The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-25
A N0N-CARNEGIE LIBRARY.
A Little story of Building-Up Which
Has Its Moral.

New York Mail and Express.
The number and splendor of Mr.. Carne-
gie's latest gifts set my mind to running.
by natural rebound, to the little libraries
that haven't Mr.. Carnegie's nor anybody
else's money to aid them, but which man.
ageto get on their feet just the same. Some
libraries are born with the Carnegie silver
spoon in their mouths, and others are the
poor boys" of the business. Like the other
poor boys, think they must grow up with
more good in them. and more power of do
ing good to others. than some Of the richer
libraries have.
have in mind a little public library which
was started in a mountain village through
the efforts OF the biacksmith's son, himself
an apprentice at the anvil. This young fell
low-cali him Charlie Nims-had graduated
from the village school, which in the higher
q its two departments was far from being
the equivalent of a city grammar school,
and then took lessons in Latin from the
minister. He couldn't go away and he had
exhausted all the books within his reach.
be made his need the need OF the whole
community. as he had a right to do. He
organized a library association, with the
minister at its head, and interested the SOL
officers
He induced one man to give the use Of a
small room for library. He put up some
shelves. He was elected librarian He gave
70 the North Joppa Public Library, as it
was duly christened, all the books he had
himself accumulated. The minister gave
i'Doddrtdge on the Law and Edwards
History OF the Redemption" Other VIII
layers gave few books each. There were
among them Patent Office reports moving
machine catalogues and other priceless
Minis took them ALL 1t was anything to
make a start.
Charlie opened the library evenings. Peo-
PIE came in and took out the moving ma
chine catalogues eagerly. The fame OF the
library spread. There was a glowing ac-
count OF IL IN the county newspaper. which
Tell under the eyes OF several people who
had been born and reared at North Joppa
and had prospered a little elsewhere Their
pride was touched, and they sent Charlie
DOCKS, and In some cases a trifie of money
The North Joppa library was under way
IT gathered bulk as a rolled SNOWFALL does
IN SOFT snow. The books filled the shelves
and Charlie was able To weed out the now
Ing machine catalogues. Two or three years
went by and neither Charlie nor the other
North Joppa people abated their zeal. A
good line OF reference books and standard
novels OF an excellent cIass was accumu-
lated. Old people read who had never read
before. and OF course the rising generation
swarmed The town voted a little appro-
priation 70 pay the rent OF larger room
The moving machine catalogues came out
again TO help fill the new shelves, but two
years more relegated them TO the garrett
Two years more and a wonderful thing
happened Enathan Green. who had lived
IN the town when he was a boy, and who
went TO Chicago and got rich in the milk
business, but who had never been suspected
or the least pride In North Joppa, died, and
IL was found that by his will be left $40 OOO
To put Up new building for the library.
IL stands there nova very neat little
(, brick building with white portico. 1t bears
the name OF Elnathan Green over the door.
This Is all right, though il seems TO me
that Charlie Minis name ought to be there
instead Green was the Carnegie in the
case, but Charlie breathed the real breath
oI ne INTO the tnlng. IL Is an agency OF
Intelligence and order i'm the community
to-day such as il could not possibly have
been II II had been altogether founded ON
O. rich mans gift
In our interest In the Carnegie libraries
let US not forget the non-carnegie library