Craver, Director, Engineering Societies Library, New York City; Claude
G. Leland, Superintendent, Bureau of Libraries, Board of Education, New
York City; Edward F. Stevens, Librarian, Pratt Institute Free Library,
Brooklyn, N.Y., and Franklin K. Mathiews, Chief Scout Librarian. Only
such books were chosen by the Commission as proved to be, by _a nation
wide canvas_, most in demand by the boys themselves. Their popularity is
further attested by the fact that in the EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY Edition,
more than a million and a quarter copies of these books have already
been sold.

We know so well, are reminded so often of the worth of the good book and
great, that too often we fail to observe or understand the influence for
good of a boy's recreational reading. Such books may influence him for
good or ill as profoundly as his play activities, of which they are a
vital part. The needful thing is to find stories in which the heroes
have the characteristics boys so much admire--unquenchable courage,
immense resourcefulness, absolute fidelity, conspicuous greatness. We
believe the books of EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY measurably well meet this
challenge.

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA,

[signed] James E. West

Chief Scout Executive.




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