Part 6 — A Campaign for Better Books for the Young

The world is flooded with the cheapest and most pernicious literature for children and youth. Go with me to the book store and see if we can find a sensible, illustrated book for the children. Notice the rotten paper used, and the quality of the work in both printing and binding. Who would think of buying such stuff for grown people?

But worse than all the rest is the nature of the literature contained in many of these books. It is as unreal and meretricious as the material is of poor quality and the workmanship bad. And right at the time of life when character is forming for time and eternity, the brains of these little people are filled with fairy stories, and grotesque pictures of nondescript animals, and the impossible doings of impossible people.

The effect on the impressible, unformed minds of the young is to create unreal sentiments and a feverish imagination. Look at the eagerness with which the little hands grasp the atrocious colored illustrations of the Sunday newspaper.

People say the children must be amused. In this we agree, but claim that it is not necessary to descend to this demoralizing stuff to interest them. We claim that the things that are true, the things that are uplifting, the things that will lay the foundation for a useful education and training for life, can be made just as interesting for these little men and women as is the stuff usually imposed upon them.

We must remember that the bad literature for the children is training their impressible minds in wrong directions, and developing a dwarfed character. No true education can be built upon such a foundation. It must all be eradicated, and the evil effects overcome before there is any hope for a proper, useful education. It will take years to do this; it may never be accomplished. Many will carry through life and to the grave the taint of these early lessons.

The Nashville Book Company was organized for the express purpose of providing for the children and youth a clean, uplifting, educating, yet intensely interesting literature. That our efforts have been successful is attested by the eagerness with which the books are read and re-read by the little men and women, and the influence for good the lesson stories are having upon their lives, as attested by parents into whose homes these books have found their way. The books now ready are:—

“Tiger and Tom, and Other Stories for Boys.”

Suitable for boys from eight to twenty years of age, and for grown-ups as well. Contains 224 pages, printed from new plates on good, heavy paper, with more than one hundred illustrations, engraved expressly for this book, many of which are full page, all printed in colors. Prices and Bindings:—

Vellum de Luxe Cloth, marbled edges, 50 cts

Paper Cover, in three colors, 25 cts

“The King’s Daughter, and Other Stories for Girls.”

“Companion to Tiger and Tom.” Same styles and prices

“Gospel Primer No. 2.”

Ninety-six pages of short, attractive Bible stories. Each page a chapter. The chapters connect in forming a continued chain of historical stories. For children from six to fifteen. Printed on heavy paper, handsomely illustrated by over 100 engravings, printed in colors, in the following styles of binding:—

Red Vellum de Luxe Cloth, red edges, embossed in three colors, 50 cts

Board sides, cloth back, cover printed in three colors, 25 cts

“Spring Blossoms.”

For children from four to ten. Contains Bible stories, interesting stories from every-day life, puzzles, and drawing lessons. Printed from large type, handsomely illustrated in colors. Sixty-four pages, each double the size of “Tiger and Tom.” Bound in heavy board sides, cloth back, cover beautifully printed in four colors, 30 cts

The best selling line in America.

General and Local Agents wanted. Liberal discounts. Write for circulars and terms.

Address, Nashville Book Company, Marshall, Michigan.