(_See_ p. 54.)
MELVIL DEWEY: I want to say a word about that New York list of pictures.
When we printed that bulletin a great chorus of criticism arose from
among the newspapers, and we smiled; we said it was characteristic of
newspapers to discuss a thing without knowing at all what they were
talking about. But I did not suppose that same characteristic would
appear in this Association. Our bulletin states very distinctly what it
is for, and it makes its own case absolutely infallible. We had to meet
the problem in the state of New York, of circulating pictures bought
with the taxpayers' money, to be put on the walls of the school
houses--Jewish schools, Roman Catholic schools and schools of many
denominations. Under those peculiar conditions it was a question whether
we could carry the movement at all, and we selected about 50 people,
whose judgment was most reliable, and asked them, out of several hundred
pictures, to select 100 that would be open to no objection of any kind.
There was no effort whatever to select the hundred _best_ pictures. They
simply made a list that would pass the legislature. It included pictures
that people ridiculed sadly; and yet we had on file letters from
prominent people in the state to the effect that they would protest
against certain well-known pictures, and we thought it wiser not to
raise issues over minor details. Our bulletin is simply a list of
pictures that have been passed by representatives of various religious
and ethical interests. You may think it most absurd that certain
pictures, perhaps the most famous, should have been voted out of such a
list, but if you were to go through the schools of the state of New York
or any other state you would find that there are conscientious mothers
and fathers, who have had no opportunity for art training, who would get
down on their knees and pray that some of these pictures might not be
put on the walls of the school room. If you do not know that, you are
not familiar with the sentiment in the rural districts. There was a
specific purpose in our action; we heard all of these criticisms, and we
did the thing that seemed right and best under the circumstances. There
are about a hundred of us on the state library staff, but we do not yet,
as a body, venture to feel as omniscient as some single individuals
regard themselves. I strongly believe that it is not a bad thing to take
the opinion of experts. We are perfectly willing to show respect to the
specialist in his own field, and I think it is mighty unwise advice to
give young librarians, when they are told not to ask the opinion of a
good specialist, whose verdict commands the confidence of the public.
Adjourned at 12.05 p.m.
_FOURTH SESSION._
(LIBRARY HALL, MADISON, WIS., MONDAY AFTERNOON, JULY 8.)
President CARR called the meeting to order at 2.25 p.m., and in a few
words expressed the appreciation of the Association for the delightful
arrangements that had made "Madison day" so interesting and enjoyable.