The former is an organization of young women, mostly school-teachers of this city, who endeavor to con.bine intellectual improvement with social enjoyment. They meet on the second and fourth Thursdays of every month, and discuss important subierts. This Club has taken under its auspices the extension courses of the College of St. Angela, which is conducted by the Ursuline Nuns and chartered by the State Regents. Any one who passes the examinations of the Club will not only be eligible for State teachers' licenses, but may be admitted to examinations for city licenses, including substitute teachers' licences No. 1; teachers' licenses for promotion; teacher of the graduating class; special branch teacher; assistant to principal; principal and teachers in evening or vacation schools. The course to be conducted by the Club will be practically an extersion course of the educational department of St. Angela's College. It will be under the direction of the Kev. William B. Martin, of the Cathedral, the director of the Club. The courses began on October 16. The lectures will be week, from 4 to 5 P. M. given at the Cathedral College three days every All applicants for admission to the courses should apply at the Cathedral College, Madison Avenue and Fifty-first Street, between the hours of 4 and 6 P. M. The faculty selected up to date is as follows: Educational Psychology.-The Rev. Francis Duffy, D.D., Professor of Psychology, St. Joseph's Seminary, Dunwoodie, Yonkers. Logic and Ethics.-The Rev. William B. Martin, S.T.L., St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York. History and Principles of Education.-James M. Kieran, LL.D., Professor of Education, Normal College, New York. Physiological Psychology.-James J. Walsh, M.D., Fordham University. Methods of Teaching.--Louise E. Tucker, A. M., Professor of Education, St. Angela's College. English Literature.-Joseph Vincen: Crowne, A. M., Ph.D., Instructor in English at the College of the City of New York. Courses in German, French, and school management will also be given. The institution is designed chiefly for Catholic teachers, but women of other creeds will be welcome. PUBLIC LIBRARY, SEATTLE. EDITOR CATHOLIC WORLD: Some months ago, in reading your valuable and authoritative magazine, my attention was arrested by an article in the department of the Columbian Reading Union explaining the valuable work which that body has done and Connected as I am with one of is doing in disseminating Catholic literature. the large and growing libraries of the country, the Seattle Public Library, the article had for me a special interest. After reciting various works that had been accomplished by the Union, it continued with the following statement: "Our attention has been called to the defects of the American Library Association Catalogue of eight thousand volumes, prepared by the New York State Library and the Library of Congress, which is put forth as the standard for all public libraries. It contains no work on Catholic philosophy; under the heading of Catholic Church it has three titles; no mention whatever of any book by John Boyle O'Reilly and other Catholic writers. The only justification that can be advanced for this exclusion is that public funds may not be used to purchase sectarian literature. . . . The eminent writers, of what may be regarded as standard literature for American readers, should not be boycotted on account of their race or creed, as that is plainly against the Constitution of the United States. From this point of view alone it can easily be proved that many books intended for the general reading public have been placed on the prohibited list without sufficient cause, and with very inadequate knowledge of their worth, simply because the writers were known as Catholics. Here is the opportunity for Reading Circles to make known the claims of Catholic authors, and to use all legitimate means to secure for them equal justice." This, it seems to me, is a very severe arraignment of the Board that prepared the A. L. A. Catalogue, and, if true, convicts them of ignorance of the value of many of the world's greatest literary productions; if true, it convicts them of prejudice, which is always associated with ignorance; if true, it convicts them of being narrow minded, a condition entirely incompatible with thorough education and broad, liberal culture; if true, it seems to convict them of violating the Constitution; if true, these persons are unworthy to hold any public position. But before convicting them, it is prudent to examine into the facts to see if the charges are sustained. Fortunately the A. L. A. Catalogue is found in nearly every community, and so there need be no difficulty in substantiating the charges of the Columbian Reading Union if they be true. I wish to state here and now that I am not using your valuable space for the purpose of defending the A. L. A. Catalogue or its compilers. The Catalogue must stand upon its merits or be condemned by its demerits, and its authors do not need, nor do they desire any defense or apology for their work. In the preface to the work they admit that the Catalogue is imperfect, and all they ask is that the work be estimated at its true worth. But to the charges. Charge No. I. "It contains no work on Catholic philosophy." This charge is proven to be untrue by the fact that on page 283 the Catalogue lists Maher's Psychology, which is admittedly a work on Catholic philosophy. I only mention the one work as that is sufficient to brand the charge as false. Charge No. II. "Under the heading of Catholic Church it has three titles." On page 72 we find under heading of "Roman Catholic Church": 1. Catholic Dictionary. W. E. Addis and Thomas Arnold. 2. Pope Leo's Encyclical Letters. 3. John Ireland, Church and Modern Society. 4. Thomas O'Gorman, History of the Catholic Church in the United States. There are other titles under the same head, but this is enough to show that the charge is not supported by the text in the Catalogue.. Charge No. III. "No mention of John Boyle O'Reilly and other Catholic writers." This is partially true, in that no mention is made of John Boyle O'Reilly; but when it adds and other Catholic writers," that of course is subject to more than one construction. If the critic had said "Certain other Catholic writers," it would be correct. But as stated by the critic it may, I believe, be fairly considered to be at variance with the facts, as I shall preve further on. Then, on this basis of untruths, our critic draws the wise conclusion that the compilers of the Catalogue proceeded on the assumption that public funds may not be used to purchase sectarian literature. But, since I have shown that the Catalogue contains sectarian works, even that wise (?) conclusion is seen to be without a fact to support it. If more proof were needed, every public library in the United States is a refutation of the statement. Further. "The eminent writers, of what may be regarded as standard literature for American readers, should not be boycotted on account of their race or creed, as that is plainly against the Constitution of the United States." Taking that statement alone, I believe that every good citizen will agree with the sentiments expr sed; but taking with what follows, viz., "Many books have been plac cause their authors were know writers have been boycotted b difficult to show that these stat as the others to which I have r I shall now give a partial authors listed in the A. L. A. C, the prohibited list . . . simply bebe Catholics," it must mean that Catholic .se of their creed or race. It will not be ents have as little truth to commend them ed. of Catholic works and works by Catholic alogue, so the reader may judge for himself as to the truth of the charges of our Columbian Reading Union critic: Father Hecker's Life. Thomas Aloysius Hughes. John Ireland (Archbishop), J. L. Spalding (Bishop), 3 . John La Farge, 3 Vols. Charles Lever, 7 Vols. Church and Modern Society. John Lingard, History of Eng and. Samuel Lover, 2 Vols. St Ignatius Loyola. Autobiography. Edited by J. F. X. O'Connor. Michael Maher, Psychology. Cardinal Newman, 6 Vols. Thomas O'Gorman, History Roman Catholic Church in the United States. Bernard O'Reilly, Life of Leo XIII. Michael V. O'Shea. Philip Henry Sheridan, Personal Memoirs. Alzog, Universal Church History, 3 Vols. Brother Azarias. Jean Baptiste Corot. Corregio. Dante. Ozanam. Henry Didon. Introduction by Cardinal Gibbons. Rev. Bernard O'Reilly. Charles Gavan Duffy. F. P. Dunne ("Dooley"). Rev. F. J. Finn, That Football Game. Abbé Constant Fouard. F. A. Gasquet, The Eve of the Reformation. J. Cardinal Gibbons, 2 Vols. Anthony Guggenberger, General History of the Christian Era (For Catholic Colleges and Reading Circles). Charles Warren Stoddard, 2 Vols. John Augustine Zahm, 2 Vols. A Round Table of the Representative American Catholic Novelists. A Round Table of the Representative French Catholic Novelists. A Round Table of the Representative German Catholic Novelists. A Round Table of the Representative Irish and English Catholic Novelists. Francis Marion Crawford, 18 Vols. The above is a partial and very imperfect list, which I note as I hurriedly turn the pages of the Catalogue, and it is possible that some of these may not be Catholic, but they are judged from memory. There are a great many Catholic authors listed in the A. L. A. Catalogue that I have not mentioned, as I regard the above list as sufficient to demonstrate to the mind of any one, except the critic of the Columbian Reading Union, that his contentions have no foundation in fact. itted no one will deny. That ess worthy ones have found a matter of judgment. But the at with such a list as I have library, the compilers of that 1 Catholic writers, nor of hav That many Catholic authors have bee more worthy ones have been omitted, whi place, may also be true. That, however, is main truth, which I wish to emphasize, is named, included in an eight thousand vol list cannot fairly be accused of having boyco ing unwittingly or by design omitted the leadi, Catholic works from their list. I regard it as most unfortunate that such a review or criticism should have found a place in your valuable magane and have misled the thousands of your readers who have a right to exp thoritative. It gives a false idea to them, selves. the statements therein to be au d does no one harm except our I have admired the work of the Colu bian Reading Union very much, and know that the value of their work cannot be overestimated-and, if I may be permitted to make a suggestion, there is another line in which they may be of service in disseminating proper literature, and that is by working in harmony with the librarians of the public libraries everywhere. The librarian conceives it his highest duty to induce and enable people to read; to place in the hands of the largest possible number in his community the books which the individuals desire; to assist any 'ndividual in developing any chosen line of thought by placing at 's service all that has been written on that subject. He conceives it to be his duty to reach every individual in his community, and to that end he must supply each with that which is desired. To that end he will supply books for the blind, books for the foreigner, the Frenchman, the Italian, the German; books for every one who will read. He regards his work as an educational one, equal in importance with that of the schools and universities, and vastly more far-reaching in its results—since it reaches not only the products of these institutions, but also that vastly greater number who cannot or will not avail themselves of the advantages of these institutions. Now, this being true, will any sane person believe that that same librarian will intentionally ignore and neglect the literary tastes and desires of from ten to forty per cent of his community when that percentage is Catholic? The truth is, that the work of the librarian unconsciously makes him broad and liberal in his views, and I have known even Catholics who, by working in libraries, have lost a large share of their narrowness and prejudice. Now, if the Columbian Reading Union will attempt to work in harmony and sympathy with the librarians, they will find willing and eager helpers. The Reading Union will find that the librarians will place in every public library in the land every book that will be read. The difficulty, however, which has confronted me in my endeavor to place in our library the standard Catholic works, is the lamentable fact-and it seems to be a fact that our people do not read, and when they do, it is not Catholic works. It seems to me that the Catholic press is in a measure derelict in one of its duties to our people. A vigorous review of each new work, with a quotation from the same, long enough to stimulate and arouse interest in it, together with the statement that the work may be found in the public library and therefore read without cost, would, I believe, have the effect of bringing to the notice of the Catholic reader the books that he should read. And if the work be not in the library, rest assured it will be placed therein if repeated calls are made for it. In many places, however, the Catholic portion of the population have not accustomed then selves to the use of the public library. They apparently assume that the public library is a non-Catholic institution-an assumption which is not in keeping with the facts. Where a public library is found without the ordinary Catholic works, it will be found on investigation that we are to blame because no one interested himself sufficiently to request that they be purchased. We must not expec: non-Catholics to place many Catholic works in libraries. That is our own business, and we should not find fault with others for not attending to it. If the Columbian Reading Uuion and other influential Catholics will work in sympathy and harmony with the librarians in their respective communities they will find less prejudice than they believed existed-and the greater portion of the existing prejudice will be found in the minds of Catholics themselves. They will learn, too, that the librarians are more eager than they to have Catholics come to the lib ary and use it, and will do anything in their power to induce them to com, and will place therein any book for which there is shown to be a demand. J. H. LYONS. Lumber Exchange, Seattle, Septe noer 19, 1995. |