Quincy High School - Goldenrod Yearbook (Quincy, MA)

Page 31 text:

THE GOLDEN-ROD 29 library to be developed there. The regu- lar program in the new building made it possible to resume the co-operative les- sons with the Thomas Crane Library, lessons which had, through the unavoid- able complex program of some years, been grudgingly but necessarily discon- tinued. By way of comparison it is interest- ing to note that from a four-year high school with a library circulation of 7,778 books in 1920, we are now a three-year school with almost five thousand books, and a circulation in 1926-7 of 16,064. On March 6, 1928, the circulation was 227 and is recorded as the largest circu- lation of the present school year. S. F. D. WE GO A-L1BRARYING William McCombs, J.’28 The affairs in Miss Dawes’ C7 divi- sion were in a very sad state. The day had started pleasantly enough; everyone had done his homework; the weather was bright and cheery; everyone seemed hap- py, even Howard Deacon wore a smile. Then out of a clear sky came the ques- tion, “How many can use the library intelligently?” Out of that senior class of thirty-odd pupils only two or three could answer in the affirmative. The shock was hard felt by Miss Dawes; her smile faded, causing her face to take on a grave aspect. That very day she and Miss Coulman met and decided what measures would be advisable to take to adjust this delin- quency. This plan was not long in ob- livion, however, for the very next day after our class had been duly opened, Miss Dawes announced that on the fol- lowing day we would meet in the school library. The next day dawned “bright and fair,” but still this serious delinquency hovered over us like a black cloud. At the appointed hour we were all at the library with pens, pencils, and notebooks. Miss Coulman, realizing how sadly our education had been neglected, wasted no time for minor details. First we had the Dewey Decimal System dictated to us; then it was explained how each book is lettered and numbered according to au- thor, subject, and title. A light began to show through that black. We were be- ginning to see what that maze of num- bers meant when the bell warned us of the end of the period. That black cloud did not look so threatening on the second day of our pilgrimage. After we had each been assigned a special problem in some phase of the Dewey System, we found, much to our surprise, that even among all those books we could pick out any book we wished by this wonderful system. There were still many important factors lacking in our knowledge of the use of a library at that time, but after a third and a fourth day of explanation, plan- making, and examinations, it was decided by our genial instructor that if we ever should visit the public library we would not be a disgrace to our institution of learning. But she was taking no chances. The Tuesday following our Thanks- giving vacation our class was transferred to the Thomas Crane Public Library. There, for reasons unknown, we were divided into two groups, one headed by Mr. Hill, and other by Miss Coulman. Due to the fact that my name began with the letter M instead of A, I found my- self starting on my tour with Miss Coul- man’s group We started on the balcony in the alcove where we met with all the books numbered from 000-800, which in- cluded Religion, Science, Drama, Fine Arts, and many other classes. After our aerial explorations we descended to the first floor where we encountered books dealing with the lives of men from Adam to Coolidge. Opposite these stacks were an equal number of books classed as fic- tion. We did not linger long among these books, but left the alcove and en- tered the main portion of the library. Here we just met books of travel and

Page 30 text:

28 THE GOLDEN-ROD that one should learn one book from cover to cover, but that one should read widely, getting the viewpoints of several authors and then forming one’s own opin- ion. That is why the library is so im- portant as a laboratory or workshop. The pupils get library slips to come into the library for study periods because they have definite work to do assigned by some teacher, in English, history, French, science, geography, or music apprecia- tion. They know that the library is the place to gather the material, and they do so. There is another important phase of the work of the high school library. It is the task of the librarian to teach the student how to use the library. This knowledge once gained will be of untold value after high school days. For this reason lessons in the use of library re- sources are given usually through the English classes. Classes in history, geography, and other subjects, the nature of which calls for considerable reference work are given instruction in special ref- erence books suited to their needs. Pupils asking where a book on a particular sub- ject is kept, are encouraged to use the card catalogue. In this way they get more confidence in themselves, and they learn to use the library. Thus the modem high school library serves a three-fold purpose, that is, to provide “information, recreation, and in- spiration.” Violet Johnson, Feb., 1929. THROUGH THE YEARS WITH THE Q. H. S. LIBRARY Previous to September, 1917, the library, so called, was an unorganized col- lection of books housed in the school office, presided over by the school clerk, and added to annually but meagerly from the interest of the Rock Island Fund. In 1917, however, the courts decreed that the net income of the Adams Temple and School Fund, originally used in support of Adams Academy, could be used for the enrichment of the curriculum in the High School. The first move toward making use of these funds was “the equipping of an adequate school library and the engagement of a trained libra- rian.” With the opening of school in the fall of 1917 the thousand books constituting the library were moved to more commo- dious though inadequate quarters in the balcony of the school auditorium and Miss Anna Bates, now of the Hartford Public High School, was installed as librarian. During Miss Bates’ two years in Quincy one thousand volumes from current fiction to reference books were added to the collection, so were three daily papers and fifteen magazines. Miss Bates reports the average period attend- ance in the library as having been 18, and the average daily circulation of books as 30. But her work was not confined to interesting pupils in the library and act- ing as custodian of books. Lessons were given in the use and make-up of books, followed by library problems, and by means of class visits to the Thomas Crane Library, instruction in the resources of that library. With the coming of Miss Edith Coul- man, our present librarian, and her assist- ant, Miss Hazel Vaughan, in 1919 and the reorganization of the school on a definite morning and afternoon basis, the library was moved to a large room on the first floor where the work begun by Miss Bates was admirably and efficient- ly carried on. Here the attendance and circulation increased, partly as a result of increased registration in the school, but more because of the growing interest in libraries and books. Naturally, with the removal of the school to its present location, the facilities of the library were increased and im- proved. Because the ninth year pupils were to remain in the old building, now Central Junior High School, the refer- ence books of primary value to them were left behind as a nucleus for the

Page 32 text:

30 THE GOLDEN-ROD history, including accounts of countries from Algiers to Zanzibar. Then we crossed the floor to the opposite side where there were histories, non-travel books, bound magazines, and books classed as “special reference.” These books known as special reference were of much interest, for among them we found the dictionaries, encyclopedias, Who's Who, books of new religion, poetry, quotations, and history reference series. After viewing the special reference books we were shown the location of the Reader’s Guide, atlases, current period- icals, newspapers, and finally, the card catalog. After our visit we each spent another hour or two looking up the location of certain things for plans which we made. Now our division is recuperating and it has been said that we are up to par again. That great black cloud of un- certainty has given way to the clear sky of assuredness. Mary Went A-Librarying Mary Aulbach, J.’28 Mary went a-librarying, One bright day in December; And the things that arc to follow, Are the things she must remember. She studied Classification; And the librarian confided, That into ten main classes, All knowledge is divided. 000 is for General Works, And so on with the mystery, Until 900 at last is reached, And that you know is history- The author has a number, And I think you ought to know, It's the first letter of his surname With his numerals also. These numbers taken together, Have a name well known to all, 1 have often heard the Librarian Distinguish them by “call.” Fiction has no number, Biography is “B,” But why collections are 920, Is hard for me to see. Literary reference books Were called to my attention, But they arc far too numerous, For me to try to mention. The catalogue cards are ranged In alphabetical order, Giving author, subject, and title cards To aid the faithful plodder. The catalogue is an index To books on the library shelf, So take an interest in it, And find out for yourself. CAN YOU READ THIS? A TRIP AROUND THE WORLD Helen L. Duncan, J.’28 All aboard for our trip around the world on a magic carpet. How fast we go! Let us say good-bye to 917.3 before it goes out of sight. See! There is the mighty ocean below us. Land ho! If that isn’t 914.15 whose 398 we like to read, while ahead we see 914.2 which we know a great deal about from studying 942 and how famous it is for 820, 821, and 822. Look, there is 914.4 which ladies like best because of 646 and 790. Below us is 914.3 whose 400 we do now know while now we are passing toward the south, approaching 914.5 famous for 730. 750, and 780. Still farther south is 916 where there are plenty of specimens to study for the subjects 580, 590, and 598, but one is rather pestered by 595. We are heading toward 915.6 at which place 220 began. Now we fly northward over the large country 914.7 whose 320 is quite “out of order.” It is very cold in this place because we are near the 919.8. We float southeastward over another ocean and over 917.9, a possession of 917.3. We are at the end of our 910 and are at home again to the best country in the world.