The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-06-13
THOMAS M. OWEN
AND HIS BOOKS

A gentlemen of wide reading and obser-
walton, and an author of national repute
as well, commenting on the conditions OF
culture literary life, the library move
ment, womans club efforts and SO on, in
Alabama, stated to a group of thoughtful
men few evenings since that in his opin-
ion specialists must be sought out and put
in charge of these great lines of effort, If
the best results are desired.
ITO illustrate" said he, there should be
at least two great libraries in the state of
Alabama, one at the State university and
one at the capital, maintained as a state
institution. And these should be presided
over by libraries of broad culture, extended
reading, enthusiasm in the work, and
thorough acquaintance with technical Ii
brary detail. They should be in touch with
the same lines of work as conducted by the
progressive heads of the great libraries of
the east and north. Specialization should
be insisted upon, and the incumbents
should be assured of permanence In their
positions
Il have in mind a young gentleman, a
graduate of the State university, and one
of the coming lawyers of the state, who
would make an ideal librarian for institu-
now in Alabama. I refer to Thomas NJ.
Owen, now practicing law in Carrolton,
Pickens county. Notwithstanding he is a
busy lawyer, engaged in the practice for a
livelihood, he has by labor and industry,
coupled witha a natural aptitude, become
one of the most accomplished students and
book men of the time He is indie
fatigable worker. and few are the points
in reference to books and book work he
has not mastered. He is a wonderful col
lector, and it seems that every attic and
trunk of old papers opens at his wish.
His library of Americana, with special
reference to Alabama, y without rival in
the southern field, and every day it in
creases in usefulness and value. 1t con-
tans among other interesting items over
three hundred volumes of newspapers, be-
sides the only practically complete collec-
ton of Alabama state papers. 1t also
tains over five thousand manuscripts, COM
prising the papers and literary remains of
Colonel John Mckee, Governor William
Blount, of Tennessee; Senator John W.
Walker, of Alabama Governor w. W.
Bbb of Alabama: Colonel Jane Caller,
Judge Harry Toulmin, Governor Joshua L.
Martin, Rev. Ebenezer Hearne, and of Col
mel Albert James Pickett, the accom-
plished historian of Alabama. AS instanc-
ing its extent and special value, I am told
that only recently a gentleman from New
York city, engaged in a study of meteoro-
logical phenomena in the southern states
visited his library. and found a vast fund
of data pertinent to his inquiries. There
are not ten Alabama books on its shelves.
GAS an author, Mr.. owen has recently
published through the American Historical
association a photography of Alabama
an octave book of about 500 hundred
pages, a work which stamps him as a
critical and painstaking scholar of the
highest rank. 1t is not mere list of
books thrown together in booksellers fash
ion, but is an annotated presentation of all
the sources and materials for a study of
the intellectual life of Alabama and Ala
bamians. 1t is a veritable Thesaurus, and
contains over five thousand tiles. 1t is
wonderful how one so young could have
CLEANED so much a work usually accom-
plished only after life time of labor.
1T would seem that the service of such
men should be secured for the benefit of
the state, or our public institutions They
are too valuable to be permitted to go to
intellectual waste, as 1t were, An other
fields. In a few years, If he were in con-
troll of opportunities I have suggested, he
would build up an institution that would
make Alabama famous. In Wisconsin it is
the magnificent library of the State His
torical society which has given Madison a
foemost place as an educational centre in
the west, and were / to undertake to do
any historical work in reference to Ala
bama, apart from Mr.. Owens library,
should go there. New Orleans has a pride
in the Howard Memorial Library, Louis
Vile in the wonderful library of Colonel
r T. Durrett, and Richmond tn the Vir-
gnia Historical society library.
why cannot Alabama have one great
really great collection of bookst
II do not know that Mr.. owen would I'M
dertake the work, If rendered him. But If
so, am sure the results would justify his
selection. 1t will be recalled that Mr.. Her.
bert Putnam, now in charge of the Ii
brary of congress, was a practicing lawyer
before becoming the head of the Boston
Public Library, and DR.. Woodrow Wilson
went from his Atlanta law office, by way
of the Johns Hopkins university, to a pro-
fessorship in the great University of
Princeton"