Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-13

b. Hayes. Stanley Matthews. Murat Hal
stead and President-elect Taft became
members. This society met in the back
room of the store where Mr.. Spofford was
employed. and Mr.. Blackwell drew vivid
picture of the early gatherings, In the
course of which his lifelong friendship
was cemented.
William Dawson Johnston, president of
the District of Columbia Library Associa-
ton, described DR.. Spofford's work as
librarian of Congress from 1861 to 1891,
how he brought together the Smithson-
ian, copyright and Peter Force collections
and made them part of the national Ii
brary He briefly described the growth
of the collection from 5000 volumes to
moke than 1.O0O,OOO, and referred to DIR.
Spofford's valuable services to members
of Congress, who regarded him as an in
fallible reference library for material for
their speeches. Mr.. Johnston paid tri-
butte to DR.. Spofford's labors in behalf OF
a more adequate housing of the library,
which, covering many years. were at last
crowned with success. so that ne llVed 10
see the vast bookstore transferred to the
building which appropriately constitutes
his permanent memorial.
Mr.. Noyes' Tribute.
The Public Library was represented by
Mr.. Theodore w. Noyes, president OF It's
board of trustees, who said that while
pre-eminently a man of books. DR.. Spot
ford was no mere bookworm, but that he
was a librarian who used his remarkable
ability for the public good. He told how
DR.. Spofford aided in the establishment
of the public library as "circulat1ng
supplement" to the Library of Congress
and the local educational system. He was
appropriately made a member of the board
of trustees when the Public Library was
created by act of Congress. ana IRON tns
beginning to the day of his death he had
rendered invaluable services as chairman
of the committee on books, his ripe ex-
perience and rare knowledge contributing
to the end Of developing circulating COL
lection of material assistance to the STU
dents of Washington:
Miss Alice c. Fletcher spoke synpa-
thetically of DIP. SpOford's association
with the Washington Literary society.
where his versatility and charm were al
ways warmly appreciated. MISS .tletcnsF
said that it was his diversity of inter
ests which endeared him to the many
organizations with which he was al
flated. and his marked literary talent
found a ready outlet from the conflning
work of the library in the gathering OF
literary societies.
His Interest in Anthropology.
Prof. Walter Hough, president of the
Anthropological Society, spoke express
lively of Dr. Spofford's interest in that
organization. Although pr. Spofford was
not an anthropologist and made no claims
in the direction of that science, he at
tended the meetings faithfully as lay
man, as man interested. He read papers
from time to time before the society which
were written from that point of view.
many of them dealing with folklore, and
were especially acceptable because they
reflected his capacity for deep research
and scholarly expression.
Judge Alexander Il. Hagner in hts Very
interesting address dealt with DR.. Spot
ford's work with the Columbian Historical
Society. of which lie was one OF the
founders and which he served as vice
president at the time of his death. He
gave particulars of DR.. Speffords con-
nection with that organization, for which
he prepared numerous papers, his exten.
sive reading making of rare value all
that he offered.
At the close of the meeting Mr.. John
w. Foster former Secretary of State. in
a few words complimented Librarian Put
nam for his considerate attitude toward
DR.. Spofford. whom he succeeded as II,
brarian of Congress. while DR.. Spofford
was his assistant.