xt7xwd3pwc2b_15 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7xwd3pwc2b/data/mets.xml https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7xwd3pwc2b/data/46m29.dao.xml unknown 0.3 Cubic Feet 1 box, 1 item archival material 46m29 English University of Kentucky The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Works Progress Administration Fayette County Library Project records African Americans -- Kentucky Bookmobiles. Libraries and community -- Kentucky -- Fayette County. Libraries -- Kentucky -- Fayette County Libraries -- Kentucky. Library extension. Public libraries -- Kentucky Berea College Extension Library report text Berea College Extension Library report 2020 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7xwd3pwc2b/data/46m29/Box_1/Folder_15/Multipage113.pdf undated section false xt7xwd3pwc2b_15 xt7xwd3pwc2b Berea College Extension Library

 

Bares College Extension Library conducts a wide range of activities.
To its pleasant reading room come many teachers from rural schools and
many country folk both adult and children. Here they may happily browse
and choose at will from the well chosen selection of books, or if in
need of advice it is given in such a friendly way by the librarian as to
warm their hearts. Life-brightening is not alone book-loaning in tuis
library.

Regular trips are made each month to schools in Rockcastle and Jack—
son counties. A few schools not accessible by the boochar have books
left for them at convenient places on the route.

Community libraries are placed in neighborhoods within a radius of
15 miles of Berea. Stores, homes, churches gladly assist in the dis-
tribution of these books to the community folk, old and young. Other
community libraries are placed in more distant centers by enterprising
students returning home for summer vacation.

Traveling libraries, numbering seventy-five and containing over
2800 volumes, go out to remote mountain schools. Often these libraries
furnish the only reading material in a neighborhood with the possible
exception of the county paper or an occasional cheap magazine. Seat
work packages and rollections of pictures, posters, clippings, and
stereoscopes and views are also circulated to the schools.

ihrough these various channels of distribution Berea College
Extension Library circulated in 1938-59, 11,684 books.

"One of the teachers set aside one corner of her dark, dingy
school room as 'the library'. Hero, on a home-made table, painted by
the children, were arranged our books and papers. Over it was hung
a picture, and as long as any flowers were to be had, a bouquet added its
touch of brightness. As a reward for lessons learned on time, a child
was permitted to go to the library to read: Who can say how much this
enthusiastic young woman may be doing for her boys and girls in a neigh-
borhood where moonshine is made up every creek, and where there have
been brawls and even a killing almost within a stone's throw of the
schoolhouse.“

"It has been very gratifying to see the improvement in reading from
year to year-~both in the number of readers and in the quality of books
read. When the work was begun three years ago, many of the children in
the upper grades were either reading the simplest stories, suited to
second or third grade, or were not caring to read at all. Of course there
are a few who do not now nor ever will, I suppose, enjoy reading; but
the majority of them are reading books well up to their grade and report-
ing on them."

"we have had eleven Home Reading Circles in use this winter. Three
of these have been placed in new communities ... The books in these lib-
raries are not only for children but for adults as well, and are chosen
with as broad a view as can be done from our limited number of books.

I do appreciate more and more the part those people play, who not only
care for these libraries, but also encourage the use of them. Some of
these are busy mothers with large families of little children; others are

 

 store keepers or posbnistresses—-all of them with work of their own, but
willing to give time, as well as space, in their crowded quarters to their
neighbors and friends who come to borrow. One lady prouldy told me that
one hundred thirty—nine books had been read from her circle, besides those
her husband had read, and he had read all but the children's books. Surely
such women are doing their part in community welfare."

" "I euSpect if our libraries could Speak we should hear some interesting
adventures. For instance, they are not always appreciated. Occasionally
they fall into the hands of thieves who have broken into the school house.
One teacher lost thirteen books in this way. Some teachers find it necessary
to keep the library at the boarding place and take only a few books to
school each day. The mode of reaching their destination is often interest-
ing, too, for this varies from mail train to river boat and from private

car to mule back. One teacher from ...County wrote to ask if she may

keep here a little longer 'until the roads get better, as the mail carrier
has to go on a mule about twelve niles'. A wooden case containing forty—
five books would be quite an addition to the usual daily mail!"

“Our new plan of asking for monthly reports from the teachers worked
very well with the more progressive teachers. The ... school, taught by
... was the most outstanding in both the amount and quality of reading
done, as well as oral and written reports made. In the four upper grades,
averaging 15 1/2 pupils, and average of 27 books per pupil was read and
reports made. This is a small school to be sure, and the teacher was able
to give much personal attention to the pupils. This same school last
year was almost broken up because of a neighborhood feud. Eothing of that
sort was noticed this year. Instead, there seemed to me always a per-
vasive atmosphere of happy busy-mess in the room. It was a clean room,
too, for this same young women made use of the personal cleanliness charts,
such as are issued, one for each pupil, free of charge to teachers, by
one of the large soap companies. It would be a happy day for the general
health of all rural school children if their teachers would use the same
scheme. Incidentally it would help to maintain the good appearance and
lengthen the life of many of our library books used by them."

"An extract from a letter received from one of our borrowers ...
pictures quite vividly that a conscientious teacher back in the hills
can and often does do. After finishing her regular term of seven months,
she asked the parents to aIIOW'her to teach an extna month in her home
school - I doubt if any pay was received. 'For the past two months I
have been constantly with children. Teaching them during the day, walk—
ing to and from school with them, mornings and evenings, and sitting up
singing, telling stories and reading until about eight o‘clock. Yesterday
I began to realize that I was tired. Oh yes, I piled up with them at
night, too. When a teacher begins to visit families, they can't leave
any out. Some children are not very good bed buddies, I have learned.

'Again, 1 want to say that the library has surely been useful.
Thank you many times for letting me use it this nontb.‘ (I had extended
the time on it for this extra month of teaching.) ‘ ... who is in the
fourth grade read twenty-three books.‘ ”

This teacher organized a reading club in each of her schools and
set aside a certain time each day for reading library books. I am sure
there must be other teachers who have used their libraries just as intel-
ligently and conscientiously as this one."