The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-03

| called for. DR.. owen, who has been the
director of the department from the be-
ginning, presented his report, which was
| read at length 1t was quite voluminous
and entered into the details of the work
of the year from October l. 1907, to Sep
TENDER 30, 1908, inclusive.
| 1t appears that the activities of the de-
| partment are grouped as in accordance
| to the various subjects matter, and these
embr .ce publication, state archives, news
pap s. books and periodical files, manu-
| scrh ts gallery, museum, war records, Ii
brarS extension, legislative reference and
| miscellaneous activities. 1t appears that
| the library has received an addition of
about 2509 volumes during the year, and
| that moro than 1000 bound volumes of
newspapers have been received. Besides
! the usual number of small pictures and
| other illustrative material, seven large
| portraits have been added to the gallery,
including likenesses of Governor Oates,
| Gen. John B. Gordon, DIR. Basil Manly,
Maj. Thomas Peters, Col orge S.
Gaines and wife and Gov. . !. Conner.
| Many interesting and unique specimens
| and relics have been received, and these
| will be displayed in the cabinets of the
department Included in these relics are
the gun carried by William Weatherford,
THE Red Eagle" at Fort Minis; the
/ cylinder head of a steam engine forming
| part of the Confederate rolling mill
| equipment at Briarfield, and the mule
bridal bits used by Santa Ana, the Mex
lean general, at the time of his capture
| at San Jacinto. Four Confederate flags
| have been added during the year These
are the flag of the Conecuh Guards of
the Fom til Alabama infantry regiment, C.
S. a.. the flag of Fuckers brigade and
two small flags or markers used by Capt.
E. S. Readys company in the Third Ala
| bama infantry regiment.
Furnishings Authorized.
1t appears from the report that during
the preceding year quite lot of the
furnishings authorized by the last legis-
Iature have been received, including a
| manuscript filing cabinet, a series of YER
teal file cases, shelving for the state ar
chives in the public record room, display
frames for showing small pictures in the
gallery, two large flag cases, two cases
for Indian relics and six large cases for
miscellaneous relics. These furnishings,
1t appears, are now being installed, al
though some of the cases have been in
place for quite awhile
The showing made by the report in the
matter of library extension was most
gratifying to the board. Persistent eff
fort has been put forth in promoting in
terest in public and school library extern
sion, trained Guardianship has been urged,
and numbers of travelling libraries have
been in circulation. From the report it
is shown that the department has been
directly instrumental in the organization
of several public libraries in the state.
besides having conducted during last sum-
mer a course of library instruction in
methods, administration and economy.
| Miss Nimmo Greene Is the clerk in charge
! of the library extension division.
The report goes at length into the CO.
operative features of department activity,
and presents a very interesting summary
| of the help which has been extended to
the various historical, patriotic and other
| organizations and institutions in the state.
! The department and It's collections have
been especially helpful, it appears to
the Baptists and the Methodists of the
| state, who are this year celebrating the
| one hundredth anniversary of their Off
| ca1 entrance into Alabama. These or
| ganizations, as well as numerous indi-
| viduals, have given testimony as to the
helpfulness of the department in their
| work and researches.
/
work of enumerating the Confederate sol
| diers in the state. All of the counties
| have reported, and approximately 1900
| names appear on the rolls. The showing,
| according to the director, is not all that
| it should have been, because as is ex-
] planned several of the tax assessors, who
! are charged with the duty of taking the
| census in the several counties, did not
! show the interest in the work expected of
| them. The names on the rolls will be
| published, arranged by commands.
! The report reviewed the several
branches of activity being carried on
| by the department, and the members of
| the board We're unanimous in their express
| sions of congratulation on the extent and
] magnitude of the work with the little re-
+, sources at hand. The director completed
| his report with an expression of apprecia-
| ton to the governor for the encourage
| ment which he had lent to the success
and upbuilding of the department. He
| stated that the governor. from the date
| of his induction into office, had been
| sympathetic and cordial, and that he had
| both in public and private way done
| everything that could be expected of the
executive. There was an extended discus
| sion of the report, the director being in
i terrogated on various features OF the
| work, the members of the board evidence
| ing desire to become familiar with every
detail of what was being done. The re-
| port was adopted unanimously and with
| thanks to the director for his years work
Accounts Examined.
The auditing committee reported that
| the books, accounts and vouchers of the
| director had been carefully examined,
| and that they were found accurate in all
| respects, and that the several items of
expenditure were carefully vouohed.