The Greeley tribune., 1908-02-13
new LIBRARY
CEREMONY OF LAYING COR
NER STONE SATURDAY
Fitting Remarks by Senator
James w. McCreery and ST.
perlntendent of Schools
Charles E. Carter.

The formal ceremony Of laying the
corner stone for the new public
library took place last Saturday
afternoon. The significance of the
event was fttingly summed up in
the remarks by Former Senator
James W. McCreery, and Superin-
tendent c. E. Carter of the city
schools.
A small box containing a copy of
the Greeley Tribune, Sun and Re-
publican, also list of the members
of the library board. with the names
of the of the several comm mittees ap-
pointed by the different clubs to
further the building of the library,
were placed in copper box and low
cred by Mayor Green into the cavity
prepared for the box.
The members Of the library board
present were Mayor Green, Mrs.
Thayer, Supt. C. E. Carter, Supt.
L. H. Harrison, j. L. Bartlett.
Mr.. McCreery said:
THE general diffusion of knowl.
edge, morals. manners. and the facts
Of history is at once the highest duty
and the best expression of advancing
civilization.
Man, in cherishing and seeking
to realize the innate sentiment of
Immortality, has ever sought to &C.
complish and leave some enduring
work of which future generations
might know. To write book that
would last and be read a hundred
years-a Thousand years-an age, or
to build a monument to outlast time,
has been the never ending effort of
this sentiment or ambition.
'Tables of stone and tablets of
clay, engraven with words of wis
dom, and the history inscribed mon
uments and slabs of the almost for
gotten past, remain to attest this
sentiment and effort; while great
libraries of papyrus and parchment
manuscript we're accumulated as the
priceless stores of the old civiliza-
tion, only to be swept away in the
confiagrations of expiring dynasties
and the torches of incoming newer
and better institutions. But few,
however, in all the histories of
man have written books which last,
and the age of concrete monument
building appears to be past.
I'm more modern times this desire
to live forever was again fostered by
astrologer, monk and storytelling
minstrel, by sage, philosopher and
poet, until now knowledge and learn
ing covers the earth; its foundations
are laid broad and deep in every
civilized land throughout the globe.
bringing the benefits alike to all
people, who are now neither high
nor low.
THE few perhaps may write en-
during books, but instead of writing
books to perpetuate name and fame,
men of large material means resort
to foundations of learning and the
establishment Of great libraries for
the same end. AS IN the writing OF
books and building Of monuments in
the past and thus striving for endur-
ing fame and immortal life, there
has been coupled the broader thought
of q message to he delivered to the
present or succeeding time, and a
philanthropic sentiment toward the
family, the country or the race, SO
these modern builders, while earnest
ly and properly seeking to prepetu-
ate their own names, are doubtless
ulso animated by desire for the bet
terment of their kind for the up
building of humanity and its inter
ests In some of the lines of morals,
manners or intelligence involved in
a progressive civilization.
1--WE do not deprecate either the
personal motives OF the owners or
the value to society of these great
foundations, nor do we desire to
criticlse those who are SO moved to
distribute their garnered wealth In
the building of Libraries, great OF
small, in the cities, towns, villages
and country places Of the land
There Is place, opportunity and need
for all the wealth. and effort which
can be expended in that direction