When man first discovered that his hands would respond to the command
of his brain and that he could use a club to defend himself from his
enemy, and that he could through combined mental and physical effort,
react upon his environment, the gateway on the road to continuous
progress was opened to mankind.
The potential power of man cannot be measured. The Creator, in so far
as we are able to judge, has fixed no limits to man's progress. The
only limitations are his lack of knowledge and his lack of power to
discern the true relations of the forces which surround him.
Mankind is a social organism, not a collection of separate and
independent parts. Where any part is neglected and fails to develop
so as to discharge efficiently its function, the whole organization
suffers. Therefore society is not only deeply interested in education
during childhood and adolescence, but it is concerned in the education
of man throughout his whole life. The public is as much concerned
in the education of the man of forty years of age as it is in the
education of the boy of five years. One of the chief functions of the
state is to secure justice, equity and equality of opportunity. Dr.
Lester F. Ward says, "There can be no equality, no justice, not to
speak of equity, so long as society is composed of members, equally
endowed by nature, a few of whom only possess the social heritage of
truth and ideas resulting from laborious investigation and profound
meditations of all past ages, while the mass are shut out from all the
light that human achievement has shed upon the world."
What shall be done that this "light of human achievement" shall
penetrate the cloud of ignorance and cause the lamp of wisdom to burn
in every home? Your reply doubtless will be, "The formal training of
the schools." Yes; that is a step in the right direction, but all
will agree that the training of the schools is only and can be only
a beginning, a learning how to acquire and assimilate knowledge and
develop power. There must be other institutions and agencies which
shall carry forward the work of education, if we are to have that
continuous and universal development which is possible and desirable.
The library is peculiarly suited for this work and its power and future
influence are not fully appreciated even by those engaged in library
work. It is not necessary to say to this audience that the public
library is an essential part of a complete educational system and that
there should be harmony within the system.
The training in the schools should be such as shall make a beginning
at least in the preparation for social life and social service, in
the broad sense. The students should be shown that the library is a
social mirror, a record of the social activities of mankind. If for
any cause students leave school, they should be in such close relation
to the library and be so familiar with library methods that they will
be encouraged to continue studying; thus we shall find the book in
the hand of the worker, the ideal condition, assisting him in solving
his problems and opening to him visions of life of which he had never
dreamed.
The school authorities should never overlook the fact that the average
time which the individual student attends school is short; but be it
short or long, pupils should be trained in the use of the library, and
taught how to find in books answers to their questions. Questions which
shall require students to go to the library should be regularly given
them. In the higher grades and in the high schools emphasis should be
placed on library work. Students should not only be required to read
certain specified books, as supplementary reading, but there should be
regular assignments of topics for investigation, which will require
them to use the library and other sources of information, thus training
them in research methods and developing their power of original
investigation. By this method their school work will become a living
motive-force in their lives.
The colleges and universities offer a great number of courses. So
many subjects are open for study that the most that can be done
during the college years is to select a few and concentrate effort
upon those selected and leave the great field of knowledge for future
exploration and conquest. Therefore, if a student leaves college
with high ideals and an ambition to explore still further the field
of knowledge and develop his individuality, his immediate need is
a good library. Therein is the crystallized wisdom of ages held in
"magic preservation." Here he may find freedom for the development of
his individuality and be able to increase his power to react on his
environment, enabling him to find profit, pleasure and culture in the
various activities of life.
But has he learned how to use the library? Let us take the testimony
of Dr. Harper, former president of the University of Chicago. "It is
pitiable," he said, "to find that many graduates of our very best
colleges are unable, after taking up the more advanced work of the
divinity school or other graduate courses, to make use of books.
They find nothing; they do not know how to proceed in order to find
anything. No more important, no more useful training can be given men
in college than that which relates to the use of books. Why do so many
men give up reading when they leave college? Because in college they
have never learned the use of books."
This is the testimony of a man of wide experience. A college librarian
should be a person of strong personality and broad culture, and
the example of some of the universities and colleges of making the
librarian a member of the faculty should be followed by all colleges.
The most important work for schools and colleges is to arouse in the
students the spirit of research, train them in research methods, and
develop their powers of independent investigation. Impress upon them
the fact that education cannot be received but must be acquired, and
that the acquisition of knowledge is a process co-extensive with life.
President Hibben of Princeton says, "It is the nature of education that
it does not result in a complete and finished product, but rather a
progressive process. There is nothing final about it. Its achievements
always mark new beginnings. Education must always be defined in terms
of life, of growth, of progress."
It will be readily seen that those who complete the regular courses
of the schools, colleges and universities need the library. It is
well known that the majority do not take advantage fully of the
opportunities offered by the schools, but for various reasons they
drop out all along the line. For these we need the library. We have
a large immigration of adults from foreign lands. These people come
here to make homes and to take part in our government. Self-government
requires knowledge and understanding. Great questions are constantly
arising which demand intelligent action. Ignorance, whether it be the
ignorance of the rich or of the poor, is a menace. One of our grave
social problems is the ignorance and indifference of the ostentatious
rich. Rich in material things, but poor in the things which make life
rich. They have not learned that every man owes a debt to society that
can be paid only in service. Complex our social organization is and
it is becoming more complex each year. Grave questions are before us
for solution. The people in general have no adequate conception of the
possibilities of the library, when properly organized, as an effective
force for dealing with these conditions; and it is doubtful if the most
optimistic librarians appreciate what may be, and will be done in the
future with this great instrument of education. A community without a
public library lacks an essential of a well organized community.
Let us have in the library men and women of broad culture who have
had special training in psychology and sociology, who are sincerely
and sympathetically devoted to humanity. Let this great educational
institution be directed by people of commanding power, trained for
public service, who have entered the profession as a life work,
salaries to correspond, with qualifications required and services
rendered. We say services rendered because all service must be rendered
before it can be measured. The library will thus become the center of
intellectual activities of the community, a continuation school, a
local university.
Society is under obligation to furnish every means possible for the
development of human capacity. There is in the world latent talent and
capacity beyond measure. For the development of this latent talent,
society is in a measure responsible. If opportunity is offered,
capacity will develop.
Great forces surround us pressing for admission to our lives,
telephones, electric light, printing, anæsthesia, antiseptics,
synthetic chemistry, wireless telegraphy, etc. These things have always
been possible but the cloud of ignorance obscured man's vision, and
kept him from realizing his power.
The degree to which a community discharges its obligation can be
measured by the opportunities it offers for the development of the
members of that community. To offer better opportunities for those who
wish to continue their studies and to bring together those of like
tastes and desires, let there be opened seminar rooms in the library
building, or in other buildings which shall be under the control of the
library authorities. To these seminar rooms bring students, from every
walk of life, to study under competent direction and to investigate
subjects in which they are interested either from a material or
cultural point of view. Only a small percentage of those who complete
the high school course go to college. There should be provided graduate
courses for the high school graduates, and other students of like
qualifications in these seminar rooms, directed by the library staff.
The school teachers and library staff can meet in these seminar rooms
and discuss questions of common interest; and also pursue advanced
studies. These rooms should be the centers for university extension
work.
People can be brought together here for study and discussion of
questions of citizenship, government, civic betterment, and all
questions pertaining to social adjustment. Study groups can be formed
for regular and systematic study under the direction of competent
teachers. People of all ages can be brought together for study, which
is impossible under our present system of education. In these groups
the mature man and woman of high ideals will exert a powerful influence
upon the young. Through this system regular and systematic reading
under competent direction can be encouraged. Teachers and parents can
meet in these seminar rooms and discuss school questions.
Continuation schools should be maintained. Bring the people from their
vocations to these continuation schools; out of these schools organize
classes for special work in the library seminar rooms; thus may be
secured the union of instruction and practical application which make
for increased efficiency, cultivates the whole man, and brightens his
life.
John Stuart Mill said, "The business of life is an essential part of
the practical education of a people without which book and school and
instruction, though most necessary and salutary, does not suffice
to qualify them for conduct and for adaptation of means to ends.
Instruction is only one of the desiderata of mental improvement.
Another indispensable, is vigorous exercise of active energies."
It matters not how highly we value the formal training of the colleges
we must never overlook the fact that a very large majority do not
have the full benefit of such training. We must therefore deal with
conditions as they exist. When we call to mind the names and careers
of such men as Shakespeare, Benjamin Franklin, Hugh Miller, Herbert
Spencer, Richard Baxter, Abraham Lincoln, Michael Faraday, Sir Humphrey
Davey, Horace Greeley, Sir William Herschel, we come to realize that
many of the brightest stars in the world's constellation have been cut
and polished by forces other than the formal training of the schools.
Wide is the field and great is the opportunity.
The question may be raised, "How shall we secure the money for this
great work?" We are expending in the United States more than two-thirds
of our national income for wars past and for military purposes,
educating men to destroy. Let this fact come to the knowledge of our
people and a demand will be made to cut down the appropriations for
educating men to destroy and increase the appropriations for educating
men to construct.
A hundred years of peaceful intercourse between two great nations,
Canada and the United States, with over three thousand miles of
boundary without a gunboat or a soldier, is the best answer to the
militarist who would spent the money for instruments of destruction
that should be used for instruments of construction.
How shall we bring to the knowledge of the people information relating
to this great work? There are more than twenty millions of students
in the schools of Canada and the United States. These students touch
directly or indirectly every home. With libraries at various local
centers correlated with the schools, we have what may be called the
nervous system of education of these great nations. Through this system
the people may be reached more uniformly and regularly than in any
other way. Here is a great body of people seeking information coming
into direct contact with the homes.
Therefore we put the schools in the first place as a means of publicity
for the sake of information. Let us bring the library and the schools
into closer relation. Render service to mankind wherever mankind is.
The best publicity is secured through services rendered. The patronage
of the lawyer and physician depends largely on the quality of service
rendered. The business man secures custom when he establishes a
reputation for fair dealing. May not the library expect good measure
of publicity from the reputation it has for real accomplishment? Study
the problem, do things that are worth while. Bring the whole power of
the organization to bear on the subject of social adjustment. This will
lead to various fields of activity. Produce results which shall compel
attention. Do things that will be considered news. Having done, having
produced, do not hesitate to make known. Give your reports what the
newspaper man calls the "news turn."
Every librarian should have training in psychology and sociology
and should continue to study. Study man individually, in groups, in
communities and mankind as a whole.
The PRESIDENT: The next in order will be the secretary's report.