The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-08-18
BETHANY PARK.
Librarian Dunn and Senator voorhees, Enter
tain Large Audiences with Lectures.

tain Large Audiences with Lectures.
Yesterday was Historical day at Bethany
Park, ana afforded the visitors some rare
entertainment in the way of the lectures
delivered. After the usual morning prayer
meeting, led by Rev. G. +. Irelan. and the
$3.50 conference Oh the Roman Letter. at
1880. Jacob p. Dunn, jr, State Librarian,
addressed the audience on the subject OF
Library Education in Indiana" Mr..
Dunn makes no special p~retensiOns to be-
ing an orator. but his earnest, honest pre-
~sentation of his subject made q favorable
impression on the minds of his hearers. 1t
is wise, he said, to accustom the young to
rely on their own strength. They should
also be taught that there come times when
natural strength fails. and that the strength
which endures longest is that which
has been most carefully built
up. and which is reinforced at
critical moments from outside sources.
He urged on his hearers that il is to the in
terest OF the church M the advancement
Of manhood that helpful work he extended
In the State OF Indiana into a new channel.
lie did not mean a distinctive church work,
but one with all the aid and encourage
ment members of the church can give 1t.
He referred to the establishment and main
tenance OF free public libraries. They are
a source of strength to the church. for as
civilization advances man becomes more
and more a reader. The simple thoughts
of ruder life find ample expression in con-
versatlon, but the more full and valuable
product of study and reflection must be
put into written language to be commu-
nlcated accurately and permanently. Writ.
ten language is peculiarly the language OF
higher civilization. As man advances to
the higher plane the church must keep pace
with him, for wherever man is the enemy
Is, anu wherever the enemy is there must
the church be.
The speaker then showed that the church
had In every department of literature
writers whose thought constantly led the
great trouele lies in getting this literature
before the people. Everywhere the arch
enemy has his books circulated in prOfu-
sion, and they can be found at every cross
roads, at from 5 to 20 cents apiece in price.
There Is but one way to correct this evil.
and that is, where it offers a book for ten
cents, morality must offer a good one for
nothing. "Of all the help that can be
offered to a fellow-man, the most efficient
and the most potent for good is that which
giving him better associations, gives him
better thoughts. If one can interest a mar
In science. or history, or art, or literature.
1t Is putting him more nearly in reach OF
the highest and hottest aspirations that can
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a question of inducing. people to
read, but it is O question of Civ
ing them an opportunity to, read.
The speaker then gave examples, showing
how, in early days, when the libraries were
free, people were very well read. One
library. of pa vOlums. had q circulation of
6lS. The thing to do is TO make books ac-
cesslble, since many are. for various rea.
sons. deprived of proper reading. He said
be believed the time is at hand when In.
diana should take a step forward in this
department of education. The most favor
able and practical planis to revive and inn
organized in the State t~hirty-five years ago.
They were originated under a law that was
a part of the school law of 1852. 1t pro-
vided for q tax of Il of a mill on the dollar,
or % cents on $1,000. and q pOll-tax of Is
chase of township libraries. This tax was
to be collected for two years only. BY
Nov. 1854. $l71 ,319.07 had been collected,
and S147.222 expended for books. This law
was very imperfect as to distribution. In
stead of giving a library to each township.
1t directed that ten Libraries should be
furnished each county having more than
1900 inhabitants. and six libraries to conn
ties having less than 10000 inhabitants.
These libraries had to be divided equally
among the various. townships. The result
was that $50 libraries were divided among
gSS townships, and the basis of distribution
to counties was SO unequal that there
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than full libraries, each of which had
more population than one entire
county that received six full libraries.
Another thing was that the libraries had
divided. This process of division has since
been continued as the townships increased,
to the present number of 1,O12, and the
Libraries affected have proportionally de-
creased. notwithstanding this, Caleb Mills,
State School Superintendentin 1856, declared
that never had an equal amount of tax &C
complished more for education than had
this. In 1868 a tax of lilo of u mill on the
dollar was levied for this purpose. but it
was diverted to build up the Terre Hante
Normal School. The tax law was repealed
in 1867. and since, the libraries have been
left to take care of themselves. Mr.. Dunn
gave 1t as his plan, that: /. A tax should
| be levied to support and increase the libra
ries. This should not be less than 20 cents
on 81 600. 2. Librarians should be employed
in each township. and the work of caring
for these Libraries -shOnid not be left to
trustees who are already busily engaged.
He said there are 1O0, 600 volumes of the
books of the old libraries that can yet be
collected and made to form the nucles of
new libraries.
At 2:SO p. NJ. the tabernacle was well filled
to hear Senator Voorhees, lecture on
Thomas Jefferson" He recounted the
early life of Jefferson, and then showed the
spirit of the time in Europe that had just
preceded Jefferson's coming on the stage of
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traced. too, the rise and progress of civil
and personal liberty, and its final grand
elimination on our American shore, and
showed what part Jefferson had taken in
bringing this about. Jefferson was largely
instrumental in causing the anti-slavery
clause to be inserted in the deed conveying
the Northwest Territory to the government.
In this he expressed his true opinion of
slavery. His position on the question pro-
vOked great ~antagOnism among his cOun-
trymen. His career as ambassador to
France, just at a time when the mighty rev.
OlutiOn of 'S9 was on the eve of bursting
forth, was recounted. He could not help
sympathizing with the oppressed of the
land, and for the interest he took he has
been fiercely assRiled. 1t was his sympathy
for dOwn-trOdden humanity that prompted
him to make his trip incognito through
France, investigating the condition
of the people. He afterward warned
the king that a revolution was at hand and
strove to bring about a reformation, such
as would avert the disaster. His efforts
were, however. i'll vain. After this Mr..
Voorhees, traced Jefferspn's part in the for
nation of our government. He was inter-
rupted a number of times by applause.
The evening entertainment was a concert
of sacred music given by the MartinsvIlle
choir. To-day closes the work of the As
sembly for the year. The services will be,
in the morning. 1.-THE Greed of Christlani-
ty," by b. b. Tyler, New York; IN the aft
ernoon. The intermediate State of the
Dead" by j. b. Birney, Illinois. In the
4 evening l.. III. Slime. of New Albany will