Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-08-17

and let the measure pass. Seventeen years
Of courtshipis enough even for the patient,
long-sufiering Vermont farmer
The First Library E,tRblIshsd In West
minister We,t,
An interesting book, or part of a book,
rather. containing the records Of this libra
ry is still in existence. Upon the dissolution
Of the organization in 1884 the book APP
pears to have been left with Alvan Good
ell, who was one Of the committee in charge
at that time, and is now ia the care Of his
daughterin.l law, Mrs. NJ. j. Goodell 1t
WIS apparently a book of good size, II inch
es in length, 5 in width and containing
a hundred leaves or more. 1t has been cut
in half so tina, only the upper part is left,
and about one-half the original record re-
mains From that, however, a pretty good
idea of what the library was, and how it
vas managed, can be gained. 1t was es-
tablished IN 1902 and was disbanded in
1884. The occasion of its establishment
was an act of the legislature passed in
$500, for the purpose of incorporating
such libraries wherever they were desired.
Under this act a meeting of the citizens Of
the West Parish Of Westminster was call
ed for May l., 1902 AT that time what is
styled a covenant was agreed upon and
signed, rules and regulations to the number
of fourteen were established, officers were
chosen and the library set in motion. The
covenant cites a part of the act of the leg
islature Most of the names of the sign
ers were upon the lower half of the leaf
which has been cut away. From the
names found in what remains of the rec
ord, it is TO be judged that there were 50
or a hundred signers, including all the
leading citizens of the place. The require
ment for membership is also lost, but it is
evident that sum of money, probably as
much as a dollar, was required and an an
nual assessment which, perhaps, was not
more than % cents. The officers consist
ed Of a moderator, clerk, collector, libra
rian, assistant librarian, and an executive
| committee of these, whose duty is given as
that of the general management Of the
| library. 1t was opened for the drawing of
| books once a month as ii would appear,
and each proprietor could draw books TO
the value of 81 so The penalty OF retain
ing book over time was l2t cents day
and the fines seem TO have been vigorously
enforced.
The annual meeting was in November
| The chief citizens were chosen TO fill the
| offices, among them being the minister,
the deacons, the doctors, the hotel keepers,
the captains of the military company, etc.
| A partial catalogue of the books has been
preserved. There were about 100 volumes
/ at first, purchased with the membership
| fees, and others were added from year TO
I year from the assessments. Some 20 vol
umes were thus added for several years
but gradually the namber diminished, prob
! ably by reason of the withdrawal of mem
I bar than 81 pr = ~
pended for new books annually. For the 80
! years of its existence nearly 400 volumes
J were placed upon its shelves. Religious
| books were in the great majority. Volumes
/ of sermons were more numerous than any
| other condition OF things exactly the reverse
! of what it now is. Very few such volumes
are TO be found in our village Libraries. An
| examination of the catalogue of the pres
ent library has failed to disclose so much
] as a single volume of sermons, and the
names OF the few clergymen who are given
as authors are in connection with their
! stories, like Beecher with his Norwood or
| Murray with his Adirondack Adventures.
| There was a considerable number Of books
of voyages or travels, some histories and
books of poetry, with very few stories or
novels, such as our present libraries are
| largely composed of, and they are more
| BtutIdll1 Iedu ludu any Olutl pOlllOu vi
our libraries. The fathers certainly fed
upon strong meat, which made them strong
men. The most costly set in the whole
collection was NJ lman's Church History
which cost S12 10, Mosheim's Church His
tory S12; WitherspOon's Works, IS so;
Lewis and Clarks Expedition, $3.50; New
toms Works and Sacred Biography each,
So; Lathrop's Sermons, 1915, etc. At the
sale in 1884, Milman sold for 81 95 and
Witherspoon for $1.20 The books were
mainly bought at Walpole of l. Thomas &
Co., and later of VIM. Fessenden. For
some time previous TO 1880 there is sign
of decreasing support for the society, as
the purchase of new books decreased, but
nothing to indicate breaking up until the
annual meeting in November, 1888 A COM
mittee was then appointed to revise the
constitution, evidently with the intent to
draw in greater support Before that com
mittee was ready to report, it was conclud-
ed best to disband by selling the whole
property of the corporation and giving up
the charter. The sale was effected, doubt
less, at auction, in part in March, 1884,
and completed a. another sale in November.
John Smith, who was a deacon of the
Baptist church of SaXtons River, and re-
sided upon the farm now owned by f. L..
Harlow, was the largest purchaser.