Memory Monday: Libraries

My great-grandfather's school picture

One of my best memories of grade school in Texas was the small libraries we had in each room. These mini-libraries consisted of only one or two shelves, but what fun I had reading the books. Each year during the 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th grades, I’d check out The Boxcar Children, along with a whole bunch of biographies (I still remember the one about Dolly Madison).

My great-grandfather was born in 1852. I’m not sure where he went to school, but I’m pretty sure it was a one-room school. Also, I don’t know if they had any library books the children could check out and read. But I found an interesting tidbit about libraries in public schools shortly before he was born.

PUBLIC LIBRARIES.-The number of public libraries in the United States, in 1849, as reported to the regents of the Smithsonian Institute, was 182; of which 43 contained over 10,000 volumes each, nine over 20,000, and only two over 50,000. The number of volumes in all these libraries is 1,294,000. Only France has a larger number of public libraries, 241; but in the number of volumes, we are sur­passed by Germany, which has 5,500,000; France, 5,000,000; Great Britain, 2,500,000; and even Russia, 1,500,000. The library of Congress is rated at 45,000 volumes, and is one of the most select and THE -----FAMILY CHRISTIAN ALMANAC, 1850

I hope my great-grandfather had the opportunity to read books that took him away to far and adventuresome places.