Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-02-16
The Inauguration of the Fletcher
Library AT PrOCtOrsville.

services in recognition of this the mos
Important event in the history OF Caver
dish. 1t will be remembered that Hor
Richard Fletcher, LID, of Boston, Mass
in his will, left to his native town his larg
and valuable library collected during
period of public and professional life @
more than halfa century, from the choices
treasures of English and American liter
AZURE, with large number of the ofhcia
reports, public records, historical works
and pamphlets of New England, especi
ally of Massachusetts, and New Hamp
shire. He also provided from his ample
resources to sustain and add to the library
from year to year. He did not indicate
its location in the town, and there being
two prosperous villages, they were both
naturally ambitious Of its location in their
own immediate vicinity. After a pro
tracted struggle during which several
town meetings were held, compromise
was reached, by the division of the IL
brary, establ shing portion of it in each
village, the main portion at Duttonsville,
with branch at Proctorsville. At the
former place it is located at the office of
the Town Clerk, and at the latter in the
Post Office, which has been fitted up with
shelves, carpeted, warmed, with tables
and chairs, where those desiring to consult
it can have agreeable and ample opportu-
nifty for sodoing. This has been done at
the expense of the people of Proctorsville
and is highly creditable to them.
The library is one of rare value, not
only to the town which is its possessor,
but to the State at large, and especially
to the public and professional men who
have occasion to consult library of ref
erence, to rare and important books not
found upon the shelves of our other pri-
vate and public libraries. The donation
OF this choice library seems to have fallen
aity, for they had enjoyed the benefits of
-, Bile libraries in advance of the recep-
tion If this munifcent donation. There
have be, IN for many years public library
both at EoO'OthNliAo anu DuLtohsNilie,
containirg q, me twelve hundred volumes
oombined Mr. james Elton, the enter
prising wooden manufacturer, had also
established a libra, v Of some five hundred
volumes for the use OF the operatives in
his employment, which Is also open to the
public. This library, fir, Nnn an examlna-
ton of the loan book, we were pleased to
learn was freely used by 'bs operatives
and the inhabitants in the i Uaaleaiate VI
cinity, showing that the vol, 'HIos were
generally read, and in most canes ex-
changed weekly, and that not te~' but
all at work in the mill awaited theA nseIves
of it, privileges, We make this me ution
of there libraries as an interesting tact,
and we venture to say that there ls no
other town in Vermont that has three
public libraries freely open for the use OF
its cl,izens Thus it will be readily per-
ceived that the douatio on of Judge Fletcher
has been placed in the hands of an intel
ligent people, who will appreciate its
advantages and know how to use it. We
Of the people 10 read, and the establish
ment of the libraries referred to, inf1u-
enced Judge Fletcher somewhat in com.
mitriug his valuable library to the custody
of the people of his native town for their
use. We ought perhaps to mention that
Judge Fletcher also made donation of
several hundred volumes for the establish
uent Of pastors library for the pastor
: ne Baptist church in Cavendish, with
OF q for making additions thereto.
provisi' sketch has been given to show
Ibis oriei he library, and the infu-
'ne origin o' md it, and that it was
ences that surro' at such a valuable
eminently proper IT, nognized by the
donation should be re, . at its omen.
,itizsns with public service.
ing. tbodist
On Saturday evening the Ne ten
Church at Proctorsville was filled TO lie '
10 the inauguration services. Previous
10 the commencement of the exercises, n =
It being the day of the annual meeting of m
the Proctorsville Library Associations, OF
the following officers were elected II
Directors-A W. Richardson, George -
s. Hill, and Clark H. Chapman.
Secretary, Treasurer and Litrarian- g
Kendall Taylor. N
After the business meeting Hon. Clark e'
Fl. Chapman stated the object of the II
gathering and the propriety of thus re- O.
s.., c,,ft hot hol -
committed to their care for the benefit of L
the community, concluding by nominal IL
ing as presiding officer, Ex-Governor Ry- 9
land Fletcher, brother of the honored
donor of the Library. n
On taking the Chair Gov. Fletcher in l
brief and pertinent terms, returned his .
of the honor conferred ,
on him by bis fellow citizens in calling ,
him to preside at theinaugerationo of the 6
Fletcher Library, in which he felt such S
deep interest, and hoped that it would
prove a blessing to the community and .
that it would be made available to the Y
people through all coming carnations. c
George s. Hall, Esq, was then appoint
ed Secretary. ,
PRAYER was then offered by Rev. G. S.
Buswell, pastor of the Methodist Church. {
The President then introduced in a {
pleasant and appropriate manner the ora
tor of the evening, Hon. George A. Mer-
rill of Rutland, who for an hour held the
closest attention Of his audience in the :
delivery OF we'll prepared, elaborate and
Interesting paper on Books and Libraries
with glance at the history of the early,
present and future Newspaper Press OF
- Country. 1t was perhaps the most
A.. tie essay upon books and libraries
labor. ted to Vermont audience,
,ver prese,. and chaste diction, inter
,,ahle "reminiscences |