the books they will use most in their history work, the cards of the most important reference works, periodicals, and atlases, slides showing the difference between a "see" card and a "see also" card, slides that explain incomplete series, continuation cards, and every variation that concerns their immediate work. Every slide concerns a work on history that is to be used almost immediately, and the form used in cataloging, the notation and the annotation, the hieroglyphics of the printed card, and the bibliographical features of the card are fully explained from the screen.

The students then meet their individual instructors, each one having previously provided herself with a pamphlet called"Suggestions for the Year's Study, History I."This pamphlet, besides giving detailed instructions for the preparation of the work, includes a plan of the library; suggestions in regard to its history, as also the description and the meaning of its exterior and interior; a facsimile and explanation of the catalog card of the text book used in the course; hints concerning the general card catalog; an analysis of the general form and different parts of a book; special directions for preparing the bibliographical slips or cards that must accompany every topic presented, together with an illustration of a model card; a full classification, with illustrations under each, of all the works of references the class will presumably use, including general works of reference, dictionaries, encyclopaedias, periodicals, year books, atlases, autobiographical material, including the various forms ofWho's Who?together with biographical, ecclesiastical and various miscellaneous dictionaries and encyclopaedias; an elaborate chart devised to show the authoritativeness as history of the text book used in the course, accompanied by a full explanation of it; suggestions in regard to the purchase of histories for a personal library; and finally, a recommendation to make use of another pamphlet calledSuggestive Lists for Reading in History. The main points in the pamphletSuggestions for the Year's Studyare talked over between instructor and students, and constant reference is made to it throughout the year.

The next step in the history work is to assign each student one or more questions written on a slip and drawn by lot. These questions are intended to test her assimilation of the bibliographical help already given, and her ability to apply to a concrete case what she has gained. As soon and as often as possible the students in the different sections of this class in history go to the library with the instructor for such additional and special help as they may need.

From time to time the students in History I prepare special topics on limited questions. A bibliography must always preface these topics and if it is in any way at fault, either as regards form or material, it must be presented a second time or as many times as is necessary to correct the defects.

This course in History I is required of every student in college. Those students who elect other courses based on this become acquainted with still other features of the library and acquire added facility in bibliographical work. Every student, for example, who elects the course inAmerican history has a pamphlet calledSuggestions for the Year's Study, History A, AA. This pamphlet includes a chart that shows the location in the library of all the sections of American history, each accompanied by the Dewey notation for each section, and also the notation for the sections in political science, law and government, American literature, English literature, and English history. It also considers at length the place in the course of the textbook, secondary works, collections of sources, almanacs, works on government, guides to literature, state histories, biographies, travels, and illustrative material. For the latter the students are again referred toSuggestive Lists for Reading in History.

Another section of the pamphlet considers specific classes of books which the student uses. It calls attention to the various kinds of bibliographies, as complete, selected, classified, and annotated; to library catalogs arranged on the dictionary, author, subject, and title plan, as also to trade catalogs; to documents classified by form and by contents; to official publications, and the publications of historical societies; to every form of personal record; to descriptions by travelers; and to general and special histories. It also takes up periodicals; manuscripts; special facsimiles, like the B. F. Stevens; geographical material; monumental records; inscriptions, and pictorial material.

Elaborate directions are given for preparing exhaustive bibliographies of the material in the college library on special subjects and suggestions for expanding these in the future as other opportunities for further library work are presented. In addition, tin trays of cards are provided in the American history sections. These are bibliographical cards that supplement but do not duplicate the catalog cards of the general library catalog.

During the year about twenty special topics are prepared by this class, each prefaced by a bibliography of the subject. At the end of the year, one special bibliographical topic is presented. This represents what each student can do in the time given to three classroom hours.

At the end of the first semester of this course the examination given is not a test of what the students have remembered but rather a test of what they are able to do under definite conditions. The class is sent to the library, each member of it usually receives by lot an individual question, and she then shows what facility she has gained in the use of books by answering the question with full range of the library.

Other pamphlets ofSuggestionshave occasionally been prepared for the most advanced courses. At the end of the senior year the students in my own courses are frequently given an examination that calls for the freest use of the library in the planning of history outlines for club work, in arranging for a public library selected lists of histories suitable for "all sorts and conditions of men," and similar tests that show how far they are able to apply present bibliographical knowledge to probable future experiences.

All this instruction and opportunity for practice in bibliography is not left to "the chance instruction of enthusiastic instructors" or to "the insistence of department heads" to quote Mr. Kendric C. Babcock.[8]It is definitely planned, it is systematically carried out, there is definite progression from year to year in the kind of bibliographical work required, and it is directly related to the specific and individual work of every student. From time to time conferences are held by the members of the library staff and the instructors in history and these conferences enable each department to supplement and complement the work of the other and thus avoid repetition and duplication.

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