ree Reading Glasses

aron Von Lodge was the head of a small country known as Lilliland near Switzerland. The time was the early 1900s.

The Baron’s chief advisor was Professor Hamblin, formerly of Cambridge University. The Professor made certain that the Lilliland Library was patterned after both Cambridge and Oxford University libraries.

During the dedication ceremony celebrating the addition of a large collection of books to the library, Lady Angela of Alpine Castle, the Baron’s fiancée, was asked to make the presentation speech.

After the speech, an older couple came up to speak to Lady Angela and compliment her on her speech. Lady Angela asked the couple if they had much opportunity to visit and use the library for their reading enjoyment. The woman said that they used to be regular visitors to the library but their eyes were no longer as good as they used to be and they had to stop coming. Lady Angela asked if they knew of other people in the same situation. They said that they did.

Later, Lady Angela spoke with the Baron and Professor Hamblin about how many people there were who would like to use the library but had to stay away because of the need of a pair of reading glasses.

The Baron asked the Professor to estimate how many people in Lilliland there were who needed reading glasses.

The Professor met with some eye doctors about this question and the answer that he got was that once a person reached their 40th birthday, most all required reading glasses.

When the Professor gave this information to the Baron and Lady Angela, they were surprised.

“Let’s set up a program to make available free reading glasses to anyone who lives in Lilliland. In order to have and maintain a well educated society, we need everyone to read as much as he or she can,” the Baron said.

To accomplish this, a free reading glasses program was set up at the library. When a person received a free library membership card, he or she could take the card to an eye doctor for a free pair of reading glasses.

This program for free reading glasses was an instant success and it made everyone in Lilliland very happy.