The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-21
MOST IMPRESSIVE
MARK MEMORIAL DEDICAT TON
Bona Thompson Library Formally Presented Butler College,
President Butler Speaks.

Kiss ADDRESS, accepting the building as
president of the board of directors of the
college. He said in part:
In coming into possession of this beau
tiful and useful building, Butler College
has realized far more than was expected.
1t represents in a monetary way one of
the most generous gifts that has come to
the college. Mr.. +. e. Thompson was not
a man who took half way ground. When
he made up his mind to act, the deed fol-
lowed fast on the determination. He would
not go further than he could see, but he
was far-seeing. He believed in completed
work. When Ii was first suggested to him
that Butler College needed a building where
it's books might be secured from fire loss,
he said that he would give $4,000 and a
building site. 1t grew on him that this
building might become a memorial TO his
daughter, Miss Bona Thompson, a member
of the class of 1897, in the interests of
whose education the family had removed
from Edinburg TO Irvington. Her death
soon after graduation left Mr. and Mrs.
Thompson alone. Mrs. Thompson, if in
deed the idea did not originate with her,
became fully sympathetic with the library
project as a memorial If it were to be-
come a memorial library they both agreed
that the entire expense should she, be met by
nal gift rapidly grew. He was a rugged.
sturdy man, that did not believe in tenn
porary nor cheap construction. 1t was nat
ural. therefore, that he should plan for a
fireproof structure, as permanent and sub
stantial as the builders art could provide.
The books must be protected not only from
structure, with ample air space. was pro-
vided for. The roof, of course, must be of
the best permanent material known, and
copper was selected. The supporting walls
must be solid, and the bookcases must be
of steel. To reduce the danger OF fire and
smoke and dirt there should be no chimney
nor furnace in the building. Nothing in
consistent with permanency and with the
highest art purposes should be omitted.
Each demand IL rose was met and the
original gift of $4,000 grew to more than
20, ttv,,n0 hnf INF hn yalt 40
of the site.
GIFT UNCONDITIONAL.
''The gift to the college was unconditional.
The board of directors were to have abso-
lutte control of and title in the property
but there was no narrow nor exclusive use
of the building and its contents in Mr.
Thompsons mind. He accepted readily the
suggestion that besides the college reference
library public circulating library might be
housed here. In harmony with this idea
and that the city and college might be
brought closer together. the college directors
by resolution, decided that the memorial
should be dedicated to public as well as
college uses. 1t was this thought that led
to an agreement with the Board of School
Commissioners of the city of Indianapolis.
This board had already adopted a system of
branch Libraries though which the remote
but still populous portions OF the community
might be supplied by the city librarian with
library facilities from the central building.
Accordingly the use and the control of the
building, to be furnished entirely by the
college. were offered 10 the city of Indian
apolis through the School Board. With a
capacity of $1,000 volumes the building will
provide for the necessities of the college,
the integrity of whose library will I'm no way
be interfered with. and the demands of this
portion of the city for years to come. 1t
is the boards hope that the students and
the public will use the building freely and
so testify their appreciation of it's value"
Andrew NJ. Sweeney made the next adj
dress. speaking in behalf of the Indianap-
oils Public Library. of which the Bona
Thompson Library will be a branch. Mr..
Sweeney said that the library is to-day a
necessary adjunct of the public schools.
Libraries, he said, are not so much for the
books. but they are more the abiding places
or the laboring classes. He spoke Of the
act of the State in furnishing libraries
especially the circulating libraries and the
such as the one I'm which he spoke. he said,
ought to multiply. as they did almost as
ing the young. Mr.. sweeney declared that
the Bona Thompson Library is double
monuments monument builded out of love
and monument builded for men.
| In his remarks in behalf of the city Mayor
Holtzman said that, although Indianapolis
had never received any great financial gifts,
1t had received some beautiful ones. "A
little library like this one" he said. will
| do more in its quiet way to build up char
| acter and make the young appreciate Amer
| lean liberty and thought more than any
| thing else in the world. Indianapolis is
| grateful to the donors of this building and
to Butler College. Let us hope that this
will mark the progress of civilization in the
+, beautiful city of Indianapolis.
At the close of the exercises President
Butler read a letter from the board of di-
| rectors of the college stating that the
| board was making an effort to raise the
| sum of $25000O to be used in adding a de-
| partment of education for the preparation
of teachers for the public schools, a school
| to prepare students for preaching and
| teaching the truths of the Bible, and a
school of electrical engineering. The letter
| stated that the board has reason to be-
| lieve that 100000 of the desired amount car
| be secured on condition that the remaining
| $150,000 can be obtained.
| Announcement was also made of gifts tC
the library by the relatives of the Thomp-
son family, John Thompson and Mrs. Nc
| Evan, consisting of Italian marble
| statue and pedestal 800 volumes of books
and many elegant chairs, tables, engrav-
| ings, pictures, silver water set and a por-
trait of Bona Thompson to be painted or
| the walls of the library by Steele.
| Other gifts were made by different classes
| of the college. The class of 81. Bona
ThOmpson's class, presented a bust OF
| Apollo Belvedere The Indianapolis News
| made gift Of a collection of books, includ
ing twenty volumes.