The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-07-10
OLD COURT HOUSE QUESTION
Mr.. j. F. J. Caldwell Makes Some
Valuable Suggestions-Action
Must be Prompt.

Editor of The Herald and News:
[ desire to call attention again to
the suggestion which l made some
weeks ago to keep the old court house
partly for the use Of one or more
public Offices, partly for free public
library and rest place for the ladies
coming to the town of Newbcrry The
! question of preserving the building
and that of the purposes for which it
shall be used; if it is allowed to
stand, will come before the people
at the next Democratic primary clcc-
tion, in such form as the county cx-
ecutlve committee shall sec proper to
put it. But in order to put the ques-
ton properly before voters it is
necessary to lay before them some
more definite scheme, some fuller
arrangement than | attempted to set
forth. [ did not undertake to folmu-
late any details. My only purpose
Was to propose Il general scheme, it
being my hope that others Of my
way Of thinking would suggest fur
thrr and more specific arrangements
and regulations.
a committee consisting Of Dr.
Cromer, +. Ii. Dominick, Esq, and
myself, has been designated by the
county to prepare 4 question to be
voted upon at the primary election
in August. But that committee will
be at Il loss to frame the issue I'M
less we have something more tangi-
BILE to go upon than has so far ap-
pearcd.
1t is now the duty Of the Ncwbcr-
ry Library association, or those who
may form such an association, to de-
clare thcmselves-to let it be known
what they are willing, and what they
propose to do. Any corporation,
JOINT stock company, or other union
Of persons desiring to have the use Of
the upper floor should offer some
plan by which that floor shall be kept
and used for Il library and rest place.
Unless they propose such tangible
and definite arrangement, the whole
scheme must fall to the ground That
arrangement necessarily involves two
things: lst. the preservation and care
Of The building, and 2nd, lis use, as
relates TO the upper story, for the
public benefit.
offer the following suggestions
promising that the ladies of the town
must take the matter in hand, and,
with or without the cooperation of
other sex. make out definite plan.
In my opinion. the library association
rs II now exists is insufficient. 4
society should be formed cnbracin"
more persons than now own and con-
troll the library. Every decent white
person in thc county ought TO be in
Vl1"d To JOIN the society. The organ
lzati"n thus formed should be entirely
separated from the great bic Fcdcr-
alton Of Woman's clubs Tor whatever
Is the name of that ag"rc9 lion), and
be a distinct. independent society of
people Of this county. And the So
clcsH should be incorporated, so as TO
have a legal status. and be capable
as unit. OF holding property, incur
ring obligations, and enforcing con-
! tracts, and so as to secure definite
and systematic action and regulation.
y charter can be easily procured, and
at Il very small expense. do not see
how an arrangement with the county
aut thoritics for the use Of the build
IN" can be effected without such cor
poratc organization. No len, twcn-
~. or fifty private persons. no matter
how respectable themselves. and no
matter how worthy their object, con-
Stltutc body with which the coun-
ty officers could well. or should con-
tract, for any length of time.
Such corporation should euaran-
tee the preservation and care of the
building, at least of the upper floor;
and this would include keeping the
roof, doors, windows, steps, &c., in
repair, and also, T should think, keep
ing up part of the insurance of the
building. 1t should also guarantee
the use Of those upper rooms for a
reading room and resting place, as I
described in my former article The
use by the colorcd people Of por-
tlon OF the ground floor, which J.
| .t,,.1