登陆注册
15365500000026

第26章 A CHAPTER IN CHILDREN'S LIBRARIES(2)

Then followed the task of selecting a librarian,and the obvious choice was Mr.Dexter,a hatter by trade and already in charge of the West Cambridge Social Library.This was a subscription library,founded in 1807,and consisting mainly of volumes of sermons and "serious reading."The question of the librarian's salary was the next care,for the state law authorizing towns to appropriate tax money for libraries was yet ten years in the future.At town meeting,in 1837,however,one of the trustees called attention to the clause in Dr.Learned's will which provided that others,beside children,might use the library by paying a sum for membership and an annual assessment."Why should not the town pay the tax,and thus make it free to all the inhabitants?"he asked.And this was done.The town at once appropriated thirty dollars for the library,and the right to take books was extended to all the families in town.From this time the institution has been a free town library,the earliest of its class in Massachusetts.

The little collection of books for the West Cambridge Juvenile Library traveled to its first home on a wheelbarrow."Uncle"Dexter would make hats during the week,and on Saturday afternoons open the library for the children.Three books were the limit for a family,and they could be retained for thirty days.That the books were actually read by the children is vouched for by those who remember the library from its beginning.

Even free access to the shelves was permitted for a while.But we come to a period,later,when the by-laws declare,"No person except the librarian shall remove a book from the shelves."One would like to know just what those books were for which one-half of that precious bequest was first spent.The earliest extant catalog of the juvenile library is dated 1855,though there exists an earlier list (1835)of the Social Library.

Tradition has handed down the names of two books said to be in the first collection,but one of these is certainly of later date.The first is still in existence,a copy of the "History of Corsica,"by James Boswell.One who as a boy read this book,years ago,in the West Cambridge Juvenile Library,recalled it with delight when he visited Corsica years afterward.

The other title,mentioned as belonging to the first library,is "The history of a London doll."But this delightful child's story,by Richard Hengist Home,was not published until 1846.

Some of the Waverley novels are also remembered as being among the earliest purchases.Of course,we realize that books which "will best promote useful knowledge and the Christian virtues"in school children are not necessarily children's books.So we may be tolerably sure that Rollins'and Robertson's histories,as well as Goldsmith and Irving,would have appeared in the catalog had there been one.

The juvenile library remained a year in its first home,the frame house still standing near the railroad which runs through Arlington.There have been five library homes since then,including the meeting house,where the collection of books was nearly doubled by the addition of the district school libraries and a part of the Social Library.

In 1867the town changed its name to Arlington,discarding the Indian name of Menotomy,by which it was known before its incorporation as West Cambridge.The library then became known as the Arlington Juvenile Library,and,in 1872,its name was formally changed to Arlington Public Library.With the gift of a memorial building,in 1892,the present name,the Robbins Library,was adopted by the town.

It is characteristic of our modern carelessness of what the past has given us,that we have lost sight of this first children's library.Not Brookline in 1890,not New York in 1888,but Arlington in 1835marks the beginning of public library work with children.Here is one public library,with a history stretching back over seventy-five years,which need not apologize for any expenditure in its work with children.Its very being is rooted in one man's thought for the children of the primary schools.Dr.

Learned could think of no better way of repaying the kindnesses done to a boy than by putting books into the hands of other boys and girls.A children's librarian may well be grateful for the memory of this far-seeing friend of children,who held the belief that books may be more than amusement,and that the civic virtues can be nourished by and in a "juvenile library."

同类推荐
  • 孔子诗论

    孔子诗论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 小琉球漫志

    小琉球漫志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 狄公案

    狄公案

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 金匮方歌括

    金匮方歌括

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 上清高上金元羽章玉清隐书经

    上清高上金元羽章玉清隐书经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 总裁霸爱:契约情人

    总裁霸爱:契约情人

    17岁的梦瑶前往酒吧兼职,可为什么?偏偏在最后一天遇上了一只“醉猫”?这只醉猫不但要将她吃干抹净,而且还要在第二天大闹到她的学校,说要还她某样东西?额,可是为什么到了最后,他不但什么都没还,反而还送了她一身的“红印”?这也算了,可某人却偏偏好像对她上了瘾了一样!“总裁大人,这里人来人往的,不太好吧?”她无数次像只可怜地小白羊般地哀求着。“你不就是喜欢露天吗?”“啊?其实,其实我今天不行啦!”“没关系,我更喜欢浴火奋战。”“什么!”她不可置信地眨眨眼,可还未等她思考完这一切究竟是怎么回事的时候。她的双唇便被紧紧吻住了!可当她渐渐为他的痴情所深深沦陷的时候。却被告知,她,只不过是一个替身情人?
  • 我想考第二

    我想考第二

    小说的优美就在于在一个小故事里给人震撼或者启迪,从小故事里让人领悟出大道理。《我想考第二》中的小说篇幅虽短,但却夹杂着处于青春期的青少年对生活的困惑,成长的烦恼,以及与家长和老师之间的各种冲突和情感,非常贴近中学生的现实生活。
  • 抓妖奇异录

    抓妖奇异录

    普通少女意外掉入妖穴,邂逅了自称是除妖师的神秘男子,后来渐渐的发现自己的体质一天天产生变化,与除妖师也是一段剪不断理还乱的感情。随着不断深入调查,少女渐渐发现不对劲,所有的事情连在一起到底是巧合,还是有人刻意安排?还有那个神秘的除妖师的真是身份到底是什么?
  • 废材逆天:狂妄大小姐

    废材逆天:狂妄大小姐

    是一部关于玄幻系列的小说,也是穿越文,希望大家可以支持一下。
  • 那些一起探寻鬼大叔的日子

    那些一起探寻鬼大叔的日子

    厕所、鬼,这是孩子世界里最敏感也是最真实的故事,在这些故事里,他们有些胆怯,但又很勇敢;有时会逃避,又充满期待;面对困难,他们分析它、解决它。可一旦解决了,他们又感到了无奈与遗憾:因为成长也意味着分离。你的经历也一样,所以你懂的。
  • 至尊逃妃:特种兵皇妃

    至尊逃妃:特种兵皇妃

    她是36军团有史以来最年轻的特种兵少将,大仇得报的同时,也赔上了自己的性命。再世为人的她,成为了寄宿在木家的遗孤。他在见到她的一瞬间就认出她来,没有新娘被代替的愤怒,那天,他告诉她:一生一世一双人。这辈子,他只认定她一人。而然世事总是反复无常,当他为了手中的权势而要娶另外一位女子的时候,她到底该何去何从?当她冰冷的尸体呈现在他面前的时候,他也终于是陷入到无边的疯狂和绝望之中……一直到,四年后,一个与他酷似的小家伙出现在他的面前。
  • 恶魔出没校草别闹了

    恶魔出没校草别闹了

    “喂,喂,喂,不想死的话放手”“啊?”“笨,我在开车”一个白眼飞来“哼,等着,初吻的事下车后再跟你算账”欧阳雨纤别过脸,不知不觉中睡着了。看着靠在车窗上睡着的欧阳雨纤,长长的睫毛垂下,粉嘟嘟的小嘴似乎梦到了什么吃的,时不时吧咋几下,“傻丫头”说着,他轻轻的捏了一欧阳雨纤精致的小脸……
  • 花千骨后续之如若重来一次

    花千骨后续之如若重来一次

    师父,你说过,不会再让我受苦,但,若重来一次,你,会爱我吗?
  • 繁华落尽后的一世孤独

    繁华落尽后的一世孤独

    一个准新娘,被公司派到韩国学习,在韩国遇到舍命相救的男人,三个月后回国婚礼上,她不得不抛下新郎去照顾那个为自己舍命的男人,相识三个月和青梅竹马十七年,一个为她舍命,一个爱她至深,她如何选择,最终注定了一世的孤独。