The Savannah morning news., 1900-11-03
GEORGIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
AND Irs Library oF $1,000
volt WIS.
Trustees Of the TeIfair Academy 90
Arts aud Strncrs-The Largest Col
lection af Hooks la the CitN.


Trustees Of the TeIfair Academy 90
Arts aud ~trnccs-The I.arErat Col
lection of Hooks ia the cas-.
m the ,irls days OF the year i,s9. Mr
J. *. TDnt "a that time the popular
cashier ~ tae Bank az tho State ~ Gcor-
STA aui @ we'll known collector 81 auto
graphs with , more than .oeal reputation
as a man ford 81 historical research.
proposed to two 10 his friends pr Rich
ari % Arnold and pr. william Bacon
stevens. hs founding % ro.igty "for
collecting preserving and d,nusiug inior-
NATION relating Co thc history Of the
State 90 Georsis lu particular. ana Of
American history generally These three
gentlemen at once tpok measures looking
90 the prompt Ga nImsnt OF their desire.
lui the result wa the establishment on
lasting fouudltou 81 tho Gcorsil HIS
torieal society. iu tho spring ~ the Same
year whose mcmh,rshlp embraced men
90 hieh literary. political and social
staudiue throughout thc whole state.
one 81 the obiecis 81 this institution Wa
to create q library for tho use 81 its
membcrs.' but fnr some yeafs the books
collected were almost entirely - histor-
ical character. treaung OF state ana ma
,ional a. weH as OF general history. Many
valuable manuscripts were llso collected.
some of wniCh have never yet been print
ga. although che society has used some ~
its valuable material 600 the form Of vol
umes Of collect IONS watch % has Published.
ha Of O. ma
lies OF tis mcmhera soeu became general
Notwithstanding tns eNistrnce OF d cirCu-
hting library heloueing to che savannah
Library Society. an organization founded
bon the year lNi9 The clfN Wa not then
large enough e. support two libra
ries ana 300 lsT tnc matter Of
union was proposed Son mtsBue ~ both
societies. The condition OF the elder being
in the language 81 one OF lts members
lon.ui- hiug and nearly collapsed.
while chat of che other was as having -
presnrious pecuuiary foothoid The un-
iot WAS speedily aud happily Effected by
the terms Of which the name Georgia His
torioil Society wa retained and thc
library OF tho other holy. amounting to
- volumes was merged into that of 'he
successor. From that time the collection
81 books has steadily grown. the volumes.
according fo che last report 90 the libra
ran. numbering az thr time 1870
The home 81 the library D. Ho'igsou Hail
iult by the late Mrs MARGARET TelfaT
Hodg-ou. az "a memorial of her husband
Mr.. William Brown Hodgson. for many
cars an active member Of the society.
ard for "a time one OF its officers Tho
building. toEcther win tine ground upon
which 30 stands. BE- sid Co have coss Mrr
Hodgson Sinuou aud ls held in trust for
the association which unfortunately has
no. endowment fund but be- dependent TOR
its running expenses and tine purchar.
OF books upon the annual dues OF its
membera. There les no public library
properly so-csllsd. lu savannah. bat this
IN ereat measure supplies the place Of
one ami is accomplishing much 90 furnish
ing reading matter 20 large number 81
citizens. who for the reasonable amount
% s. g year. have an ut its privileges
including the use ~ looks an home a.
well rs in tho buItiiug whore there ar
To- he found q wcll-storked reference de-.
pariment. and large assortment OF the
rett periodicals. Hes.des these benefits
each subscriber is given "a ticket admit
ting him. or her. ~ Oh, Telfair Academy
- AriF AMI s iences at all times CON
iierIue ola these advantage. 90 b. a mat
ter ~ wonder thut The membership ts
nor much larger chan So g. Alm.s .ou into
tne society being uu easy matter. As an
'tncationni promoter the library D. great
blessing 90 savannah. and % should ha
much more generally patronized
By %" terms ~ tho will or tho late Mis-
Mar Telhir the Tolfair Academy OF Arta
and irnces was established and tho
Groreia Historical Society was uame,l as
thr trustee FOR carrying ont the tcstator'
wishes in the management thereof Bv
reason % the choice OF tho Historical So
'ieiy as the trustee. many persons are I'D
60 believe that che latter derives some
benefit from the trust fund. hut this b.
o great mistake Not one cent OF tho
toadcmys fuude can o. used in promoting
the work of tho Georgia Historical so-
Grey The board ~ managers ~ the on.
body are called upon 10 look after tho
proper care and management OF the other.
and there the matter ends
or these two institutions Savannah NAV
well De- proud The Tclfair Art Gallery
b. tho only one in tho safe Of Georgia
and Is wcll stocked with objects 81 ar,
~ great beauty nud value. while the Hhri
rv % che Georgia Historical society. with
Dos rare documents fine department ~
references books. reading room. containing
nearly all cf che leading periodicals. ana
its large miscellaneous collection. h. prob
ably squat 20 any IN the state both in
respect 20 the number ~ volumes and tho
value % the same