The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-05-12
Introduction TO Judge Laws Address
- before the " Library Association :"
uaa N gls9Fg1ga ~. ID ~ lsee.

y
ts9atsAl NsgBie. iEulisAl 8Il STIR 4sees
RESPECTED FRIENDS: Before eomE
mencipg the address, which l propose
to deliver, l have thought It might not
be improper to call your attention to
the first organization Of the Evans
vile Library Association, connected,
as it is, with the object We have n
view Ia meeting here this evening.
The Evansville Library AssOcIa-
ton was Incorporated under an Act
of the Legislature Of the State of In
diana in 1856. The articles of asso-
citation were filed In the Recorder S
Office. August 10th, 1855. The capt.
tai, $4,000. The object of the asso-
citation, as stated in the charter, was:
+" To promote the diffusion Of knowl-
edge, by means of Library, Reading
room and Public Lectures, such as /
hope you will have the pleasure Of
listening to, monthly, during the COM
ing season.
The call for a meeting, to be held
on the Both Of July, 1855, for the pur-
pose of organizing the Association,
was signed by thirty-eight of our most
respected fellow citizens. and strange
to say, that ont of the thirty eight
who signed that call, thirteen gears
ago, every one is living but TWO,
Well. II. Walker, born here, and
esteemed by all who knew him, for
the goodness Uf his heart, and the
kindness of his disposition, and j as.
T.. Blythe, Esq, whorepresented cur
County in the LEGISLATURE, was among
the foremost Of our Bar, and well
esteemed and respected by all who
knew him. If the above is not an
evidence of the health Of our city, |
do not know what is. Ticenty-seUen
Of those who signed the call mention
ed are now residents of the city.
The designs ton Of the Association
then was the anderburgh Library
Association. Messrs. John Ingie,
Jr., james Blythe, Esq, and the Rev.
Mr. Davidson, a talented and pOpu-
ulqr teacher, we'll known here, were
appointed 10 deliver addresses; so you
see we have a good precedent for
Home Speakers, at a much less ex-
pense than sending abroad
At the second meeting Of the Board
the name Of the Association was
tened the Evansville Library As
sociation, = which name it bears now.
The first Board of officers elected in
August, 1855, were john Ingle, Jr.,
President. Conrad Baker, Wee Presi-
dent, Geo. Foster, Secretary, Samuel
Bayard, Treasurer, james Harlan,
Jr.. Corresponding Secretary.
Director.-Geo. W Rathbone, Jas.
II Blythe, VIM. Hollingsworth. and
VIM. Heilman. La August. 1885, the
Committee appointed to procure stock /
sos shares taken at $50 per
share, amounting to 1920. Certain
ly a most excellent beginning, with a
then, probably not more
than a third Of what it is now.
At meeting of the Board on the /
31st Of December, 1855, the last held /
by them, in the first year of the Asso- /
citation, 5000 was appropriated for the |
purchase Of bOoks-the first money |
BY the Directors for that I
purpose. At the same time, our old |
friend ard fellow tOwnsman, esteemed /
and beloved by all who knew him,
land there are few who did nOt.) and /
who wiz 2now him no more for /
ever" on this earth, p G.. O'Riley, |
with his characteristic liberality,
agreed and did furnish to the Libra
~. all the newspapers free of expense.
q Peace to his ashes" A nobler,
more generous and philosophical man
never dwelt within our borders. My
estimate of the number of books, as
far as I could obtain il from the
records, IN 1855, was 353 volumes.
The whole number nOl0 IN the Libra
~ Is 300, making an increased up
wards Of 1900 volumes. The aver
age circulation of books, taken out
per week, did not probably exceed
twenty volumes, while the average
H9lC, per week, IS $50 vol
1mes. Ia a single week last month,
.as | am informed by the Librarian
500 volumes were taken out of the
Library to be read. I venture TO say
hat in no place in the Union, with
our pOpulatian, have there been drawn
from public library so many books
o be read, as In Evansville. 1t is in
1icative of a good public taste, and
highly creditable to our people.
What high minded man or woman in
our city would not foster such an en-
if they can? To aid, assist
lad encourage such an association, is
he sole object of the gentlemen who
propose to lecture to you the coming
ieasOD