Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-11-08

Thursday and Friday last were happy
days for Viroqua- occasion of dedi-
eating the new public library. The uve-
nings of those dates were given over bv
many of Viroqus's 3 citizens in proper o.
servance of the important event, aud
tina new home for the student, the seek
er for knowledge and literature, ii a
realization TO be proud of and gratifie1
over. 1t is indeed, place and an edifiee
in our public record to which we may
point with pride and satisfaction
THURSDAY EVENING" s PART.
The congregational church was The
scene of a pleasant counteDanced gath
ering, whea the fine auditorium was
filled to take part in and listen TO the
arranged program. H. +. Proctor,
chairman of the library board, presided
The musical selections by the Young peo.
pies city orchestra, the male quartette
and the vocal solo by Miss FalIer, met
4ppreciative applause and were features
that contributed TO the evening 3 delight
Rev. J. A. Stemen pronounced the IN
vocation. after which Mr.. Proctor, IN
behalf of the library board, which was
also the building committee, presented
the edifice to the city. He pToclai med
it one of the most important events iii
the history of Viroqua, and gave due
thanks 70 the donor. Andrew Carnegie
Mayor Ccffland, on behalf of the city,
accepted the splendid gift, declaring
that it was the best built, best arranged
structure he had seen of its character
He commended the work of the library
beard on having completed it and kept
within the appropriation, a circum-
stance that rarely occurs He hoped
that additional land could soon be ar
ranged for on the west side of the
building, which would afford oppor-
tunity to make the spot one of beauty,
with growing shrubs aud trees and bios
soming fl5wers The mayor said An
drew Carnegie bad given more Of his
riches 10 the eudnwing of libraries than
any man in all history He also count.
ed the cost for ~ tntsiniDg the new il
brary as ioiinitesiulal for the city and to
to individual tax payers
Prof. Colburn accepted the gift on the
part of the public schools He said the
school and The library go hand in hand,
that there is no class in a town that can
so thoroughly appreciate well equipped
reading room Is students Ii has 81
broadening efact and is direct stimu.
lous to correct education. He assured
those in authority that his fellow teach.
ers and students appreciated and would
avail themselves OF the splendid build
ing and the good books contained therein.
G. J. Smith gave an impressive sd-
dress along educational and general
lines, expressing the belief that the
world is growing better and broader
lie said the milli0naires of the country
are contributing their wealth TO good
purposes educational insti-
buttons and public libraries He said
better reading for homo and school make
better eitizeps. Good reading is the
foundation for enlarged capacity in
whatever field of life we employ.
.'vIRoQUA's TIBl,kRIEs =
That was the subject fra paper by
Gen. E NJ. Rogers. He thoroughly
complimented the city council, library
board and citizsns generally for this
enterprise He prefaced his paper by
saying that in the past two years gifts
20 educational institutions had bs..4
5000, coo, QUO by Rockefeller and others
Carnegie has given for educational and
library purposes $8i, 000 600 His paper
deals with library matters in Viroqua,
and.is given In full:
The first library was organized in 1866, and
among the members were the late Judge and
Mrs. Terhune, John aud Mrs. Dawson. ;. @.
and Mrs. Bierce, Dr. and Mrs. Gott, Judge and
Mrs. Purdy. They met and organized a H.
brary association elected officers and appoint
ed a committee to solicit books and members.
A few old school books, some of SylVanus
Uobb's sea stories, a few novels written by
Emma ID. n, Southworth were contributed and
the library was then AN Institution OF learn
Ing The place OF beginning was In small
confectionery store on the present site of
Martin & kue6ler's store. p. j. Layne was