BOOKS FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1110, 25 April 1911, Page 6

BOOKS FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN.

AMERICAN METHOD ADVOCATED. In his annual report to the householders Mr. W. T. Grundy,- headmaster of the Clyde Quay School, had the follow*' ing paragraph:— ,

I have recently interviewed Mr. Baillie, of the City Council's library, with reference to a plan to utilise the books of the children's branch, of the library. Mr. flaillio informs me that tho committee. of tho library is very anxious to bring those books within the reach of the children of' the public schools,- and I would suggest that a sub-committee of the School Committee be empowered to interview and mako such arrangements with the Library Committee as may be deemed necessary. The teaching staff of the school will very cheerfully do whatever is necessary in taking care of the

books lent,

On being invited to speak on the su!>. jeet at last evening's mteting, Mr. Grundy said a paragraph in the paper had drawn his attention to the matter, and on looking up authorities he had found that in Amsrica the libraries sent out boxes of books to tJic schools, carefully graduated in character according to the standards. It seemed to hi'Ji that here was a good field. He reuiombered when they instituted a library and had 700 or SOO books, but they had fallen on evil times, and had not' been able to purchase new books. He called on Mr. Baillie at the Free. Public Library, and \yas shown a really, admirable selection of books for children. He at once suggested that the librarian should experiment with tbo American idea on tho Clyde Quay School. Mr. Eail'ic was delighted. ■ In America, the books were sent round iu specially-made boxes; the teacher was hold responsible for .tho books, and called for their return at the end of tho week. When the box wns exhausted it ',vas repacked and sent back, and. another was sent in its place, so thai there was n coustant stream of new literature of the very best kind. On that point he would like to say how much the "School Journal" was appreciated. The faces of the boys and girl? lit up with unmistakable pleasure when, he took tho copies into the rooms every month. It was new reading matter! "I don't think wo have enough new reading matter," continued. Mr. Grundy. "Wo want as many books as possible of the right sort—that's tho point—of tha right sort. We want tho children to read with avidity—that is the way to create :i taste for good literature."