In front of West Marion Primary School sits a small structure filled with books, and it could help improve students’ reading abilities.
Recently, a Little Free Library was dedicated in front of the school. This one was built by Allan Doane of Goss. In all, he’s helped construct six of the small structures for Junior Auxiliary of Columbia. Other locations around the area include Columbia Elementary School, Columbia Primary School, Goss Baptist Church, Shiloh Baptist Church and New Hope Baptist Church. JA also installed a Little Free Library in front of Friendship Park in Columbia. Little Free Libraries are located across the country.
“Each one is a little different,” Doane said. “Little Free Library provides you with the plans, but it would be boring building them the same. I decided to make them all unique. I just retired from the military, and I do this as a hobby. I really enjoy it.”
West Marion Primary School Principal Vicki Boone said the Little Free Library could benefit students before they even walk in the doors of the school.
“We have found that when students come to us for kindergarten, many times they are missing those early literacy skills needed for kindergarten,” she said. “Our Save the Children Community Ambassador is working in the community trying to reach out to those parents and inform them and teach them on ways that they can help their children.”
Boone said that along with the Little Free Library, which will feature a variety of books that children and parents can take, other items and information will be available.
“There is something we call Vroom Tips,” she said. “These are things that parents can take away and use in their everyday life in teaching the children the basic skills that are needed. A lot of times, the parents don’t have the resources or the access to the various resources so as they are coming in and out with their older children, then they’ll have the little library where they can take a book and leave a book. We’re stressing the importance of reading aloud to children.”
Yolanda Minor, program specialist for Save the Children at West Marion Primary School, said the Little Free Library helps with her program’s goals.
“Our mission is to make sure that every child is ready for success when they enter into school in Marion County,” she said. “We find that children lack books, they lack the resources and they lack the skills needed for success. What we want parents to know is that you have what it takes. You are a brain-builder. You are all that your children need through everyday interactions, which are gold mines for learning. Anything that you are doing, you can bring learning into it. Therefore, when they are coming here to school, they see this nice library here and they can just pick up a book and they can share this and share the experience. It also bonds them together.”
Sandra Anthony, community ambassador and readiness ambassador for Save the Children and Vroom, said the concept of teaching children at a young age is vital.
“Speaking with them and having that one-on-one conversation day-to-day helps build their vocabulary,” she said.
Anthony said the design of the Little Free Library is special to the community, as it is based on an early school in the community.
“When it was first built, it was called Foxworth Grammar School,” she said. “In 1959, the schools were combined and it became West Marion Primary School. It only served grades one through three. The Little Free Library is built to look like that original building. The original Foxworth Grammar School had eight classrooms; it was the beginning of West Marion Primary.”
Pictured Above: Pictured at the Little Free Library dedication at West Marion Primary School are, from left, Yolanda Minor, program specialist for Save the Children; Sandra Anthony, community ambassador and readiness ambassador for Save the Children and Vroom; Allan Doane, who built the structure; Vicki Boone, WMPS principal; and Traci Sullivan, assistant principal. | Photo by Mark Rogers
