COUNTRY SCHOOLS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 27, 13 November 1935, Page 4

COUNTRY SCHOOLS

A TRAVELLING LIBRARY;

SCHEME MEETING SUPPORT. The travelling library for the rural schools of Canterbury, which came , into being last September has made great progress in the two months of its existence. Over 1200 books have been either collected or purchased, and have been covered, labelled; and sent out by rail or ’bus to 35 schools, once a month. The tutor-librarian is endeavouring to visit each school- once a term to talk about books and authors.

The scheme, which is sponsorbd by tho Association of Teachers of English of Canterbury is supported as follows :

(a) By pupils’ subscriptions varying from (id to 2s (id per annum. (b) By donations from school committees and other local bodies.

(c) By subscriptions from private people. The aims of the library are: Firstly, to give to country children the same opportunities for wide and varied reading as town children who have easy access to juvenile libraries; secondly, to release any surplus school funds for the building-up of a good reference library within each school.

So far the venture has met with great success, and many helpful suggestions have been received from teachers and others interested.

It was originally intended to buy a library van or book mobile, so that the tutor-librarian could travel with the hooks, giving talks at each school as opportunity offered. Owing to tho slender financial resources of tnc li- . brary, however, something more modest, has had to be substituted. Only Standards-V. and VI. and Secondary Departments (if any) of country schools with a roll number of 25 or over are at present eligible to join, hut it is hoped that as the scheme grows the lower standards will be included. With sufficient funds approximately 5000 country pupils could be supplied with books. Mrs L. E. Rowlatt, whom the committee has been fortunate enough to secure as tutor-librarian, has a very wide and deep knowledge of children’s books. Those who are interest-, ed in this branch of children’s education will have the. opportunity of hearing her from Station 3YA at the following times: —

Monday, November IS, at 11 a.m., “Children and Their Reading.” Friday, November 22, at 7.35 p.m., “The Aims and Objects of the Travelling Library.” Friday, December 6, at 7.35 p.m., “The Child’s Reading and His Emotions.”

The library committee will be most grateful for gifts of money or books (not necessarily new, but in good condition), which may be sent to— Professor F. Sinclaire (president), Mr H. Winstone Rhodes, Mrs L. E. Rowlatt (tutor-librarian), Miss Phyllis Hollow (trustee), at Canterbury College, Christchurch.