The Marlin Democrat
Fifteenth Year Number 10
Marlin, Texas, Thursday, May 5, 1904
REFERENCE BOOKS
AND OTHERS.
Only a small per cent of the people who read stop to look up the meaning of
words, the pronunciation, references to mythology or literature, etc.
The habit of doing this is formed in childhood, or not
at all. How can children form such habits unless they have within their reach
books which give them the information they seek?
Several months ago the public school bought its first
set of reference books - the Century dictionary. It was placed in the hall
upstairs where the high school pupils have easy access to it. They are permitted
to consult this work at any time during the day when not in recitation.
When the dictionary was bought remarks were made by
many of the townspeople to the effect that money spent on a ten volume
dictionary was a mere waste; children would not take the trouble to consult such
a work; a little pocket dictionary would do just as well.
The school children think differently. Now not an hour
passes but that from four to ten pupils may be seen bending over these volumes,
looking up pronunciations, meanings. etc. They take great delight in this, and
the habit of investigation and research is growing.
But the Century does not supply of the needs of the
public school. Other books of reference are necessary. Reference works on
history and literature, and especially an encyclopedia are desirable. The
departments of science, literature, history and Latin would be far more
interesting; the work done far more satisfactory to the patrons as well as to
teachers and pupils, if such worlds of reference could be had.
The library offered by the merchants of the town would
be helpful to the public school, and the books would be consulted more here than
at any other place where they might be kept.
The school needs them and asks that its friends enter
the contest in behalf of the school library.
HIGH SCHOOL.
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Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart and her volunteers for
printing by The Democrat, Marlin, Falls Co., Texas.