Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-04-09
OBLIGATORY EXERCISES.
Wausau's Free Public Library Form
ally Opened,


been moved into il and it IS now
open to the public. On Wednesday
evening last The contractors turned ii
over 10 the city and dedicatory exer-
eises followed in the opera house, at
which there was very large attend
ance, every seat being taken.
Inc program at the opera house was
SLOW In starting, to give as many as
possible an opportunity of getting seats
and hearing all of it.
band OF eighteen pieces occupied
the stage as the curtain went up and
played two pieces, then moving off TO
the wings, allowing others who were to
assist IN the program To seat themselves
on the stage.
Louis Marchetti then asked the audi
enee 10. assist in singing America"
and large flag was raised upon the
rear OF the stage, making fitting
tableatK Tor an occasion of this kind
Mr. Marchetti then made an intro
ductory address. The fact that the
pioneers who settled in Wausau about
sixty years ago made their first home at
or near where the public library
stands, it is bet fitting that a house
should be erected there as a monument
to the late Walter ID. McIndoe, who gave
Wausau It's name and who founded
what has grown into a flouriShing city
OF l5,OOU people.
The opening OF a good library is evil
dence of higher culture 1t is eduea-
uon, mental and moral training which
distinguishes the civilized man from
the barbarian. Man is superior to ali
other creatures because he has been
given the gift of Language and by means
OF this gilt he advances and progresses.
There are two kinds of languages
spoken and written. The spoken Ian
guage of master orator will sway
multitudes but is limited to the com
pass OF the speakers voice, while
thoughts expressed in the written Ian
guage are borne to the minds of mill
ions of living. to multitudes yet unborn.
1t IS the library which preserves the
written language. fhata better social
condition may be attained it is neces-
sary to educate the children of today,
who will be the men and women of
tomorrow. The school can only pre-
pare the child for the broader practical
education which the man and woman
acquire in the pursuits of life. The
more advanced in thought, the higher
in culture and character of the masses,
just so much higher rises the govern
iitht CIV tiiC anu happiness OI
a people. The public library supple
ments the work begun by the school
MOI Understanding the value of good
newspapers and periodicals, still the
public library has its advantage of fur
nishing intellectual food while giving
to readers hours of intellectual reere-
alton after days work. In the words
OF Carlisle, 1.-The true university of
these days is a collection of books
10 have library it is necessary to
have {. place where it can be housed
The donation from Andrew Carnegie
We accepted that we might have such
building. No conditions were at
tached to the donation other than that
the library should be maintained and
if our citizens ever allow toe building
to go by default they will bring shame
upon the city. The donation was ac-
cepted in the hope that much good
would come to it. The effect has been
that donations nearly equal to the origi-
nal have since come from Wausau citi-
zens. And Walter Alexander's dona-
tion OF site has made it possible for
Wausau citizens TO have a park and
beauty spot for all time in the heart of
the city The building and its contents
is owned by all Wausau people, not by
INV man vi any SCb vi Iltu.
The same building, with the ground
on which it stands, cannot be repro
duced for $50, 900 and nowhere in the
state, excepting Milwaukee, can so fine
library site be found That park
should be made the finest spot in Wan,
sau. 1t should be place where a
woLklDgman returning home from his
daily ton can look upon with pleasure;
where mother may take her children
on IL summers afternoon and show
them the beauty of the flower beds,
trees, etc.
The persons who assisted the library
board with donations have the thanks
of that board, but more valuable than
the gratitude thus expressed is the
consciousness of having aided in the
accomplishment and the feeling of
satisfaction of having performed good
deed. The work is not all completed,
more funds are needed and everybody
should contribute his mite
Following Mr.. Marehetti's remarks
the high school girls's glee club sang Il
song
s. b. Tobey then told of 'The Rela-
lions Between the School and the
Library He said that the noblest
thoughts of the purest and sweetest
souls the earth has known are to be
found in the library. The loftiest
flights of imagination, the profoundest
conceptions of truth are preserved in
books. In them are enshrined the
hottest affections of the heart mine
of wealth richer than any of the Klon-
dixie is buried there But who shall
open the blind eyes of wandering chill
dren and direct them to this fountain
of inspiration and awaken in them a
thirst for reading? A teacher may put
a child through geography of the
Hawaiian islands and will have done
something for him, but if that teacher
IN addition prevails upon the student to
read "A Little Journey to Hawaii" or
"Alice's Visit to the Hawaiian Islands,
the child is given an opportunity of
getting a better conception of our
Pacific possessions The books men
toned teach him many things about
those islands which no text book men
tons. The teacher of literature who
keeps his pupils within the confines of
the text books will never develop in
their minds love for the study. In
reading the books OF any writer we lose
much unless we also study the life of
the author and the library is in this
respect indispensable. In the study of
tut 1dCtS VI ElStOilCdt
events are given and that is about all.
The boy learns the dates and looks
upon the study as an ordeal He may
be able to tell when Napoleon was
born and died and does not care
much about the French generals
biography. But give him Napoleon
and His Marshals' to read and he
becomes interested and follows the
fortunes of the Little Corporal through
out his career. But library to be of
the most benefit must have its books
properly classified and indexed The
highest and most important end and
aim of education is character and the
best use of the library is in character
building. Who can estimate the silent,
resistless influence of a good book 1t
has wonderful influence upon the
minds OF the young in directing them
to higher character ambition Five