The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-04-19
Town Library and Reaa'ns Room.
EDITOR TIMES:

EDITOR TIMES:
4 the annual town
meeting held on the 1st inst, it was
resolved that the Board of Supervisors
be authorized and instructed to ex-
pend upon the Town Library sum
not to exceed $50. This resolution,
however well intentioned, viii be in
operative, for the reason that there is
no Town Library established to receive
the appropriation.
II may be useful to keep in view
the law on the subject Of Libraries.
The revised statutes provide for three
kinds Of township libraries; first, COM
mon school, second, town, and third
free libraries.
1 Common school libraries 4 school
district annual meeting has power to
vote tax Of 800 in any one year for
a district library; the books to be Sc
lected under the advice of the State
Superintendent who shall prescribe
rules for the management Of the libra
w. Sec: l66, 40.
2 Town libraries. sThe electors of
each town have power at any annual
town meeting to vote by ballot to es-
tablish a town library; the ballot must
be separate, containing the words for
town library" or against town
library" and when the library is es-
tablished, the electors have power to
raise a sum not exceeding $3.50 in any
one year to purchase books etc. The
town meeting elects the librarian, and
the town Board may make library
rules and shall direct the purchase Of
books and other expenditures. Sec.
rs, sos, $40.
3 Free libraries. The establishment
Of free library and reading room
must be submitted to vote, and be APP
proved by majority Of the electors; if
50 approved the town board may an
nually levy one mill ON each dollar of
the taxable property, to constitute the
library fund and shall also appoint
nine managing directors. Sec. 931.
932. 933.
\ library and reading room under
the control of the state superintend-
ent or Of the town board may be quite
suitable for some localities, but can
the citizens Of Superior not do better?
Why cannot we at once open a read
ing room and eventually a library, al
together under the management OF
those who patronize it? a small sub
sidy from the public purse IS not a suf-
ticient inducement to wait an indefn-
tie time for a favorable vote by Il
town meeting, and then allow the in
stitution to be managed 10y public Of
fieials who have already plenty of
work on their hands Immediate steps
should be taken to open a reading
room; it would be useful to our bust
ness men in many respects, and would
be of great benefit to a large number
of young men who ut present have no
place Of resort in the evenings, except
saloons.
We have at least twenty saloons in
town and at moderate calculation
they will draw in the course of 4 year
$1,000 each. Forty thousand dollars
year spent in drink, IS a bic sum for
q small community, and it Is not to
orr credit that we delay year after
year to establish reading room. For
the honor Of the town let Il few gentle
men meet and become leaders in a
movement, in which they are sure to
be well supported.
If only a dozen Of our citizens who
want a reading room, will hand IN
their names to the TDrE9 Office, they
WI be asked 10 attend a preliminary
meeting to arrange what IS best to be
done. Is.