Alicia is writing an informative text on the topic of the Pack Horse Library initiative, a mobile library program created during the Great Depression. Alicia gathered the following facts from her initial research:
• During the Great Depression, librarians rode on horseback into the Appalachian region of Kentucky and distributed reading material to the people otherwise isolated from schools and libraries. This program was called the Pack Horse Library initiative.
⚫ In 1936, packhorse librarians served 50,000 families and, by 1937, 155 public schools.
• During the Great Depression, food, education, and jobs were scarce for people living in the Appalachian region of Kentucky.
In 1930, up to 31 percent of people in eastern Kentucky couldn't read.
• Electricity and highways in Kentucky were not as advanced as those in neighboring states.
⚫ Libraries for the Pack Horse program were housed in any facility that was available, from churches to post offices.
⚫ Librarians staffed these libraries, giving books to carriers who then rode their horses or mules and brought books to those living in the mountains.
⚫ Carriers rode out at least twice a month, with each route covering 100 to 120 miles a week.
⚫ Riders used their own horses and mules.
• Riders earned $28 a month.
⚫ The books and magazines they carried usually came from outside donations.
• Roads could be dangerous and impassable.
Health, strength, and reliability of the horses were a problem.
⚫ Some mountain families initially resisted the librarians, suspicious of outsiders/intruders.
1. How could Alicia organize these ideas for her report? 2. What headings could she use?
1. Alicia could organize these ideas for her report by grouping them into logical sections or paragraphs based on their topic or theme. For example, she could start with an introduction that provides an overview of the Pack Horse Library initiative and its significance during the Great Depression. Then, she could cover the reasons for the program's establishment, such as the scarcity of food, education, and jobs in the Appalachian region of Kentucky. Next, she could discuss the logistics of the program, including the routes and frequency of the carriers, the types of facilities used as libraries, and the challenges they faced on the road. Finally, she could talk about the impact of the program on the communities it served, including the number of families and schools reached, and any initial resistance or suspicion encountered.
2. Possible headings for Alicia's report could be:
- Introduction: The Pack Horse Library initiative during the Great Depression
- Scarcity in the Appalachians: Food, education, and jobs during the Great Depression
- The Need for Literacy: High illiteracy rates in eastern Kentucky
- Infrastructure Challenges: Electricity, highways, and access to educational resources
- The Pack Horse Library Program: Overview and organization
- Riding the Trails: Carriers, their horses, and their routes
- Libraries on Horseback: Facilities, donations, and staffing
- Overcoming Resistance: Initial skepticism and suspicion from mountain families
- Impact and Legacy: Reaching families and schools, the significance of the initiative
By using these headings, Alicia can effectively organize the facts she gathered and present them in a cohesive manner in her report.