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TO THE PUBLIC:
In the execution of its purpose to give educational value and moralworth to the recreational activities of the boyhood of America, theleaders of the Boy Scout Movement quickly learned that to effectivelycarry out its program, the boy must be influenced not only in hisout-of-door life but also in the diversions of his other leisuremoments. It is at such times that the boy is captured by the tales ofdaring enterprises and adventurous good times. What now is needful isnot that his taste should be thwarted but trained. There shouldconstantly be presented to him the books the boy likes best, yetalways the books that will be best for the boy. As a matter of fact,however, the boy’s taste is being constantly vitiated and exploited bythe great mass of cheap juvenile literature.
To help anxiously concerned parents and educators to meet this graveperil, the Library Commission of the Boy Scouts of America has beenorganised. EVERY BOY’S LIBRARY is the result of their labors. All thebooks chosen have been approved by them. The Commission is composed ofthe following members: George F. Bowerman, Librarian, Public Libraryof the District of Columbia, Washington, D. C.; Harrison V. Graver,Librarian, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Pa.; Claude G. Leland,Superintendent, Bureau of Libraries, Board of Education, New YorkCity; Edward F. Stevens, Librarian, Pratt Institute Free Library,Brooklyn, New York; together with the Editorial Board of our Movement,William D. Murray, George D. Pratt and Frank Presbray, with FranklinK. Mathiews, Chief Scout Librarian, as Secretary.
In selecting the books, the Commission has chosen only such as are ofinterest to boys, the first twenty-five being either works of fictionor stirring stories of adventurous experiences. In later lists, booksof a more serious sort will be included. It is hoped that as many astwenty-five may be added to the Library each year.
Thanks are due the several publishers who have helped to inauguratethis new department of our work. Without their co-operation in makingavailable for popular priced editions some of the best books everpublished for boys, the promotion of EVERY BOY’S LIBRARY would havebeen impossible.
We wish, too, to express our heartiest gratitude to the LibraryCommission, who, without compensation, have placed their vastexperience and immense resources at the service of our Movement.
The Commission invites suggestions as to future books to be includedin the Library. Librarians,