was 1,463,207. Of the entire withdrawals from the library, the percentage of fiction to the whole was less than 58 per cent. It is stated by the librarian, Mr. Hopkins, that the withdrawals in 1908 will probably exceed two millions. The Boston Public Library had, last year, a total of 903,349 books. In 1907 the report of the Boston Library showed a home circulation of 1,461,403. The report states that of this number 70 per cent. "very nearly" of the entire withdrawals was fiction: including juvenile books, the percentage of fiction was much greater. These comparative figures are worth considering, since they indicate the importance to the community of the work of the Pittsburgh Library. It would perhaps hardly have been supposed that the relative proportion of useful books, namely, works of science, history, travel, philosophy, art, biography and religion, which are being read in a community composed so largely of workers in the industrial trades, exceeds the showing of the Boston Library by 12 per cent.
The Carnegie Technical Schools were established in October, 1905; and they have a present endowment of four million dollars. There are four schools: for engineers; artists and designers; tradesmen; and women; and their development has been according as space could be made ready. At present the accommodations are not adequate; but when the fine and commodious School of Applied Science is finished, next September, it is anticipated that the present departments will all be adequately housed. As time passes, buildings will be erected as necessities demand and funds permit. The statement is made that the buildings now provided equal not more than one seventh of the future's needs. The number of students at present, in all departments, is 1,750. They come from thirty states; and it is reasonably anticipated that the schools are going to draw from all quarters of the world. The growth is very rapid, in appreciation and interest.
The School of Engineering comprises electrical, mechanical, civil, metallurgical and chemical; while under architectural, a department is maintained by itself. The School of Design is virtually that of architectural design.
The trade courses embrace draughting, electrical wiring, plumbing, bricklaying, sheet metal and cornice work. (In one of the lofty rooms of this department a complete two-story house is in course of construction, wherein all of the technical features of electrical wiring and equipment, plumbing, drainage, etc., are carefully demonstrated.) The trade courses also involve foundry practise, forging, pattern making; machine-shop practise; house and sign painting.
The Women's School comprises technical courses for the daytime; and trade courses in the night schools. In the technical courses are mathematics, English history, social ethics, chemistry, drawing and designing. Also, departments of dressmaking and millinery are included. There is a special department intended for professional
