The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-19
The benson LIBRARY
Formal Dedication of the
New Building.
ST. AUGUSTINE SCHOOL
THE CEREMONIES Conducted
BY BISHOP CHESHIRE.
ADDRESS BY ARCHDEACON POLLARD
St. Augustine Is One Of the Best ColOred
Schools in the South-'ls industrial
Training is a Special
Feature.

Feature.
Yesterday marked an era in the his
tory of the st. Augustine school, of this
city.
The Importance of the occasion was
felt by everyone of the 300 students, by
the faculty and by the large numer of
visitors.
A new library building was dedicated
with appropriate ceremonies. The Ben
son Library Building" is the gift of
Miss Mary Benson, of Brooklyn, \. y.
1t is a handsome stone structure, de
signed by one of the first architects of
America. 1t is reproduction of the
Ames Library building at Easton, Maine,
which was planned by Richardson, the
architect who built the famous Trinity
church in Boston, and the Capitol at Al
bany, \. Y.
The dedicatory exercises began with
religious exercises in the chapel-the
beautiful architecture of which, by the
way. corresponds with that of the lib
rary. Rev. Mr.. Hunter. the principal of
the school, read the lesson for the day.
and Rev. DR.. Marshall rector of Christ
church. and Rev. Mr.. Delaney read the
prayers.
AT the conclusion Of these services
the students and visitors adjourned 10
The library. where the formal presenta-
tinn of the building was made by Rev.
Mr.. Pollard. archdeacon of the work
among the colored people of North Caro-
lima. and was accepted and formally ded-
icated by Bishop Cheshire.
As the library was entered the hymn
"Ancient of days which SitteSt throned
in glory" was sung.
After his dedication prayer the Bishop
spoke of the Importance Of the occasion
TO the school, the colored race and the
Episcopal church in North Carolina.
To-day st. Augustine school enters
upon a new era. It is not necessary
now to look back TO the dark days
through which it has struggled. 4 bright
er day has dawned and ii is nearing IFS
noon of success and prosperity. let us
look to the future and thank God for
his goodness. for this gift and for the
strong friends that have been raised up
in the north TO this institution.
I'VE have in this building fine home
for n library-a fitting home. Here the
teacher will find "a source of help and
inspiration to his pupil Indeed a lih-
rary is in itself school, when properly
used The best thought of the ages is
here. and by contact with that we train
our minds. enlarge our conception, gain
experience and acquire wisdom. God
has given us intellectS by which we may
he guided. With This great gift comes
the responsibility Of properly using it,.
To do this it must be trained and culp-
tivated. Ignorance is therefore a crime.
But with the cultivation of mind must
also go the cultivation of heart An
education which does not do that is n
failure"
With these and other remarks along
the same line, Bishop Cheshire intro
dleed the Rev. Mr.. Pollard. who made
the formal presentation OF the building
He said:
I'VE have assembled here today to
join in the dedicatorial services of this
building to the purposes for which it is
being erected. Following the erection
OF schools and churches for the dis
domination of secular and religious
knowledge, comes next in order the lib
rary for the infusion and diffusion of
knowledge in all its branches. Such n
collection of books is an absolute neces-
sity for an institution of this kind where
the young and active minds residing for
period on these grounds can come in
contact with the best thoughts of the
world
LAS a people, there are only a few
such buildings open for our free use.
There should be many. We are too
poor to buy many books, and hence a
free library becomes an actual necessity
10 meet the demands made upon us.
Here we learn to think our own thoughts
and to utilize the best thoughts of the
age. Here we learn the art Of ingather-
ing of knowledge from the great harvest
fields of literature, art and science,
spread out all around us The times de-
mand that we should be men Of thought
and action, men well read in the learn
ing and skill of the ages, past and gone,
and being thus cOnyersant with all that
was good in the days of yore, we shall be
SO much better prepared to grappIe
with the problems of the present hour.
and to meet all the difficulties that may
confront us in the future.
YIihe dedication of u library with
its shelves rich in all the treasures of
the thinking men and women of the
world, who have lived their days, acted
their parts upon the great stage Of hu.
man life and made their exits, bequeath.
ing the valuable treasures Of knowledge
and experience in human affairs which
they had gathered by study and applica.
ton as they j0urneyed through life Ia
those who should follow them, ought
to be n day of great rejoicing, and day
Of supreme awakening from mental in
activity and supineness.
1--WE should profit by the thought and
experience of other men, and gather
rich stores of valuable knowledge from
the treasures which they have given us
and filling our minds with these accumu
latiOns of the worlds learning and thcr
adding our own researches and investi
cations to these store houses Of use
fulness. we shall be able to meet the
demands made upon us in the social
the civil, the mental and the religious
world.
Here the student can come and ST
down with the sages and wise men Of
all the centuries, commencing with then