Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 3.

[p. 91] cultivate in the children a taste for good reading, patriotism, love of truth and beauty. The choice should be not of books written down to children, but the purity of their English should be one of the first considerations. There are so many works that are considered classic and interest all ages to which the attention of children should be drawn. ‘Children derive,’ wrote Sir Walter Scott, ‘impulses of a powerful and important kind from hearing things that they cannot entirely comprehend.’ The hearty cooperation of the teachers, and especially of Mr. Morss, the Superintendent of Schools, makes our work in this direction much easier and very much more effective. The plan has been to send a selection of twelve books to every schoolroom in the city, these books to be used by the children in the school, or to be taken home by them at the discretion of the teacher; thus, by making the fifty-nine school-rooms so many branch libraries, every part of the city is represented in our patrons; at the end of six weeks these books are replaced by another set. By this choice selection not only is the reading of the young people improved, but they learn to have a higher ideal in their own choice; thus preparing themselves to become better citizens and able to take their part in the future welfare of the community.

What shall be the future of our library? Let us hope that the citizens of Medford will recognize it as an equally important educational factor with the public schools, and tax themselves as liberally, as cheerfully, and as constantly for its support and improvement. For it is with a town or city as with the individual: it is on the verge of decay when it has reached that state of self-satisfaction where it sees nothing to improve in itself.