The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1906-03-30
FOR A PUBLIC LIBRARY
woMAN's CLUB STARTING MOVE.
MENr TO THAT END.
WILL BEGIN SMALL AND GROW


Social, Il is Believed the Club viii
be Able TO start May I.
The Norfolks Woman's club inaug.
urated movement at their meeting
this week which has for It's attainment
the establishment Of a library for Nor
folk. Every person Interested In the
city will hope that nothing may occur
which will In my way interfere with
the worthy object and the ladies Will
be given every assistance possible. II
Is not expected to start on large
scale but the Womans club plan to es.
tablish the nucleus of what Is hoped
will grow into well patronized free
public library in the near future.
AS a preliminary to the project II
seems that the club has for some time
been accommodating a fund, which Is
called the library fund, and which now
contains about 800 In cash. This Is
the nest egg of the plan. IL will be
remembered that some years ago Col.
J. II. Simpson, now deceased, raised
quite fund toward library, and 1t
was one of his fondest dreams that
he might bequeath through his efforts
such public institution to the town
which he loved An association was
formed at that time and the old Cath.
olic church was purchased as a library
building, but severe wind storm dam
aged the building so badly that the
association was forced to dispose of
Il at loss. The trustees of that as.
sociation were DR.. II. J. Cole, j. E.
Simpson, G.. A. Luikart and Prof.
O'Connor. Mr.. O'Connor has gone to
the Canal Zone, Mr.. Simpson and Mr..
Luikart are both deceased, leaving DR..
Cole as the sole official representative
OF the association. AT the time of
closing up the affairs OF the associa-
tion there was a cash balance on hand
of about $3.50. AS the money was
raised for library purposes, DR.. Cole
Is disposed to place this balance in
the hands OF the Woman's club to
aid In their efforts In again trying to
establish library, and as 1t was raised
for that purpose by Col. Simpson this
plan meets with general approval.
Thus with $3.50 at their command,
the members of the club feel that they
are now ready to make start. Their
plan contemplates the first move on
April 10, when they will give book
social at the parlors of the First Con.
literary program will be provided as
entertainment, and the price Of ad-
mission will be one book suitable to
find place In general library. In
this way 1t Is believed the women will
secure start of at least one hundred
money on hand will also be invested In
books, making very respectable
beginning
The ladies have gone so far with
their project as to partially secure a
room in the Bishop block where the
library will he installed, This will be
comfortably lighted and heated, and
at the outset will be kept open one day
a week, probably Saturday, the mem,
bers of the club taking turns in keep
ing the room open to exchange books
and attend to the business Of the H.
brary
The project further contemplates so
liciting memberships for which 1t Is
planned TO collect fee of $l.00 a year
the money to be used in defraying ex
penses of rent, etc, and the balanc,
to be invested in new books. 1t Is
hoped now to have the library read,
to open by May 1.
AS to the need of a public library il
Norfolk there is no question. Although
several efforts have been made in tn,
past to establish a library, all of then
have met with failure, and II is be
iieved that the only practical manne
In which to bring results Is to star
In a modest way. as the Woman's clul
proposes to do. Ii is their ambition
to get the movement started and sc
cure public interest in 1t until such
time as the city council, perhaps, wi
take hold Of the matter and make
a free public library.
Many other towns have started 1
a similar manner--in fact 1t is asser
ed that there Is scarcely a public |
brary in existence that did not hav
its beginning in small way and gro'
as the public demand increased. Th
Woman's club is certainly undertal
ing worthy project and should hav
the hearty support and cooperation {
every person in town.
WILL MOVE TO NORFOLK.