The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-01-24

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was placed upon me, as President of the
In behalf of the Association, I cordially
welcome you here tonight; not only for
tonight, but at all times when our rooms
| are open to our friends are you welcome
here It ia for your pleasure and your
| profit, as much as our own, are these
rooms thrown open. For long time
some of us have lamented the fact that no
one was willing to inaugurate such q
| movement as this, for surely 1t has been
needed A few years ago it was thought
by some that Circulating Library was
the thing needfnl to increase an interest
in reading, but the history of all circulat.
ing libraries is the same. Hoping to prof.
it by the experiences of the past, we have
started on plan whereby We not only
hope to furnish the current literature of
the day, but by slow degrees, by more
and more, we hope to gather here books
of permanent literary value for a.public
library You will understand then that
this is not Circulating Library. You
are welcome to come here and read our
books, but you are not allowed to take
them away.
Another condition we impose, and that
is that you will not abuse our books while
reading them here, by tearing them or
defacing them by writing on them.
We do not expect the young men aud
boys who are 80 anxious to emblazon
their names on the scrolls of fame, to be
| scrawling and scribbling their names on
our walls or books, or writing doggerel.
I never see boys name written on a
wall but what the old couplet Fools
names, like their faces, are always seen in
public places"
Il rrvt1o 1Sos,
to come sober. We intend this to be
place of decency. Those who al not will
ing to conform TO our rules will simply
be debarred the pleasure of coming here.
We have laid down some plain, practical
rules for our government in reference to
our work, and it is our purpose now to
conform to our rules. We have not con-
templated pleasing every body. We will
make this success on our plan if possible,
and it will be time enough to discuss the
plans and suggestions Of others when ours
fail. Already some have asked why
don't you let everybody in who wants to
come in and be member of the Associa.
ton? answer because it is easier to
manage horse than it is au elephant.
You have all heard of the man who
bought the elephant and then didn't know
what to do with it,. If we had gotten
everybody into this matter, we would
have been wholly unable to have man.
aged it.
We have started out 70 use the figure,
with small horse, but good puller. We
have not had bit of cutting and coming
and banking All have worked together
quietly and patiently, with but one pur-
pose to get there and make this institution
success.
We now open these rooms formally for
the pleasure of those who desire to read
and improve themselves for ladies
and gentlemen. We hope that the busi-
ness men Of the town, after the days work
Is over, will find this more to their taste
than the bar:rooms or dens of vice and
corruption. We believe that the manhood
of our young men will prompt them to
come here instead of there. Here they
may read or engage in social conversation,
without coarseness or rOwdyism. May
God help US save some Of the young men
of our city through this means from de-
bauchery, woe and misery. May they
find something here to improve and to ele-
yate them In social, moral virtue and in
tellect If there are any in our communi-
ty who have attained the ultima thule in
ed here, for we have placed all such trash
under ban and it finds no place here.
Then tn those who come. here for i'm
proyement, I bid you thrice welcome.
snail close what / have to say with
brief history of this movement. In De.
cember last DIR. Diver and myself got to
discussing matters pertaining to the city
Of Anderson, and among other things that
of public reading room. We agreed to
undertake to work up an interest in the
matter. a few Of our young men were
seen and they heartily approved oft An
informal. meeting wns arranged at the
house OF Dr.. Di~-er. where Mr. R. NJ.
Baker, Mr. K: &. Cunningham and myself
met with DR.. Diver. There the matter
touk definite shape. There were two
Others who were to have met with us, but
for s1me reason they were not present, but
sent word for US to go ahead. We went
ahead. By instruction at once saw the
proprietor of this building and secured
these rooms aud got his permission to
three was appointed to have it fitted up,
their taste and judgment. We have not
been doing ''chin work. In this matter,
and it has cost the members of the Associa-
tion some money. We decided to increase
our mem bership to twelve. A meeting
was again held and We adopted a consti-
tuition. Our working member. are limit
cd, but there is no limit to the number Of
honorary members Every active mem
Der believe is ready and anxious to vote
in honorary members, either ladies or
gentlemen, who might feel willing to help
US. be it ever 80 little. in furthering the
objects Of our Association, eitherin books
or money. BY another year we hope to
show long list of these. We hope our
people will not be backward in this mat
ter and let us make them honorary mem-
bers.
Now, ladies and gentlemen, we have just
started, be patient and charitable to our
failings, for we mean well and hope 10
small beginning, but every thing material
must haye-a beginning. Every river has
its little spring away back in the noun
tains. Every majestic oak that defes the
hurricanes blast was once small, insig-
nificant acorn. Whatever may be the fn-
ture of this Association, if it shall help one
to rise in the scale Of human development,
if 1t shall be the means of bringing one
back. from any haunts of vice. shall feel
repaid thousand fold for the little may
be able to contribute here. To my brother
members, who have undertaken the heat
aud burden of the day: may each Of you
live to see rich harvest of good reaped
from your efforts and as one by one we
shall pass over the river that separates
time from eternity, may our places be fill
ed by stronger hands and purses, but with
stouter hearts and nobler impulses never
We have laid oar hands to the plow, and
are pledged to its success. May this insti-
tuition become deep rooted in the minds
and hearts Of our people.
AS it is our aim to establish permanent
library, I beg to present to the Associa-
ton, first. a Bible-the Word of eternal
truth-as its corner stone, aud with it also
copy of the latest edition Of Worcester's
Unabridged Dictionary. May you as we'll
as our friends find instruction aud profit
from both.
at the conclusion Of Mr.. Tribble's
speech, the audience was favored with
some fine mus on the organ, cornet and
flute by Mrs. = yer and the Messrs. Trow-
bridge.
Rev. A. A. Marshall next read very
humorous selection, entitled Various
Languages of Billy Moon"
Miss Carrie McCully then sang pretty
solo, which was followed by more music
on the organ, cornet and flute by Mrs.
Aver and the Messrs. Trowbridge.
Mrs. ". Fl. Frierson and Miss Luta
Bewley sang very sweet duett, HMaybell