The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-03-27
Towards the maintaining of a
Public Library.
One of the Few Towns of Any COnse-
quence in the Entire South With No
Public Observation-Disclosures VIII be
Requested to Give the Small Sum of
500 per Year.

towards getting a very small appro-
priation to maintain a public library
in this city. Wilmington is probably
the only town Of any consequence in
North Carolina that has no public Ii
brary, although it is the largest city
in North Carolina. For the past few
years the LADDERS of the North Carp
lima Sorosis have been doing all in
have increased the number of VOL
umes from one hundred in 1904 TO
LOO at the present time.
At the next meeting Of the board
of aldermen, which will be on April
End, the ladies of the Sorosis will pre-
sent a petition to the board Of alder
ment asking that the city appropriate
the sum of $720 per year, to be expend-
ed in paying the rent Of the rooms
now occupied by the only public libra
ry in Wilmington-the Sorosis library
and to pay a librarian. It is the
idea to keep the library open every
day in the year except Sunday, and
also to keep it open until 10 p. m. IT
is surprising the number Of people that
visit the library at the present time
and enjoy and get the benefit of the
books placed there by the efforts Of d
band Of energetic ladies Of this city,
For the metropolis of North Carolina
and the wealthiest town in the state to
give not n cent towards a public
library in this day and time certainly
does not appear to be progressive.
Year by year education becomes more
and more essential and a person must
read to keep up with the times. 1t
does not look like just the right thing
for a city the size of Wilmington to
put the entire task Of supplying a
public library upon the ladies Of the
city.
Take a few Of the progressive towns
in North Carolina that are keeping
apace of the times. Charlotte has a
public library and expends annually
the sum Of $4,000. When the secre-
tary's annual report is submitted and
the enormous number Of people who
visited the library is seen, it is sufh-
cient proof of what the people of
Charlotte must think of their library
and and the pleasure and benefit that
must have been derived. Greensboro
is another good example. Five years
ago the first public library was start
ed and the board of aldermen voted the
sum of $1,000 per year towards main
tanning it and buying as many books
as possible. This mount has now
been increased to $1,000 per year, and
Greensboro is much smaller than Will
mington and there is a wonderful diff
ference in the wealth of the two cities.
Durham has a public library and gives
a liberal sum each year towards main
tanning it and it is the sam way
with Raleigh.
One hunderd dollars per month
would be a small amount for this city
to give to a public library and If the
aldermen are asked to appropriate this
amount they would, without a doubt.
pass #. For the expenditure of a COM
paratively small sum a portion of the
large hall over the city Offices could
be so arranged as to afford an excel
lent place for a public library. This
hall is used for nothing whatever and
when once fitted up for a library could
be used until the city gets able to do
what nearly all the important towns
in the state have done.
"A puUlIC llDld1v Ao "Cil u15A do u"
portant as the public schools and
could almost be classed as a part of
the public school system. The library
would be p~atronized by those who are
not able to buy books and this is one
of the great easons for establishing
such an institution. It is a disgrace
to the city of Wilmington that there
is no public library here of equal im-
portance to the size of the city. Car
negie made an offer several years
ago to give s25, 900 towards establish
ing a public library in this city, pro-
vided the city would agree to give
$4,000 per year towards maintaining
the same. This offer is probably still
In effect if the city of Wilmington
wishes to accept the proposition.
The ladies of the North Carolina
Sorosis deserve the greatest credit
for what they have done and the city
should be glad to aid them, and, nc
doubt, will be when the matter is
hroucht before them