The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-06-28
What One Woman Did,
Mrs. W. W. Harper, Of Orange, Va.
Decided that the Town Needed
. a Public Library and as Result
Of Her Efforts the Thing Wa.
Accomplished The Library i.
Now a Reality, Without the Help
Of Mr.. Carnegie and Without Any
Single Large Contribution Win
Not Others.

For some time past [ have been ir-
vesti eating the library interests n
our State, and | have had a "grati
tying "fnd" in the shape of an up to
date libraryin a small country town
When heard the history of it's origin
and upbuilding 1 felt it's histor,
should 90 into the educational pag;
OF the 7fmes-Dispatch, where it may
reach and inspire every community
in the State. AS far as can learn
it has never been the subject OF a
newspaper article, in the South at
least, though it was editorially com
mented on by New England paper
at the time the library was opened
to the public, in 1908. The woman
who founded this library was borl
and reared in New England. Sht
grew up in an atmosphere of cultur,
and of community helpfulness.
She was the daughter of a minister.
and had seen several libraries started
in small communities upon the initia-
tive OF the minister and his wife.
She married and went to a new
home in a small Virginia town, very
like other small towns in the South.
1t contains about two thousand peo-
pie, easy going and pleasant. This
New England woman missed some
thing, however, to which she had al
ways been accustomed. Her train
ing and ideals made it impossible for
her to live without library. She
decided that the town needed a IL
brary. She turned the project over
in her mind and then confided it to a
few OF her friends, who promptly as
sured her that the town had existed
a long time without a free library,
and it had gotten along all right,
and that no town in Virginia would
support a free library; the idea was
wholly impracticable. But this North
ern woman had made up her mind;
had vowed in the beginning that, no
matter how unfruitful the soil, the
town should have it's public library.
And she never swerved from her pur-
nan01 SGile' Ddugnce1S Jl~ Ul1oe 1lv1v.u
tion to take up that work, convincing
them that such educational work is
the highest order OF patriotism. First
the people were eincredulous; next they
were Interested. She gave teas on
her lawn and engineered many enter
tainments in the local hall for the
benefit of her pet scheme. Slowly the
funds increased until there was
enough to buy a lot, and many
months later sufficient for a very
creditable little library building.
Books began to come in from many
directions, even New England con-
tributing. The energetic promoter
of this library has raised more than
eleven hundred dollars and over
twelve hundred books. The library
is now a reality, without Mr.. Carne-
gie's help and without any single
large contribution. Ithas been made
possible by the small contributions
OF the townspeople, not very well-to-
do, for the most part, and not at the
outset interested in it.
The library is now the pride of the
community, and this woman has a
better monument than will ever be
erected to her memory in any ceme-
terry. Her name is Mrs. W. W. Har-
per, and the town is Orange, Va. She
is the regent OF the Orange Chapter
d. A. r. May her example be fol
lowed by every chapter regent in the
State. Mrs. WM. NJ. STROTHER,
Librarian George NJ. Jones Memorial
Library, Lynchburg, Va.
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