The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-01
WORK BEGUN BY WOMEN
OF MOVEMENT wH1CR
 BORE FRUIT.
Grand Culmination Tomorrow of tho Humble Beginning of the Montgomery Library As-
 sociation in 1898.

Library or Montgomery, was conce1ve1r nurtured and fostered to its fruitfon bx the good women of Montgomery. It Is true that the library movement l did not blossom into the possibility Of its present grandeur until the heIpfuM ! hand of man was extended. but ft4 birth is due to women and the women | of Montgomery have just reason to bo proud of the achievement which gives
 Montgomery distinction over any otheE city within the borders of Alabama. The Carnegie Library of Montgomery Is the logical outgrowth of the organ1m zation of the Montgomery Library As- sociation. which was perfected In the summer of 1898 being the result of a spirit of helpfulness for others con~ ceived by Mrs. A. H. Munger. now oH Kansas City; Mrs. John D. Roquemora and other energetic. charitable and pas | triotic women. Mrs. Munger was tha l first President of the Association. l In the autumn of 1898 a public ems tertainmentswas given for the benene of the library fund. This entertain~' l ment realized $1.000. which was inc vested in books. and the library was | opened May 23, 1899. when q reception to the public was given, The formal opening to the public took place June 20. 1899. | The humble beginning of the library | was III one room or tue residence &I tue northwest corner of Perry and Adams Streets. directly across the street from ] the splendidly elevated vacant focs which is now adorned by the imposings | structure, dedicated to the people ofs Montgomery. Miss Laura Fillmore was the first anal only librarian. Throughout the move< | ment she has been closely allied with the work. She las given 1t her loving . c erf.< will be the librarian of the handsome l new place, and no one in Montgomeryl rejoices more than she that the yearsI of work and patient effort have heeul crowned with success. When we were in the one room onI
 Perry Street. says Miss Elmore. ri l used to look across the street to th0I spacious vacant lot. so beautifully sit-l uated, and hope and wonder if tha3
 people would have a handsome libraryl on that ideal spot. So you see. my dearest wishes are gratified. when am here today planning and preparing for the opening of the Carnegie Library for l all of the people next Monday" The library did not remain long in the unpretentious quarters on Perry Street. Late in the fall of 1899 1t was removed to the second floor of buIld-i ing on Dexter Avenue near Perry Street where there was more room, but poorl facilities The first Board of Directors of tIei Library Associations consisted of Mrs.i A. H. Munger. President: Mrs. J. D4 Roquemore and Mrs. George B Eager.l
 Vice Presidents; Mrs. Leon Weil,l Treasurer; Mrs. Mortimer Futile, Rel cording Secretary; Mrs. K. H. MorrisA l ette. Corresponding secretaryi Mrs-l Harris Gunter Mrs. c. L. Floyd. Mrs.1 s. Roman and Miss Augusta WoodrufK.A When Mrs. Munger removed fromI Montgomery to Kansas City, Mrs. 4s9 W. Black was elected President of thal
 Association.
 Tn 1900 the woman Board of DirectorH3
 realized that the business managementi and future growth of the institutiond
 demanded the assistance of man. anal one who was unselhshly devoted to thel best interests of Montgomery should be secured Without his knowledgai the Board elected Phares colemauJ Coleman President of the Associationl4 When MT. Coleman was notified by thei women of the honor they had done himA he accepted, but asked for the privileged
 of naming an Advisory Board of men tca
 aid him in the work before him. Thi9A was agreeable to the women. and Mr% Coleman then and there pledged theni4
 that before i've years had passed MontS gomery should have a public lihrary4 adequate for the needs of all of thei people.
 The Advisory Board selected by Mir Coleman consisted of Edgar GardneNf
 Murphy, Frank~G. caffey, Alex Rice. A.4 J. Messing, Jr., Frank P. Glass and Ra1af
 Rushton.
 Mr. Murphy. had a personal acquaint4
 ance with Andrew Carnegie. and had
 through other acquaintances of the greatg
 philnnthropist drew to his attention anal interest the labors of Montgomery wonenl
 for public library and the necessity for3 such an institution in the Capital Cttxi
 of Alabama.
 Working quietly. but without falter-i
 ing. Messrs Murphy and Coleman suo~l
 ceeded in securing an offer to Montgoul4i
 cry from Mir. Carnegie. His propositfont
 was announced in February, 1901. Iei
 Montgomery would guarantee SS0o0 an-i
 nualiy for the maintenance of a library
 he said. and provide an adequate building
 site, he would donate s5o.ooo for build-i
 ing.
 In the name of the citizens of Mont-
 gomery the offer was accepted by the
 Library Association. which organization
 was chartered and under it's charteH
 passed 10 a Board of Trustees consisting '
 of the Advisory Board which had been
 named by Mir Coleman. The charter of
 the Association provided for nine mern- bers of the Board of Trustees. and pr.
 J. F. Gaston and Hon. Thomas II. Carr
 were elected to these positions. Since
 that time Colonel Prank c. cafrey has
 removed to New York and Ray Rushton
 has been elected Secretary of the Board.
 pr. c. A Thigpen was elected to suc-
 ceed Colonel Caffey. This Board has
 had complete charge of the construction
 work and other details of the building
 and management of the library.
 Early after the announcement of the
 offer of Mir. Carnegie the Montgomery
 City Council passed an ordinance apprc-
 priating $500 annually for the maifste-
 nance of the library. Within few
 months the citizens, by popular sub-
 scriptIon. through the medium of The
 Advertiser. had raised sufficient money
 for library site and the Jones lot at
 the northeast corner of Perry and Adams
 Street was purchased for s1250O. The lot
 has a frontage Of 1e0 feet on Perry
 Street running back 15o feet on Adams
 Street.
 Work on the construction of the library
 building began in May, 1902.
 The opening of the free public library
 tomorrow will mark the successful issue
 of one of the most important movements