Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1898-08-13
u,srORY OF THE BAXTER IL
BRARY.

t;cle from the assurance we feel
that there are many in this COM
munity who will rejoice to see EN-
baimed in history some OF those
names who have labored 40 ear
nestly to build up and preserve the
most important institution our city |
possesses today-Aug. ID. 1898.
We also write with the belief that
in the future as the senior genera
ton now on the stage of active life
shall pass, the youngest genera
tons now rapidly pressing to the
front will be delighted to take up
copy of the Baxter News and from
this oldest paper under one contin-
uous name in the county find rec
ord of their city library. Our prin.
cipal object shall be to preserve
some of the original landmarks OF
an institution, whose value will be
more fully appreciated when It
shall become permanent part OF
an intelligent city and when all OF
her citizens shall be invited freely
to enjoy all of the privileges OF the
only university that Baxter Springs
can ever hope to possess.
The first libraries of Baxter were
libraries belonging to her several
churches and were donated from
eastern friends and churches. The
Presbyterians owned the most val
liable one, a gift of Congregational
society in the Blanford mountains
of western Massachusetts,; Miss
Emma Pierce, a principal OF our
high school, 80 we'll remembered
by the students of 1884, was rep
resentative of that church. But
such libraries were generally
ephemeral.
The second effort for more read
ing matter was the work of the
High School during the year above
given. This was organized on the
plan of the Philadelphia Library
by Franklin; each member gave a
dollar or work worth dollar OF
more. Thus more than one hun
dred books were placed in our high
school and the two sets OF cyclope'
dias, Johnsons and Chambers, the
only valuable reference books with
the exception of the Unabridged
Dictionary, that our public schools
have ever enjoyed. During the firs'
and second summer vacations iron
three 10 five thousand pages were
reported as read at the opening o
autumn terms by different pupils
In 1886 there was organized yer,
excellent Chautauqua circle; thi'
became a very large circle in lsS
and continued through the fou
wears course. Mrs. DR.. Street ant
Mrs. B. +. Crowell and Mrs. Clarl
were the prime movers-those thre
names will suggest pleasant mem
cries to many of our readers. Tina
was a very intellectual period Il
the history of Baxter Springs and
demand for a public library wa
keenly felt. The trio above named
with Mrs. Terrill, the principal G
the high school, Miss Stella Caruti
Miss Clara Terrell, Mrs. DR.. Graf
and several others who have lei
Baxter or who have passed beyon
the river of death, and large nun
her of those who are still Twin
with us today took a very actiV
part in building up library. The
fitted up the west room in the cit
building where they held their eli
Gle and their business meetings.. !
membership fee of two dollars wa
first charged and some three hun
dred volumes were purchased
There the library continued unit
1889 when come of the member
thought il should be moved to Mi
itary street. Mrs. Craig, very an
bilious, sagacious and crafty W.
man with an eye to business, o
fered place in her husband's dru
store which was accepted. A c.
clone soon struck the drug stoi
and carried it TO Guthrie, Oklah'
ma; what was left of the library wa
hacked in a box aud left benin
Thus ended the first chapter OF OF
Baxter library.
In 1890 some new characters al
peared on the stage of action. Mr.
A. Sands from Iowa, Mrs. S. !
brewster from New Jersey, Mrs.
s. Warner from Connecticut, to
meriy of Brooklyn, n. Y. Tho
three ladies prayed for the resu
rection of the library--they all b
l;eved in work as well as pray
and In a short time an orgauizati'
was formed with Mrs. A. Sands
oresident, Mrs. S. A. Brewster
secretary aud Mrs. B. S. Warner
treaaurer. These were the rig
persons in their right Places-ea
one possessed strong execute
abilities and the good work NOV
forward. They soon secured roc
that was known as the Bio
property. They visited all
hnainess houses In Baxter and
e 4. Ho,.atfon 0f