The Portland daily press., 1866-08-11
Grand Plan for Literary and Artistic Re.
union.

. u --.-1- =.
As the several matters of local and munioi
pal reconstruction in our city are now in a
fair way of practical accomplishment, may we
not begin to turn our attention to another
matter of great Importance Wemean some
system of reunion or reconstruction OF our
Scientific, Literary and Artistic Societies and
interests.
We have in our midst the Portland Athe-
neum, an old and honored institution; the
Portland Society of Natural History, later
but also valuable and popular organization;
the Mercantile Library Association, young
er and more vigorous society than either, per-
haps, and the Maine Charitable Mechanic
Association, also an old and valuable body.
The three frst-named are paralyzed by the
great confagration, having lost their libraries
and cabinet; the latter providentiaily remains
intact. Our city before the fire could hardly
support all these institutions as they should
be sustained, and are we as city any better
able to do SO to-day9 Are we not much less
able to do SOP, Now what shall be done p
Can there be any basis on which all these
associations can coalesce or unite all their
forces in one grand united movement which
shall combine the advantages of each and OF
allP The Atheneum society have lot of
land, the walls Of their building, and their IN
surance, valued at several thousand dollars
the Natural History Society has the same; the
Mercantile Library Association have a fund
ana their insurance, but no building the Me-
chanic Association happily has building, Ii
brary and whatever else they had formerly.
Can these societies unite their funds and
membership, and form consolidated society
having the benefits of all? We believe they
can. We noticed in the Springfield Republi-
can lately q report of the ''City Library Asso-
citation" of that enterprising and rising city
which we read with much interest, and friends
have sent us some pamphlets from the insti.
tuition itself containing the plan, which struck
us very favorabls, and we submit it to con.
siderats public # it Is not just the right basis
for reunion of the societies above named, OF
for an entire reconstruction of the literary
and scientific elements and interests of our
city. a.,s ~ - u. fi o
The plan IS this. A society Is formed Of
citizens who pay for life or annual member
ship (either $50 or 81 As the case may be }
each Of whom are entitled to all the privileges
OF the library reading room and cabinet Of
Natural History and gallery of Art. The
city Of Springfield pays TO the society GER
tain SUM in consideration of the privilege Of
using the library reading room, cabinet and
gallery of art only on the premises, by all its
citizens. The fuller privilege Of taking books
out, with other advantages, is reserved to full
members, who pay $50 or 81 each. i9ilH .a
Now cannot thisexcellent system be adopt.
ed here, with some notifications |? Let the
city furnish suitable rooms only, in THE recon-
strueted city building $50 much of which was
not used before the fire-for Its part, in c,nl
sideration Of the allowance or similar priyi
leges on the part Of the society to all the peo-
pie, asking nopecuhiary annuity from the city.
Let gentlemen principally from the 'Athene-
um manage the Library, for instance, on ac-
count of their experience, and those from the
Mercantile Library Association manage the
lectures during the winter (only on an enlarg
ed scale) and gentlemen from the Natural
history Society take care of the Cabinet Of
Natural History. Theh, r. tse Sferxanic As.
ISOLATION would donatc-its library, as nucle-
us of another and larger one, to which they,
as citizens, would be entitled, retaining all
their other points Of Organization, what more
could be desired? Is not this an admirable
feasible and almost indispensable plan for ns
to adopt? Will the members Of these seyesarsa
bodies at once take this important subject in.
10 consideration? We have received from
DR.. Holland and Samuel Bowles, ESQ. seyera
copies OF the pamphlet referred to, containing
the plan of organization, which we weuld
loan to any gentleman desirous to learn the
exact workings of what seems to us to be a
system admirable in itself and especially
adapted to us in our present depressed condi.
ton, but which we have not space now tc
unfold more fully. boti uas5si ..f
The generous publishers OF New York, Bos
ten and other large cities, would perhaps ait
such an association literally in our presen
situation, by liberal donations OF works o
their own publication. 81 ''i''' III
Thus may we establish public hbrar,
which ,sh shall be Of no expense to the city as
corporation, and yet it shall dispense its bless
ings like the sunlight and the rain equally up
on high and low, poor and rich, male and fe
male, while the great Puritan principle of the
Il H..
PUBIC education Of the people shall be car
ried out in its benefits to those who have by
age lost, or those who by early neglect have
tailed to receive thorough education-in ou
public schools. ....5f EVERETT.