Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-01-30
CRAFTSBURY ACADEMY.

erly occupied by the residence of Gen.
VIM. Hidden, there has lately been
completed a modest, but beautiful and
substantial, fire proof library building.
The outsi e of the structure is OF
granite and the inside of plastered
brick, with an air space between the
stone and the brick. The floor is of
Swanton marble in four colors. The
interior is finished in white and brown
ash. The roof is covered with tin.
The walls are thoroughly drained and
the basement is utilized for fuel and
heating Three large fues extend to
the bottom of the basement, one for
smoke and two for ventilation. There
are seven windows in the walls,a sky
light six feet wide by twelve feet long
occupies the centre of the roof, and
while adding to the beauty of the cell
ing, furnishes an abundance of soft,
steady light, such as never could be
gained by windows alone. 1t has been
estimated that the shelves will &C
commodate more than three thousand
volumes and the shelving can be
greatly increased if necessary. The
entire cost of the building is about
S1475. co. The marble for the floor was
gift from Mr.. Geo. L. Huntoon of
Lowell. Mass The rest of the cost,
except about 800, has been subscrib-
ed mostly by former students OF the
academy. The enterprise has been
characterized by the large number of
persons who have shown their inter
est in it, which is more gratifying than
large subscriptions would have been.
| 1t is hoped that the remaining 800
will soon be provided by friends who
have not yet contributed, or who feel
like increasing their former subscrip-
| tions, so that the building may be
transferred from the committee to the
trustees of the academy and set apart
| to the use for which it was intended,
| free of debt. A choice collection of
| about two hundred and fifty volumes
have been purchased at various times
during the last fifteen years. Fifty
dollars were given three years ago by
Rev. Joseph Boardman and expend-
ed for books. Seven volumes were
given by F. J. Wilson of Lowell Mass,
in 1892. The bequest of Mrs. Mary L.
Hill of Burlington, promises an ad-
dition of over six hundred volumes.
This bequest was conditioned on the
erection of fire proof building and
hence has already served what was
- h l. Be- sfor 1f n H.
ject. Already does the building seem
to be fulfilling the hope with which 1T
was erected, for in the last three weeks
more than one hundred volumes have
been received from MI. John w. Simp-
son of N. Y every one of them a. book
which would be valued in any public
library The collection includes of
recent publications: nine volumes by
F. Marion Crawford; one volume on
each of the Prime Ministers of Queen
Victoria; Henry M. Stanley's "In
Darkest Africa" in two volumes; John
Lords "Beacon Lights of History in
five volumes of elegant binding; "Bat-
ties and Leaders of the Civil War;" in
four large volumes; "The Life of
Abraham Lincoln," by Hay and Nico-
lay, in ten volumes. Concerning the
two last mentioned, the donor gives
expression to the following noble SEN
timents: 81 send the former because
from it whoever cares to can acquire
minute knowledge of every military
and naval movement of the Rebellion;
and construct a mental picture of ev-
ery scene in that wonderful drama;
and, if possible, I would have knowl-
edge of the war, from the first gun at
Sumpter to Kirby Smiths surrender,
made universal, to the end that all
may learn to appreciate how strong
and steadfast this people can be, when
moved by mighty moral purpose land
at what cost, not only of life and
| treasure, but of courage, wisdom and
patience, this government has been
preserved and made free and endur-
| ing. 1 send the other because it is the
best record, known to me, of great,
beautiful and beneficial life, none more
so in this century at least. No other
merely human life can be so profta-
bly, studied by American youths as
Lincoln's. would have.them all know
it from it's mean beginning to it's
splendid close; and would have on
the wall of every school house, in plain
view, beside the Declaration of indie
pendence and the Emancipation Proc
lamation, copy of the Gettsburgh
address, and the second Inaugural I
would teach from them eloquence,
craftsmanship, patriotism and relig-
ion." Such gifts as this tend to the