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.