The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-03-19
4 LIBRARY HISTORY.
EXTRACTS FROM G. w. JOHNS
TONS ADDRESS AT RACINE.
HOW 1T WAS ESTABLISHED.
The Kenosha Public Library Monument
TO the Power and Effect of Advertising
Address to the wisconsin Library
Association Delivered Thursday.

About month ago the local editor
of this paper was invited by the Wis
consin Library association to prepare
an address on the subject of Ways of
Accusing Interest in the Library Move
ment, F" which was to be in the nature
Of an historical account of the Kenosha
movement. The address was delivered
at Racine Thursday afternoon and
was in part as follows:
When [ went to Kenosha, something
like year and a half ago, found
among the greatest of it's needs a pub
lie library. Inquiry developed the fact
that there had been a number of move
ments started at various times looking
to the establishment Of such an institu-
ton. An effort was made at one time
by one Of her Wealthiest citizens to es-
tablish one tOr the use Of the general
public under the auspices Of the Uni
tartan society. This gentleman pur-
chased about 1000 volumes, to which
the general public was given access.
The library was opened only one or two
days during the week, but even under
this system the library was fairly we'll
patronized by not only the Unitarians,
but Il considerable portion of the gen
eral public. The scheme was not con-
sidered, however, an unqualified sue
cess. What the reasons may have been
| never took the pains to inquire. An
other effort had been made by club
known as the Womon's club. This is a
literary society composed of a great
portion Of the best class of women in
Kenosha. They had undertaken in a
slow and laborious way to get together
a library which it was their ultimate
purpose to make the nucleus Of public
library. The club has been in exist
ence for number of years, and while it
has made q very creditable showing in
the matter of purchasing and securing
books, these books were kept entirely
for the use OF the club members and
and have not as yet been opened to the
public There is a faint record stillleft
Of a library having been opened under
private auspices some years ago. In
this instance the books were taken on
the debts of the concern. These three
institutions, however, gave to the read
ing public a strong taste for literature
and served us q sort of ground work
upon which to build the structure,
about which have been invited to tell
you today. Perhaps | ought to say,
too, that there was in Kenosha a num-
Der Of very god private Libraries, some
Of which had been more or less used by
the citizens, one in particular belong
ing to the president OF our public libra
ry association. These, of course, add
ed to the general taste for good litera
ture and the desire for a public library.
1t cannot be said, therefore, that in the
movement to establish public library
in Kenosha we had to begin the work
of cultivation by clearing the ground of
wilderness. Nevertheless the work
was started in a manner similar to the
way in which | believe it should be
started in any town where there has
been no public library and consequent
ly nothing but a desire for one.
Business is something more than bus
iness-with apologies to Thomas B.
Reed. 1t is combination of profess
sions. In that combination is one pro-
fession which [ believe to be of greater
effect than any one other thing which
can be used in the manufacture of sen-
timent for the establishment and main
flamenco of a public library. That is
the profession of advertising. We have
reached a point today where 1t is no
longer possible for a man to successful
~ conduct business without in effective
ways catching the public eye and in
that way the public purse. The meth
DDS of doing this have become more or
less systematized in these later days
until today there is a certain set of
principles upon which this portion of
business is done The scriptures teach
a very strong lesson on the hiding of
lights under bushels. | am strong
advocate of the principles of that les
son. That lesson descending to us,
sanctifed 10y all the years of hoary ages
has become REMARKABLY good for this
age. 4 good thing for the public
should never be let alone. Good needs
cultivation and much working at 1t
never drops from the clouds. 1t is
drawn up out Of the stubborn soil. It's
seed is truth; its harvester the consci-
entious toiler. Business is a public
good; the advertiser its preacher. In
proportion to the preachers story and
the truth telling in it is business sue
cessful. An advertisement is q sermon,
but a sermon is not all there is of a
church. 1t is the essence of its tenn
poral existence, as an ad is the rivet of
public attention.
Without entering into long disser-
tho C,1bioof Of aHvorficipn T