Letters to the Editor

To the editor, Dayton Library system and Columbia County citizens,

I am a native of Dayton, Wash.; the Class of 1975; Columbia County property owner since 2000; raised on the family farm in Columbia County; and a retired first grade teacher of 34 years who specialized in Language Arts and Child Development.

I love Dayton, my hometown, the education I received and the farm I grew up on. You could say I am a farm girl through and through. My Sixth Grade Teacher, Mrs. Juanita Harting inspired me to pursue my Language Arts, Elementary teacher degree (while minoring in Child Development and Math) due to the books that she read aloud to her sixth-grade students all year long. One book read that year would cause a sixth-grade boy to weep and other boys to discreetly wipe their tears away. I was a high school librarian aide to Mrs. Gillis. With all those books, I thought I was in a candy store. As an adult I have traveled and toured The Library of Congress, Washington DC with a Docent. Yes, I saw Thomas Jefferson's remaining library. I paid for a professional tour of New York City including Stephen A. Schwarzman New York Public Library. I sat on the floor in the tent of the Bedouin Tribe in Palestinian Territory in Israel. Following this meal, I toured the humble one room library of the Bedouin's.

Books are powerful, they leave a visual image in our brain and an indelible mark on our hearts. I repeat, an indelible mark on our hearts. I learned the value of books at a young age. Our family of eight had the most up to date encyclopedia of its day, even though we lived on a modest income from a small wheat farm. I witnessed the power of the written language as my dad wept when reading the book, The World According to Garp. But most importantly, I love children and books, books, and more books. I have four library areas in my home. I call them my wine cellars.

I try to make 2-3 road trips to Dayton every year: All Wheels Weekend, harvest time and Christmas Kickoff. I have attended all my class reunions. This last road trip on Father's Day weekend, June 18, 2023. I carved out time to visit the Dayton Public Library. I wanted to see for myself, what is making headlines in the Dayton Chronicle concerning the library? Is this a censorship concern? Is this a power struggle? Is this a policy problem? Is this an age-appropriate problem?

On Saturday, I headed to the Dayton Public Library to observe. I observed not one, but four Pride Month displays: one upstairs in the adult section, right next to the children's summer reading program, the second one was downstairs in the teen section. On top of this Teen Pride bookcase display, you could find also find popular youth magazines: Ranger Rick (for ages 7 and older), Highlights (for ages 5 and older), Boys Life (for ages 6 and older), Girls Life (for ages 10 and older) and Muse (for ages 9 and older). A third Pride display bookcase for first graders or younger was located in front of the librarian's desk. This bookcase had three shelves with the majority of the Pride picture books standing with the front jacket covers fully displayed. You would have to walk slightly around it to get to the librarian's help desk. The last one, a bit more subtle was to the immediate right of the computers where a young boy, most likely a "tween" was using the computer closest to this display. Directly at eye level is where you can find the most controversial book, "What's the T?" While I was there, I read two books cover to cover: What the T, and the picture book, Strong.

I ask, "Were these displays created to capture the greatest exposure due to natural foot traffic

patterns?"

Perhaps these four eye catching displays is the new standard. Or are they? Thus, I thought I should view other public libraries during Pride Month. Of the three much larger libraries I observed in person, these libraries did not have an early childhood bookcase/area for Pride Month. Nor were any books near computers. I could not locate the picture book, Strong, at any of the libraries in these children's sections.

All three of these larger libraries had one section in their library clearly dedicated to Pride Month, unlike Dayton which had four. When I stood at the Pride Month displays in the larger libraries, they were placed between the young adults teens section and the adult books. I would be happy to continue my research next June and report back my observations.

Until then, I ask: What motivates the Dayton Public library to place the most controversial book near an arm's reach to the computers? What motivates the smallest library to have the most Pride Displays? Does the number of displays in the smallest library indicate a power struggle with its patrons? Does the inability in a timely way to revise outdated policies indicate a power struggle? Do the outdated policies create a community that does not feel represented and heard? Are the citizens of Columbia County against lose, lose power struggle with the Dayton Public Library system?

Does the Dayton Public Library System take field trips to other libraries to observe how other libraries meet the needs of Pride Month and its community? Or has the Dayton Public Library System chosen "GRANDSTANDING" as its strategy?

As a voice for children, I ask the most important question, Are these books "age appropriate"?

An author assigns an age group to the book he/she has written, but that does not make the age congruent with the book subject and content. Again, I ask is the book "age appropriate" to be front and center on display in a common area shared with babies to twelve-year-olds?

Please think about that. Who is representing the voice of the young innocent children and the

"tweens"?

Good old common sense, just read, cover to cover "What's the T?" to understand. I believe this book is not age appropriate for the downstairs section of the Dayton Public Library. Please note I DO NOT RECOMMEND BANNING ANY BOOKS, simply move the book(s) to the age-appropriate shelves away from computers and popular children's magazines subscriptions.

Moving the books is not censorship. Why is moving the books a power struggle? Sexualizing young children seems to be a cultural past time of movies, the music and clothing industries and now your local small-town library.

[On the other hand] We can learn from the movie and music industries. Their ratings, classifications and labels are helpful tools to all age groups, this is not censorship.

I do believe it's all common sense, but it seems Dayton Public Library system lacks common sense and a voice for the young children and "tweens."

Betty Mobbs

Dayton, Wash., and Hauser Lake, Idaho

To the editor,

I had the great privilege of completing a summer internship in the now historic Hull-House in Chicago in the early 1960's, more than 50 years ago. During that time, the Hull House was gradually closing, as the neighborhood it served had moved. I was astonished to learn that in "the olden days" (think 1920's) the settlement house served immigrant families whose children worked in factories, and often did not attend school. Frequently, little children were tied to furniture all day, while their parents worked.

We have come a long way since then. However, during the pandemic agricultural businesses were caught illegally employing underage children working in dangerous conditions, often at night. In the past two years at least 10 states have introduced or passed bills that weaken child labor protections. Children can work with restrictions at the age of 10 in some states, and the Iowa legislature recently passed a provision that businesses and factories would not be liable for injuries or deaths of children employees.

In 2023, we are replicating dangerous conditions for children seen more than 100 years ago.

Where is the outrage? It seems focused on attacking those waiting at the southern border, who could take up the jobs the children are doing. So, let's allow more people into the country and at the same time strengthen and enforce bills that protect children from dangerous labor conditions. That action would be compassionate, humane, and a win-win for both immigrants and children and the country.

Nancy Street

Cheney, Wash.