Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-11-08
LIBRARY DEDICATION
Viroqua's Handsome Nepo Building Thrown Open
for Public Use.

/ librarian. Money was solicited and Hume,
and McCauley's histories and a few othel
! books were purchased, some works OF fiction
although fiction was not then popular reading
After few years the books were loaned with
out rec ord, the library moved into an Office
books SeFe not returned and finally wher
nothing bU' Robinson Orusoe remained The
library ceas sd TO exist
The second library was organized IN 1880
with T. II. Craig as presidents 0. b. Wyman
secretary and Il, NJ Rogers, treasurer. Rules
were adopted making life memberships SIC
each Ten OF these oilers were taken; the
( following wore the life members; Ill. Il. Proc
tor, J. ii. Tate, o. b, Wyman. Il. IT, Craig, T.,
NJ Rogers John Dawson, y, Nj. Butt Rev
Wm. IIaughtoni IL. d. VIII ans and W, +,
LlndemanS, This brought si00 into the treas
airy and $50 more was raised by selling annual
memberships at 10 cents EACH The ladies -
Nlrocua gave Au ice cream festival on the
school grounds including voting contest for
the most popular young lady and 500 was
added To the fnnd by iIs enterprise; book
ease was bought and books TO the amount OF
S22a were selected and purchased The library
was opened in the office Of the late Judge Wy
man; afterwards moved to the store of Miss
Lnther in the Nichols block; then 70 W. s.
Fields Office in the Williams block; after
wards TO DR. Chamber's Office In the Towuer
block and 10 finally landed in Cot Butts ofileo
Owing to absence of librarian many books
we're taken ana never returned, Col. Butt
kept "a careful record OF books taxi a from the
library while he was librarian and made an
effort tOcOliect the sIfays-fn which he failed.
The treasury had been empty for fifteen
years, no new books had been purchased, and
the old ones had been read many times
There came demand for reorganization and
regeneration OF the library. new law pass
ed by our legislature made IL possible to sap
port city library by tax. la 1928 Fteurick
wilkins talked public library uuder the new
law; others became enthused and a petition
was drawn up by q. w. Graves and circulated
by John j M Dawson. This petition request
ed the city council to make the necessary APP
preparation for a library. The petition met
with favor and an approximation amounting
TO $3.50 was made. Mayor L 9. Boyle appoint.
ed the following as the board OF library trus-
tees; G. w. Graves, NJ. ID. Chase, q. NJ, Bait,
8 E Rogers, Henry lindemann 4. 7 sand
;,ad Lucy Il, Dawson the law made ibe pr.n-
cha, of the schools member.
clfss ttee from the old library had ap-
pearea before the council and presented 90
them for the new organization the entire
property OF the old library including book
case and four hundred twenty five volumes,
Rooms were rented in the Ltndemann block
and Rev. WIN. Haughton was appointed IL
bFsrian. His salary was fixed at 5000 and $500
was invested In books ana the Niroqua library
commenced a new life, At frequent Intervals
books, historic j. fiction and juvenile, were
added and the old and young we're patrons of
the library and the reading rooms were we'll
Fl led both afternoon and evenings. The
young life was there reading magazines and
reference books. In 1902 more room vas need
cd and a considerable additional space was
rented and rooms were re-arranged, The IL
brarY was o success
permanent home for 1t began TO be thought
OF aud Judge Graves petitioned Andrew Oar
cegie for 5000 to build library, This re-
quest was refused for the reason that no
assistance WIS to be given by him to
small cities. This rule of Mr.. Carnegte's was
changed year or two later and Mayor w. ~
Doilland entered into correspondence with
him and succeeded in getting sum OF $1,000
promised upon condition that our city furnish
a site and appropriate SlO0O annually Tor IL.
brary purposes. These conditions we're ac-
y nn library 4
ready for inspection and verify believe that
all the people rejoice when they see the noble
structure, an institution OF learning and
From the s24 volumes donated by the old
library association, library OF 2.73G books
has grown aud there are now ,0J6 borrowers
caros Ia our city. equal to one half the popu-
lation reading books in the school for the peo-
ple-Viroqua's public library.
Rev G. Il Butters pronounced the
benediction and the public meeting was
at a close.
RECEPTION AT THE LIBRARY.
Friday evening the new library was
formally Dedicated and thrown open for
inspection. The public quite generally,
took advantage of the invitation, and
from eight Till ten o'clock there was a
continuous inpouriDg of our peogle
The young life of the town, the student,
the fathers and mothers, were there In
great numbers They were received by
the library board, consisting of II. P.
Proctor, president, Lucy r Dawson,
secretary; Miss Anna f. Turner librar-
ian; Henry Lindemann, treasurer; Mrs
50. G Nichols, Mrs. II d Williams,
Prof. Colburn, J II. Chase and II T.
Sanwick. The city orchestra discoursed
sweet strains Of music, and the occasion
was one of pleasant inspection and ex.
pressions of admiration for the new and
permanent library home.