The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-03-26

1
least enlarged susceptibilities, and natur
ally leads from the Contemplation of MAJ
and his surroundings to the study of Ma
ture and of Natures God. fill the min,
with subjects worthy of thought; teach
to think; FL the heart with The feeIinp
which the contemplation Of the pictures q
daily life .create-its struggles. its success
ses. its defeats, its development of crea
vices and soul inspiring virtues; teach tn
tongue worthily to express the thoueht
and feelings, and you will have createt
fountains whose ,rils aud streams. perme
ateing all social life, will make it fragranr
with the richest grow th of intelligence anC
charity. Create community of such per
sons, and you will have a society wbicl
can only be improved by the attrition o
its own competing and aspiring exeelien
cies. .-'e
The statistics of this Library confirm Che
striking remark Of an acute observer
"That as a rule people read books of .
| higher intellectual and moral standard
than their own, and hence are benefited
by reading" They also show that every
class of readers in some proportion take
every class of books; that every circle ol
people within its reach feels the Influence
IL SOA44C BADFOAAAOns VI CHCIH CLASS OF SUD-
Jects and of authors, from the most friviI-
Gus novels to the most erudite treatise.
from the gayest trifing to the most alb
struse theology; from Mother Goose to
Milton. If these rules be true. who shall
estimate the benefits of this Library 2
Consider its growth Founded in 1855 it
passed a sickly and neglected youth until
1867, when it had but II, 600 volumes. and
1000 readers. Stimulated into a new life
in Six years, it haschow $1,000 volumes
$4,000 borrowers, who take to their homes
$4,000 volumes in year; and more than
1000 every day seek these reading rooms.
and besides papers and periodicals con.
suited last year more than 5O,OOO volumes.
Of these %, 900 people many hundreds are
under twelve years of age and many thous-
ands are under nineteen, and of the thous-
and visitors daily more than one half are
under twenty-five.
What comments shall make on these
facts? They are at once the test and the
proof OF a popular craving for aesthetical
culture, and that this Library does its part
to satisfy it. Smoke and dust do indeed.
begrim our city. The clouds which are
belched from the chimneys of founderies
and factories are the symbols of our indus
try and wealth; but they do, indeed. thick
en- the atmosphere with SCOT, and blacken
the building and destroy the newness of
furniture and clothing, and dim the fresh
tlnts which adOrn the beauty Of matrons
and maidens.
But when financial distress or even
panic strikes the land, who bear the strain
with the composure of conscious strength
more steadily than the merchants and
banks of Cincinnati 2
When the war shut off the market Of
the South, what city recuperated more
rapidly from the shock, aud more ener-
getically sought new outlets for its in
dustry2 - .-.-5.s.--
Where has skilled labor sought to rival
with its products your unequaled Expo
sitlon Where have taste and talent
produced a nobler musical festival &?
Where does the appeal for charity from
abroad meet more prompt OF liberal re-
sponse Where are there more efficient
organizations than the Relief Union, the
Bethel, the News Boys Home 2ra T-ra
Where are there more houses in propor-
ton, or houses that are mere filled With
all that Is comfortable and tasteful? And
while we may not have reached the most
extrayagant expenditures for luxuries,
where is there more intellectual, refined,
cultivated society throughout all its gra-
dations?
do not say these results are to be at
tributed to this Library bat l do say they
are the characteristics of a community
highly cultivated, Intellectually and NOR
ally. and who shall say how much of this
culture IS due 10 our school system, and
to the Mercantile Library and the Me-
chanIcs Library and who shall say how
largely these characteristics will Be IN
creased, when this noble institution shall
have enlarged the sphere, and added TO
the vigor of these ennobling influences?
make no apologies far speaking thus
of the virtues of this community. 4 lust
appreciation of ones own worth, whether
In an individual or a community, and Its
moderate expression, without exageration
and unseemly comparisons on fitting oc-
casions, is the privilege Of dignlfied merit
But / have wandered far from the idea
which l intended to present to you. !
have presented the Library to YOU as 3
source of profit intended to present il
to you as a source of pleasure. intended
to speak of the pleasure of reading-of the
pleasure of books. intended to depict
in more glowing thoughts and more elo.
| quent language than could frame out O
their own pages, their use and their pleas.
ures. -'
They teach US the lesson of experience
'"The past but lives in words; a thousand ageI
| Were blank IL books had not evoked their ghosts
And kept the pale embodied shades toWSTn us
From heshless lips" rte- l-Ip4,e
.our life, fame pieeeth long at the end,
And books, it farther backward do extend" q.
They soothe the vexed and dejecteC
spirit ~.
"ThOu, whom the world, with heartless inter
Hath wearisd. and thy spirits hoarried gold s
| Coldly Impoverished, and with husks repaid ,1-s
Turn hither. 'Tis quiet resting place;
l-Communion eloquent and undismsyed =
/ Even with the greatest Of the ancient Earth
Sages and sires OF science. These shall girt
| Above the elements"
fhey touch, With tenderest sympathy
the aching heart.
"The burdened soul, tho burning mind,
In books alone compass ssion find.
| We never speak our deepest feelings;
| Our hOliest hopes have no revealings,
| Save in the gle ans that light the face
Or faneies that the few may trace;
And hence 70 books the heart must turn
When with unsPoken thoughts we yearn.n
They express the emotions Of tenderes
love, when manhood prepares for sweet
heart or already wife, the safe refuge of
peaceful and elevating home t-.rr
"Ceme, let me make sunny realm around the
OF thonght and beauty Here are books an
| flowers
With spells tolOOss the fstters which have bOun
| thee:
The raTeld coil of this worlds feverish hours
intended to appeal to a nearer an,
higher authority-yourselYes.
l intended to recall the intense deligh
with which, in earliest youth, you all reaS
the Arabian Nights and Robinson Crusoe
intended to reawaken the enthusiasm
with which as boys you read the sea scene
OF Marystt and the forest scenes of Cooper
and to cause to well up again out of you
true womanly hearts into filling the eye
with tears which as maidens you shed owe