ADULT EDUCATION.

A new prospect is opening for the public libraries of the country. A new goal is set before us, a new slogau strikes our ears.

The Saratoga Springs conference of the American Library Association last June made it clear that the library of the future is to be an active, and no longer merely a passive, force in the intellectual life of the community. It is to seize and occupy a field which has long been waiting for it - that of constructive educational work for those who have passed the school age. Readers are not only to be invited to use the resources of the library; they are to receive active help and encouragement in pursuing the studies. which they wish to carry on. "Adult Education" has at last been discovered to be the public library's true sphere of usefulness, and the call for mobilization has been issued.

The Boston Public Library is preparing for an active part in this splendid campaign. Mr. Belden, our Director, has been chosen a member of the A.L.A. Commission on Adult Education. The well-known list of "Free Public Lectures and Public Educational Courses," long published annually as a feature of the Library Bulletin, appears this fall in a new form, with the title "Opportunities for Adult Education in Greater Boston." The emphasis of our work is to be shifted in the direction of a larger and more varied expert service to those who seek our help.

The great document in the new movement the "campaign text-book" - is to be Mr. William S. Learned's inspiring book, "The American. Public Library and the Diffusion of Knowledge," just issued by the Carnegie Corporation. The program set forth by Mr. Learned providing, as it does, for a specialized service of interpretation in every department of learning, heralds the coming of a new and higher standard of library work. which will put every library employee on his mettle, and give him both problems and satisfactions akin to those of the teaching profession. For him, as

for the public, the new movement spells unlimited opportunity.

F. H. C.

On Wednesday, November 5th, the Round Table of Children's Librarians held a birthday party in the Library. This organization of the Children's Librarians of eastern New England holds nearly all its meetings in the Boston Public Library, where Miss Jordan started it eighteen years ago. Miss Alice Hazeltine, of the Providence Public Library, spoke, and tea was afterwards served in the Staff Room to about sixty guests. branch librarians were also invited to be present.

A recent addition to the Library staff is the infant son of Mr. and Mrs. James S. Kennedy. The youngster is now almost five months on his way toward B. P. L. Mr. Kennedy is at member of the Shelf Department, and Mrs. Kennedy was formerly Miss Marie Gross of the Registration Desk.

During June, a son was likewise. born to Mr. and Mrs. William J. Mulloney. Mr. Mulloney is well-known as the First Assistant at the Center Desk in Bates Hall.

In its August issue, the Library Journal published an article by Mr. Chase, entitled "What the People are Reading in Boston," based on his address at the A. L. A. Conference at Saratoga Springs.

BENEFIT ASSOCIATION.

The lack of a quorum prevented the transaction of business at the regular October meeting of the Boston Public Library Employees' Benefit Association scheduled to be held in the Staff Class Room at 5 p.m., October 7th.

The meeting was adjourned subject. to the call of the President.

[This is certainly an easy way of getting the meeting over with in jig time; unfortunately, its applications are, at best, somewhat limited. It is therefore suggested that, in the future, some of the older, more reliable methods be employed. ED.]

CHILDREN'S BOOK WEEK.

It began well in advance of November tenth. All the best of the new books for children were put aside and kept out of sight, in order that the opening of the annual book display should be an event.

The Children's Room was made attractive by flowers and by the unusual collection of interesting originals of the illustrations in some of the recent books published in Boston. From the Houghton Mifflin Company there were two large paintings for books in the Riverside Bookshelf; Little, Brown and Company lent two from the Beacon Hill Bookshelf, and the Atlantic Monthly Company sent us two drawings for "The Mutineers," and "The Dark Frigate," by Charles Boardman Hawes. To his work the A. L. A. awarded the Newbery Medal for 1924.

Just for contrast with the tempting array of new books, there was a show case of little old books, New England Primers, chap books and early toy books. In this collection the place of honor was held by the oldest book owned by the Library, that is, if you call it a book. It is a round tablet used in the temple schools of Assyria, more than three thousand years ago. This disc of hardened clay is inscribed with cuneiform, or wedge-shaped charac

MP9. 12.18.24 .750

ters, the master's exercise on one side, the pupil's copy on the other.

Everyone in the Children's Department had a share in the week's programme. The captivating poster, which, from the front corridor, still calls the attention of parents to the importance of children's reading, was the work of Miss Mary Doyle.

Miss Toy, with the able assistance of other members of the Department, prepared for the children a contest in assigning correct names to the characters in a group of pictures without titles, arranged on the bulletin board. Over one hundred children handed in lists of names made out according to their knowledge of books, or the ingenuity of their guesses. Three book prizes were given later for the best answers.

Such a deluge of questions about this feature! "Must I give the names of all the children and the rats who followed the Pied Piper?"

Miss Jordan gave six book talks during Children's Book Week, and two the week following. These were given before varied groups, including two schools, a Mothers' Club, two gatherings in in Branch libraries, Kindergarten Alumnae Association, a bookstore, and the miscellaneous audience that "listens in" to a radio programme.

a

Naturally, the last was most exciting, as a wholly new experience. There

was the sound-proof "studio," hung round with draperies of a quiet gray, furnished with a heavy velvet carpet and luxuriously upholstered chairs. In the middle, on a small table, was the disc of mysterious power, with its long electric cord attachment.

"The Club Woman's programme" started off with a phonograph record, followed by "Fish Confidences," by Miss Blank, the model for the novice to imitate.

Miss Blank seated herself beside the little table, a glass of water on a chair before her,

"Good morning, Everybody," said

she.

Shades of our first school days! "Good morning, children." "Good morning, Miss Pinnock." Miss Blank was speaking, "Receipt for devilled shrimps: Half a cup of shrimp meat."

For half an hour Miss Blank talked about shrimps and one had time to become thoroughly accustomed to the thought of an "invisible audience of unknown magnitude." It was an excellent tonic for nervousness.

When Miss Blank finished there was another phonograph record. Then, "WNAC, the Shepard Stores. The next number on the programme will be, 'Reading Aloud to the Children'." We were off.

Before the adventurer returned to the Library, word came over the telephone to the Children's Room that our first Library broadcast had been heard with satisfaction in West Roxbury.

TAPS.

A. M. J.

It was a clear sunny morning with a hint of winter in the air. In the courtyard, the Library choristers who had arrived early, and without hats, shivered a little. The draped flag between the windows attracted many of the curious. At eleven, library officials, committee members, and guests entered the courtyard, which by then was crowded with expectant standees.

Rev. Monsignor Arthur T. Connolly opened the exercises with the Lord's Prayer, followed by a grave and beautiful invocation. Mr. Belden then

recalled to us those tense days, seven years ago, when the library staff was making payments on Liberty Bonds, knitting sweaters and attending classes in first aid. He spoke at length of the twelve gallant young men of the library who served with the colors. Of these, three did not return to us.

All who used the newspaper room in the days before the war remember the nice, fair-haired boy, always so willing to find you the home town paper for the month before last. This was Frank J. Krigel, who joined Battery B, 55th Coast Artillery, and died near Brest, France, January 13, 1919.

The other two men were members of the evening force. William J. Corbett, Naval Air Service, was assistant in the Patent Room, and Harold N. Donovan, 304th Infantry, 76th Division, served in the Barton Library. The Boston Public Library mourns three brave soldiers.

The memorial tablet was presented to the Library by Mr. Walter Rowlands. of the Fine Arts Department, through whose interest and unfailing efforts the memorial came to completion. Mr. Belden then reminded us of the patriotic zeal of Miss Maud M. Morse, who, as chairman of the Benefit Association Relief Committee, did so much to help the boys in the service during those difficult days of war. It was altogether fitting that she should unveil the memorial. She touched the cord and the flag fell away from the simple and exquisite bronze tablet, showing a drawn sword wreathed in laurel. The sculpture is the work of Frederick W. Allen.

The speech of acceptance by Judge Michael J. Murray, Vice-President of the Board of Trustees, was most stirring. He emphasized the necessity of personal service in everyday life as well as during wartime. A magnificent evergreen wreath was then placed on a stand below the tablet by Mr. John J. Krigel, father of the heroic Frank.

Mr. E. Mark Sullivan, Corporation Council of the City of Boston, representing the mayor, spoke briefly, concluding with a masterly recitation of "In Flanders Fields." The library was most fortunate in securing MajorGeneral Edward L. Logan as orator

of the occasion. No book or play could give a better picture of the horrible futility of war, as well as its queer glory, than his gripping matterof-fact description of a massed attack. This splendid military man has seen all manner of fighting and knows war at first hand. The exercises closed with a general singing of the national anthem and the slow heart-wringing notes of taps by Bugler Harold Lucey of the Student's Reserve Corps.

Afterwards, luncheon was served to veterans and guests at the Boston Art Club. Most interesting of guests was Mr. Collier of Brighton, a Grand Army man and a great hero-worshipper of Judge Murray. Whenever the judge is announced to speak, you will find Mr. Collier in the audience. His intensive study of the judge's fine powers of oratory has borne fruit, for after luncheon the veteran delivered a delightful speech, at the gracious suggestion of Mr. Belden. M. E. P.

BENJAMIN JOHNSON LANG

MEMORIAL.

The executors of the estate of Isa

bella Stewart Gardner have sent to the Trustees a check for $5,000 in payment of a bequest to the Library under the will of Mrs. Gardner. The gift was accepted at the meeting of the Trustees held on November 28, and the money has been funded as the Isabella

Stewart Gardner Fund. The income will be used to purchase material for the Allen A. Brown Music Library in memory of Benjamin Johnson Lang.

It is eminently fitting that Mr. Lang's name should be memorialized in the Music Room. It has been said of him that "he was so thoroughly interwoven with musical progress of every kind that there is scarcely any classification of musicians in which

his name would not fitly find place." Born in Salem in 1837, he early took up the study of music with his father, and after some study abroad returned to Boston, where he became organist. of the South Congregational Church, and later of King's Chapel. He was prominent in securing the great organ for the old Music Hall, and in the life of the Handel and Haydn Society,

being organist for this organization for twenty-five years, and conductor in 1895-96. in 1895-96. He founded the Apollo Club, a male chorus, in 1868, and from that time until 1901 was its director. In 1874 he organized the Cecilia Society, which has recently honored itself by selecting for its director the son of the founder, Mr. Malcolm Lang.

Perhaps Mr. Lang's most enduring service was his missionary work teaching, and in presenting great works and bringing great artists before the public. Berlioz's "Damnation of Faust,' Brahm's "Requiem," and Wagner's "Parsifal" were all introduced to our concert audiences by him. His influence as a teacher has been far-reaching; among his pupils were Foote, Nevin, Apthorp, and Robinson.

Mr. Malcolm Lang, the son of B. J. Lang, is a member of the present visiting committee of the Boston Public Library, and has given lectures in the Sunday afternoon series and in the course of lectures on the Symphony Concert.

Of Mrs. John L. Gardner it has been said that there are many young musicians, painters, and artists whom she helped in the quietest and most unassuming way. She held a leading position as a patron of the symphony concerts and of all other local musical activities. If her main enthusiasms and interests were directed towards the other fine arts, as assembled in

Fenway Court, her graciousness is the more marked in setting aside a memorial to a distinguished Boston musician for the benefit of the musiclovers of the future.

In an article headed "Why Read" in the November issue of The Tradesman, the wide-awake quarterly published by the students of the High School of Commerce, occurs the following paragraph:

Find out what resources the Library has. When you enter its portals, you abandon nothing but ignorance. Visit the treasury of civilization at Copley Square. Find out about the Catalogue Room, Bates Hall, the Fine Arts Department, the Magazine and Newspaper Rooms, and not least attractive, the Open-Shelf Room.

It is gratifying to find the high school boys of Boston thus urged to make use of the Library.

LEAVES FROM THE BRANCHES.

TYLER STREET: The following members of the Tyler Street Branch staff are taking courses, or attending colleges:

Miss Kingman, University Extension.

Miss La Rocca, University Exten-
sion.

Miss Govone, Teachers' College.
Miss Hayes, Teachers' College.
Miss Sarhani, Boston University.

UPHAM'S CORNER: On Saturday, the 15th, and Monday, the 17th of November, the children's work of the Upham's Corner Branch was transferred to the "tank room" in the Municipal Building, as the use of their reading room was granted on those days to St. Mary's Infant Asylum for a sale of fancy work. When the Library learned what had happened the question was asked, "Where are we to go?" Mr. James J. Dolan, custodian of the building, in a moment of inspiration suggested visiting the basement, where an obsolete swimming pool, used as a store room for chairs and other equipment, seemed to be the only available space. The library staff grasped the possibilities at once. The fair moved into the children's room and the library dived into the pool. One would hardly believe that the vacated "tank" could be turned into such an attractive and unique reading room, but many witnesses spoke of the effect, and the youngsters thronged the place.

WEST ROXBURY: Many helpful suggestions in regard to the selection of books for Christmas gifts were received by the large audience who attended Miss Alice Jordan's instructive lecture on "The Best in Children's Books" at the Book Review meeting in November. Miss Jordan stressed especially those books that treat of foreign lands giving the international point of view, nature books, and the revised editions of the classics. An extensive exhibit of children's books

COMING MIRACLE PLAYS.

On December 20th, in the Library Lecture Hall, there will be given, under the joint auspices of the Public Celebrations Committee of the City of Boston, Boston Community Service, Inc., and the Library, an adapted version of the Nativity cycle of the York Mystery Plays, or, as they are more commonly known, the York Miracle Plays. Of these plays, fortyeight in number, the seven dealing directly with the Christmas story have been chosen for presentation at this time.

"Miracle plays seem to have been acted at York from a very early date; the earliest notice we have of them is in 1378, but they had evidently been performed for many years previously, while in 1394 we find them spoken of as having existed for a very long time, and we know that in 1397 Richard II. was present at their performance. They represent the first attempts at the revival of the drama since the days of the Roman theatre, and were first introduced by the clergy as a means of depicting Biblical scenes to a public unable to read, and often ignorant even of the language employed in the performance. "Very creditable attempts are made to fit the various characters with proper mediums of expression— thus God, Abraham, and the Patriarchs express themselves with becoming gravity and dignity, and Satan, Pharoah, Herod, Pilate, and Caiaphas are blusterous, pompous, and daring." The action is usually direct, with little or no complication, but there is a simple, native sturdiness about the pieces which gives to them considerable depth and power. Taken as the straightforward expression of the faith and belief of those who beheld them, they retain a charm and grace for the modern spectator not unlike that which moved the congregations assembled to witness them six centuries ago.

Such presentations were not, however, confined to the churches, as is so frequently supposed, but soon became the property of the various trade guilds, and the right to present its own.