The Newtown bee., 1901-01-11
TOWN TOPICS. X COMPOSITION ON THE NEWTOWN
 LIBRARY

TWIN lOE 1~Cs
 X COMPOSITION ON THE NEwTowN
 LIBRARY
 SCHOOL.
 Rev George T. Linsley, President of the John Beach Memoral li- brary, Dear Sir: Realizing the importance of getting our young people interested, in books and reading and knowing the many bene- fits and pleasures derived from such a habit, have offered as an incentive along this line free subscription for one year to the pupil attending North Center school writing the best compo- sition about our library. submit their work to you and request that you decide to whom the prize is due. It is to be regretted that the teachers of our town take so little interest in the library. Here we have through the generosity of Miss Beach beauti-
  over 5000 carefully selected volumes the reading of which would result in much good to the youth of our town. Yours very truly,[-P.uH. Mccarthy.
 Newtown, Conn.,, January ', 1901, MT P. H. Mccarthy, Dear Sir: Your recent letter in regard to the he.competi- tion among your scholars for the prize subscription for writing the best con- position about the Newtown library was duly received. It is very gratify- ing to me and must be also to all who are interested in the success of our li- brary to see you manifest your inter- est in such real way, viz, by doing something to influence others to be interested in books and reading. I speak of the success of the library and what do I mean? The success of the library must consist in the general use of its books. You are commencing in the right way when you seek to inter- est the children of your school in the library and the books which it con- tains. hope other school teachers of the town will follow your example and try to have the scholars feel that this library is for them. I have read with care and interest all the compositions which you placed in my hands and my judgement is the one by Mary B. Lake is the best and entitled to the prize. The others are of almost equal merit though extremely brief in treatment, and desire to give praise to Paul T. Wolcott, Anna Carlson, Eleanor Cava- naugh and Marguirite Cavanaugh. remain, Very truly yours, George T. Linsley, president.
 A COMPOSITION ON THE JOHN BEACH MEMORIAL LIBRARY.
 When the library first started there were few books gathered by Miss Mary F. Peek. It started with hun dred volumes. New books were added from time to time in small numbers. The first library was organized Decem- Der Il, 1875 in the 'postoft1ce building, now occupied by the Newtown Sav- ings Bank by little band of men who must have felt and known what good reading means to a place like this. These men were Abel Stillson, Ezra L. Johnson, Douglas Fairchild, Edwin Clarke, Zalmon S. Peck, Edgar K. Hawley, Charles Fairman and Elmer Fairchild. About the year of 1885 the asSocia tion was in very critical con- dition. The charter was received and recorded by the town clerk, c. H. Peck, January 15, 1877. The first librarian was Miss Mary F. Peck. She served from 1875 to 1879. January l, of Miss Charlotte Nichols. She serve d as librarian from 1879 to 1887. The association were given 50 books in 1875. In November, 1889, hundred dollars were given to the library. In the year of 1887 it was removed to the Brick building. In October l899 Miss Rebecca D. Beach offered to built the ] new library in remembrance of her Igreat-grandfather, John Beach, who was of English descent. He was the founder of Trinity church, Newtown. The offer was immediately accepted by the association. There were many people who offered lots. Miss Beach preferredMr Fairchild's lot and the as sociation agreed to this. The ground was broken for the new building, MOn- day, June II, 1900. The contract was let to the A. w. Burritt company to build On the 23d of July, 1900, the corner stone was laid. A box of old relics was placed in the stone by John Francis Beach the seventh in descent from Rev John Beach, assisted by John Kimberly Beach, the sixth in de- scent. The box was sealed tight. It l was completed in December 1900. The opening occurred in December II, 1900. On that day Miss Beach presented the building as gift to the Newtown li- brary association. The building is situated at the head of Main street, Newtown, opposite the North Center school and on the west side of the street. It is very nicely furnished in. side. It has three rooms; two are very small, the other is large room. It was named the John Beach Memorial Library Miss A bbie L. Peck is the present librarian. The uses of libra
 ries are for kpP<-.Gge and learning fol
 the people, especially for young people
 T Mary B. Lake, age 12 years.