The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-10-21
puRLIc LIBRARY.
views or Ciiizen Of wheeling Upon
the Necessity ofOne.

for the purpose OF submitting 1t 70 Council
and asking that body TO take action upon
n The paper in the abstract Is very good
one, and some OF its suggestions very
good. We will not attempt 10 anticipate
Ihe action OF Council in the matter, but
predict that twenty years from now when
he old papers are being arranged in the
Clerks office, in new city building,
will I've found two papers. Upon one Will
be found this superscription, Proposition
OF the Directors Of the Northwestern Vir-
GINA Agricultural Association to sell to the
city OF Wheeling the Fair Grounds for q
Public Park" and upon the other page
will he found this, "Public Library pro-
iect Of o. w. Russell, Esq, 2 and upon both
OF these papers will be found the sentence
NJ death in these words, received and
fled"
10 he Honorable Members Of he Council Of he
City Of Wheeling:
The undersigned, citizen OF Wheeling
now soiourning at the National Capital,
desires, by way Of memorial, 70 ask OF
you the establishment Of public library
in our municipality. In so doing he be-
lieves he anticipates the wishes OF those
you represent, by whom the cost OF such
an establishment would be betrayed; and
he does not believe, but knows, that their
interests would be furthered by the adop'
ton Of his suggestion.
1t is known to you oil that library
maintained by private citizens, alter ex.
listing many years in your midst, has
proved failure. Through what particul lar
causes 1t reached its demise, your memoris-
list knows not; but having been ire
ouenter OF 1t, being pretty familiar with
books and librarian OF some train
ing in one OF the great libraries
OF the world, he thinks he can I'M
derstand what was necessary to make
IL a success. A wise and energetic
manager. capable OF feeling, paRdering to
and developing whatever desire Tor men
tai improvement and literary recreation
may exist among our fellow'citizensi who
knew by experience or sort OF INSTINCT
what would please their tastes; who could
keep awake an interest in literary matters
by means OF an occasional lecture or per-
formance; and who had enough money at
his disposal 10 purchase the few works
that create sensations 10 the reading world
during twelvemonth, would certainly,
| Il seems TO me, have had abundant means
Of successi in q population wherein children
under six are almost the only people who
do not read, or would not, II each could
find lust what he wanted. Without such
a manager and the library he would make,
/ can easily conceive that OF the $1,000
people who live in Wheeling not 800
would visit the dusty chamber which has
an long been consecFated to literary men,
cries, have not known the fact many
wears, but know 1t now, that to manage a
library is an art, and a very difficult one
100, requiring Judgment experience and
ideas. ~
You have the interests Of our citizens
committed to your care, and well, must
say, do you care for them; but your
thoughts are confined, 1t seems to me, a
little TOO exclusively to the first and most
pressing Of these interests--to the public
health, to the cleanliness OF the streets; to
the general comfort and bodily welfare OF
our people, and to the training in ru.
Elementary knowledge Of the public
schools. Perhaps, up to this time, 1t has
been proper TO devote all your attention
to these things; but Wheeling is now q
large and well regulated city, and you
have leisure, in due season, to consider
interests OF q higher nature, those OF the
mind and character OF persons who no
longer are thumbing arithmetics and
childish histories. AS you have schools
for the children, would IL not be
yell TO have a library for maturer
citizens? A school educates nobody; one
must educate himself or he will never be
an educated man. To educate himself he
needs library OF some kind. Who would
dare to refuse to give schools? And yet
who among you would fear to deny the
people libraryf But in ny opinion they
have as much right to demand one as the
other and as good reasons for doing 80.
He that calls man educated who has
studied a few paltry ehiIdren's books OF
grammar and history calls himself an ig-
norSmus. Gs'
He who pSonounoes It superfuous for
man to know more than enough TO enable
him to Jog along In his trade or business
pronounces himself an ass.
He who, knowing something OF what
education is, does not desire it for himself
or his children, is predestined newer OF
wood and drawer OF water.
He who, desiring education, cannot
profit by the best opportunities to get II,
was intended by the Creator az beast OF
burden, and there is no help for 1t.
And he who fears knowledge fears the
light and the truth.
To none Of these, l am sure, do / ad-
dress myself, Not one OF you doubts that
library would be benefit TO your city.
Your only question 10 whether the ciu'
zens can afford to pay for 1t. For my part,
no matter what the cost may be, / should
say yes, they can afford i, There is a
somewhat different question IN my laina'
can they afford TO do without 1t? | think
not. Ifthey had had good one hereto.
fore, and 1t had closed Ito door,, there
would be q loud clamor to have them re-
opened; but unfortunately they do not
know very clearly what II Is they are miss.
ing. hope you will reflect upon
this subject, and especially with
view to your children and the
new generation OF citizens. l think 1t
will furnish you an opportunity to earn
their gratitude, as well as the applause OF
all the public.spirited people who are
pleased with whatever contributes to the
Improvement or TO the honor OF our city.
shall not undertake to say just what
measures should be adopted. Itmight be
we'll to purchase the books Of the former
library as nucleus. They seem to me to
have been gathered together by accident,
an unattraetiye pass OF literary driftwood:
but may remember them incorrectly.
My only purpose 10 to suggest the scheme
itself; leave the details TO others.
And, knowing that his suggestion will
hat al
it deserves, apd hoping for an early reali.
zstion OF his wish, Your memorialist will
CHAs. W. RUSSELL.
Mr.. LarkIn will present this paper at the
next meeting OF Council.