The Newtown bee., 1908-08-21

upzeh years, lt was due to the efforts and the interest of one of our ladies that this dormant fund was resurrected from it's quiet repose at three per cent. and made a nucleus about which to gather funds for this new building. can we'll remember. as can others here, the library meeting in 1901, when this lady asked about this fund, and suggested that steps be taken to in- crease it, She herself, took those steps by organizing the women of the place into committee of several score to prepare materials for a general sale, which would be given in the summer of 1902 for this building fund. The sale was held at the Knoll in August, 1902, as planned, and by it over seven hun dred dollars was added to the building fund. This settled the matter. We all felt that now new building was possible, and that it must be gotten. It was also seen that to hold the funds for such building and to administer the property the library must be in- corporated as legal body. The first intention was simply to incorporate the existing Washington Reading Room and Library Association; but the structure of this body was loose, its membership uncertain. It was seen that there must be a new and more re- sponsible corporation formed. The steps toward this new organization were all prepared and guided by the two of our number whose absence to- day is the one dark line in our bright ness and rejoicing, Senator Platt and Dr Ford. These two were the ones to whose hand this work fell-would in- deed they might be with us to see the completion of that to which they each gave very large interest and active effort. Senator Platt did not live to see this building begun, but gave invalu. able help in the preparations and in the raising of funds for it. Dr Ford, as one of the two members on our building committee, gave more than year of peculiarly careful and con- tinuous attention to this work, and lived to see its completion save only in very few of the last details. These two were prominently the beginners of the new body.
 As l have said. the transition from the first to the second organization was through troubled waters; but the necessary destruction of the second to prepare for the third organization was most smoothly and peacefully accom- plished. This was due, in a large measure, to the wise guidance of the President, w. L. Van Sinderen. MT Van Sinderen had just been elected President at the July meeting, 1902, and his first active movement was to destroy the body of which he had been elected presiding officer and to legis- late himself out of ofice. In this un- usual proceeding he showed himself exceedingly capable, and his efforts were crowned with complete success. Every step, as it came along, was taken unanimously by the body, and in such manner that all property, in terests and equipment of the associa- tion were legally transferred to the new body without an objection from any source being made, or a difficulty of any kind being encountered. It was, l believe, at MT Van Sinderen's sug- gestion that Senator Platt was put at the head of the incorporators of the new body to present its claims to the public, his own name coming second on the list.
 At just this stage ill the movement Senator Platt, the Chairman of the h. corporators, received the following let ter, dated September 20, 1902:
 Dear Senator Platt: If the name Gum Memorial Library shall be adopted, and if fund of at least S25, 1000 can be raised, at least one-half of it to be invested for maintenance fund, i will contribute S1O, 900 towards it. Further, if the land north of Mrs Galpin's house shall be thought suit able for the purpose, l will give that land as library building site.
 Yours truly,
 E. H. Van Ingen."
 This was the first official mention of the name "Gunn Memorial Library" Its appropriateness was felt by every one on the board and in the town. Nothing could be more fitting than that this library building should com- memorate the work of Frederick W, Gum and his wife, Abigail I. Gum (who, we thank God, is still with us to-day at the dedication exercises). That name appealed to every one who had known or had heard of Washing tons history. The proposal that those who had made this village the unique