BEADING FOR CHILDREN

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12608, 19 November 1926, Page 6

BEADING FOR CHILDREN

CULTIVATING LITERARY TASTE “MOST VALUABLE OF LIBRARY WORK” DEVELOPMENT OF SCHEME IN Wellington *— •* In the average child a taste for literature has to be cultivated, and it is in interesting stories, incidentally of educational value, that he may be induced to develop a usually latent liking for “browsing along the pleasaht paths of literature.” Therefore, the thodern school curriculum is not merely designed for the purpose of equipping the chili) to be a “community tog”—it has an infinitely wider objective: to produce an appreciation of the beet authors, and thereby the eliminatjon of the “penny dreadful” and similar trashy literature. A “Times” representative learned yesterday that much has been accomplished in Wellington \ln this direction, and. under a scheme introduced Soriie years ago by the chief librarian (Mr fl. Brtilliej, thirty-five schools in the city. suburbs nnd surrounding district—as far rtfield aS Waikaijae—have bpen equnpped with libraries, containing unwnrds qf nine-pundred volumes; The ,arheme embraces not onlv primary schools; but secondary institutions as well, nnd within the vicinity of ]2.000 books are in constant circulation. This reading materia) is returnable to the Newtown library, which operates the system, and periodically portion of it is.rejected or rc-boutld. as the case warfanS. 1 for redistribution; additiofifil volumes being added from time to titter That the children appreciate the ejicOllebt service with which they are Provided —it is recognised as being the hist it) Australasia —and disnlfiy aridity far 'knowledge per medium of healthy literature of ’ the approved type, is exemplified bv the fact that in 1026 the IssUes of hooks In the Schools aggregated 152.000. The records for the present rear are not vet complete, hut indications point, to the fact that the capacity of the libraries has been more severely taxed than ever. 1 , TO CATER FQR ALL An effort’ is made to cater for all requirements, from the lad of the mechanical turn of mind to the most temperamental and studious type of child, and it is estimated that three-fifths of the literature consists of appealing stories. Magazine sections contain advice to amateur photographers, to those interested in history and people Of the world, to radio enthusiasts, and .to the young athlete. In addition to this, provision is made in respect to the classics, and Dickens and the like have been delightfully abridged. What was characterised as stale when the writer poured over Martin. Chuzalewit has bepn excised and the pith only remains. And the pith of Dickens is pith indeed, and no child may find it uninteresting, exoept perhaps, the one with a kink for things mechanical. “Our main object is to enpourage the reading habit,” pointed out the informant, "and to provide something of interest to every reader ... I believe it is the most valuable work that our library do® B . f° r > while one cannot hope to alter the adult mind ho can guide the’plastic mipd in the. right direction.”