Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-18
A LIBRARY PROBLEM,
How Will Allegheny Control
Mr.. Carnegie'S Gift,
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Will it be Used as a Valuable Ad-
junct to the High SCHOOL,
THEPEOPLEW
COMMISSIONER SCOTTS VIEWS.

The people on the Northside seem to be
considerably agitated just now over the
future disposition of the Carnegie tree libra
ry. The magnificent structure is about
completed. Only few more delicate touches
BY the artists brush and the great store
house, in which is to be garnered knowledge
for the minds of the masses, will be finished
The thousands of people who pass by daily,
admiring the elegance of the massive stone
structure, with its tower pointing proudly
into the heavens, and the public spirit by
which the donor was aetuated when he
made the gift, are asking questions on all
sides: ''What is to be its iuture?" "Who
will be in control?'' "What class or what
proportion of the citizens will have access to
it2'' "Will its advantages be extended to
Pittsburgh" and a score of similar questions
are causing no little comment.
1t is conceded by nearly all that the new
library ought to bear a close relationship to
the public schools, because only by the
former, through the latter, can the taste for
literature Of high class be cultivated and
raised to a higher standard in the coming
generations. With this idea in view, the
Allegheny School Board has extended the
High School course from two to three years,
and has added English literature as q sepa-
rate study.
DEPENDING ON THE LIBRARY.
While it will not be practicable to make
the new library a source from which the
High School or the ward schools will be
supplied with text books on English litera-
ture, the school authorities do expect to de-
rive greater benefit from the new library
than is furnished BY the present one.
The question as to who shall be placed in
control of the new library is bothering those
interested, there being an absence of any
agreement whatever between Mr.. Carnegie
and the city of Allegheny about this mat
ter. Mr.. Carnegie made his donation un-
conditionally, without exacting any prom
ises from the city to appropriate money for
its maintenance, or to look after its proper
management. The building committee will
hand over the new library to the city early
in January. Whether city Councils will
appoint board of trustees from that body,
or will ask the School Board to choose man
ayers, or whether they will be selected from
the independent citizens are matters of con-
lecture. There is feeling that something
ought to be done soon, and there is dispo-
sition on the part of all concerned to make
the start in the right way, as the
future success will depend very large
ly on the manner in which the en-
terprise is conducted. Every intelligent
citizen Of Allegheny is deSirous of making
the library of the greatest value to the
greatest numDer, and how that can be
accomplished is a question that must be de-
termined at the outstart or the whole enter
prise will fall short of the aims and objects
for which it was intended.
NO UNJUST RULES WANTED.
Mr.. James B. Scott, in discussing the
matter in his home yesterday afternoon,
said: "The new library can be made Of an in
cslculable valueto the CITY, ii it is not hamp-
cred with unjust rules and regulations. Its
advantages ought to be placed within reach
Of every respectable citizen. Mr. Carnegie's
intention was to provide a suitable home
for the enterprise, and in this respect 1 |
think it will be admitted, he has been |
highly successful. He relies upon the in |
telligence and public spirit of the city it |
self to provide the contents of the library, |
and to look after Its satisfactory mainten- |
ance. The city of Allegheny has in opera
ton public library under the immediate |
management of the Board of School Con- |
trollers. Personally, L do not know |
whether this library will be transferred |
with its management to the new building, or
whether the city will establish separate
library in the Carnegie structure.
1.-The duties of the commission, of which |
I am Chairman, created to carry out Mr.. |
Carnegie's views for securing home for q
public library, end with the completion of |
the building and the transfer of the same to
the city. 1 do not know that any special
arrangements will be made in the mean
time or not. This library will be free to
all, subject, of course, to reasonable rules
and regulations, such as would be approved
by all intelligent persons, but it will prac-
tically be what the inscription over the en-
trance recites, "A Free Library have no
doubt but that the city, through its authori
ties, will respond to the munihcent gener-
osity of Mr.. Carnegie In this enterprise, and
that TIE city will have library which will
reflect credit in its contents upon the splen-
did home it will occupy.
THE QUESTION OF CONTROL.
''I have been approached frequently bv
citizens of Allegheny as to the details of
the control and direction of the new library,
but am not in a position to answer such
inquiries Ny relation to the project is
confined to the erection and completion of
the building and the property. 1t has been
frequently urged that a permanent Board of
Trustees should be appointed which would
act continuously in directing the affairs of
the library and them anagement of the prop
erty, which board would have a great
advantage in consequence OF its increasing
experience year after year, as the personnel
of our City Council, which contains many
men of very excellent qualities in every
respect, changes every two or three years,
the idea speak of has been suggested to me
on numerous occasions. I allude to this
only incidentally, as it comes outside of the
scope of nv association with the enterprise"
Rev. B. F. Woodburn, d. D., a member
Of the Board of School Controllers, who
takes great interest in the matter, gave it as
his opinion that there ought to be board of
six or seven members, of which the Mayor,
City Controller and the Presidents of City
Councils might be members ex-oficio. The
others should be men uninfuenced bv poll
tics who could remain with the library per-
manently. He said 1t was pity Mr.. Car
negie did not nominate board of managers
when he made the donation, and he thinks
if he would even do so now, the city would
be satisfied. He does not fear any difficulty
about the city making the necessary appro-
priations annually for the maintenance of
the library.
President Young, of the School Board, is
among the ones who are anxious to see the
enterprise started on broad, liberal princi-
pies, with its benefits administered to all.
He anticipates that the new library will be
a great help to the schools.
There is so much interest being taken in
the matter that there is not much fear the
will not be placed in capable
hands. As in the darkest of the dark ages
the lamp of learning continued to shine
with still but steady light, so good effects
resulting from a careful control of the Car
negle Library may eventually be effected in
the community in which it is located.
Preaching to Jail Birds.
Mr.. c. L. Rose and Rev. Martin, the