Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-11-09
TIE FLuronTn LIBRARY.
| Present Necessity Cor a Better Equipped
aud Larger Building,

To the EDITOR eff the Free Press:
Vweutv-hve years ago visitors used to
say Of Burlington that its scenery was
superb, that It's private residences were
elegant, but that Its public buildings were
unworthy Of it, The ceusare was deserv-
ed. And certain embarrassing infer
ences from this disproporton of public
spirit to private wealth could not well he
evaded This state of things has now been
happily changed Hdlf-a-dozen new
churches, the federal building, the coun-
~ court house, the high school, the Mary
Fletcher hospital, the opera house, the
college buildings, especially the Billing,
| library, the two Rock Point schools,
| the Howard Relief building and
| the Young Mems association building, are
vii credi.sble and many of them hand
some edifces, and together give to our city
degree of architectural impressiveness
which now attracts the admiration Of Wis
itors. The public school buildings do
not, as whole, adequately express to the
outward sense the Importance OF the
great interest for which they stand, nor
| should we wish q stranger to estimate our
| interest in municipal, State, and national
government by the polling places in the
several wards. Some things still remain
| to be done
One public building, however, above all
others, is now an imperative and imme-
| date need that is building for the
| Fletcher Free Library. The collection OF
| books, as our citizens well know, is a most
valuable one, now nearing 1000 volumes,
and growing at the rate of 1000 volumes
annually. Do our people fully appreciate
what 1t is to have their children grow up
| in Il community in which the best itera-
| ture is freely circulating through all their
| homes Do our professional men, our
| progressive business men, our artisans.
| know how much Is meant by the privl-
| lege OF getting ordered any book for
which there is even moderate demand |?
| When we find that the best books OF the
day are no sooner placed on The shelves
than they are in demand, and when we
learn from the librarians into what tani
lies such books 90, we begin TO appreciate
the benefit of the Fletcher Free Library
| TO our community
But the building in which we house this
noble collection is unworthy of it and uu-
worthy of the city. AS u county court
| house III primitive times ; rs tabernacle
Tor homeless church as tenement for
| Il school board, an engine company, and
| firm Of ingenious luckSmths, it mas had q
useful existence of nearly century. But
Tor u library building 1t has no adapta-
lions and no possibilities of any. 1t Is
not necessary to specify its defects, eXter-
|
the secretary of the trustees have, with
realistic plaInness, exposed its dlscom-
forts and Inconvenience, it's leaks and
draughts, its uusiGhtllness, untidiness,
mustlness and general air of dlapida-
| ton Every citizen of Burlington is al
ready convinced that this is not the style
of building fit to bear the name OF It's
public library.
The building now called for by all CON
sideratiOns OF civic pride, convenience,
safety and regard or the future, should
have Architectural comeliDess correspond
inG to that of buildings of the kind else
where, and should be adapted to all the
probable demands upon 1t for the next
century 1t should have floor space
enough for stacking 5000 volumes with
out requiring the librarians to climb stairs.
1t should have an ample reference library
room where all the books properly so
classed could be freely consulted. 1t
should have a, large, well.lighted reading
room, capable Of seating 50 readers of the
newspapers and periodicals to be therein
Kept. Such s. building would cost 800, 600.
Ii should, for the SAKE Otimpresslve effect,
for quiet, for safety from ti"e and tor I'd
hitting light on all four sides, be At some
distance from other buildings. The si' G
Of the present building would not answer
10 these conditions, ana for other reasons
is objectionable. The city lot east OF O.
Il. Smlth's feed store or, the old W hcele.
streetS, or the southeast corner Of Mrs
john H. PeCk's place, would better meet
The requirements OF the needed building.
Bat how 90 get such building j. the
main que'tlCn. II the c,tl were not already
In debt Tor public improvements If there
were not ii prospect Tor Years to come of
heavy eXDend lures for school hOusts, Tor
! the water system, sewerage, grading,
paving, Hud burdens which seem t. Dt
coming all IN heap upon this geaeration
we ~ jght show good reason Why the city
| should tax Itself Tor the erection OF {
suitable building Tor its public library
But - things are, small hope lies IL that
direction Let G~see if there is not sOmi
other eGd more excellent way.
Que very marked and most happy out
come Of Tie abundant material prosper
ny oil our American people, Is The lHFat
devotion Of private wealth tc public Uses
: Nothing in our always amazing social life
20 completely a,nHZes foreigners ~ this
} MIS- George L Marsh SAID that the pur
chase Of her nus bands library aud the
Eltt OF 1t TO public Institution by pr
Vdte individual was 10 the Italians so as
founding as to he scarcely credible. Mr.
Phelps remarked dnring his visit las
2 sUmme that the public spirlO shown by
our wealthy men Was the theme OF al
Mining comment By Engiishuicu. VIII
Matthew Aruo!d's leave, here at least il
something that IS "in-eresting' and no
at all "philistine" While GRO hers ar,
declaimlng against the greed and selfish
ness OF wealth, wealth Is pouring ltS mil
r Hons into the channels of beuevoleuce
= EndOwments of libraries, museums gal
lerles Of art, hospitals, churches, school
OF learning, are the common pl tce item
Of the newspapers. This furnishes tn
best answer to socialism communism, ant
the various dwelling theories OF the times
When wealth feels its obligations, ant
= recognizes its opportunities it turns hat
, into admiration, and envy into graf
l tude.
1t might seem that the name of the Ii
brary, the Fletcher Free Library, Nigh
S deter any other person from giving tb
; library building Donors naturally wis
e to attach To public gift either their owl
{ name, or that of their family, or som
/ other beloved name. In this case there
nothing to prevent one so doing. Tn
name of Fletcher is attached only to tn
I books, and only to the books purchases
from the Fletcher fund. The bnildin
might receive any name that might b
!. desired This is not an unusual practic
i in case Of libraries, The Billings Libra
q ry" is the name of the building whic
I contains the library of the University an
d several special collections. Gore Hall
|, contains the Harvard library. The fl
II nous Radcliffe Library" at oxford /
he name of the building Ouly Th