The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-01-22

here In Boston ana turn III INTO Jne
Golfers of the national treasury. This
means that over sl75 900 worth OF
imports and exports are passed through
the Boston custom house annually
For over 60 years the fine old doric
structure has been handling the great
business OF this port and doing 1t so
we'll that at the present time 1t bears
the reputation of allowing less SNUG
Cling than any other big port in the
country. A tremendous amount OF
clerical work goes on within the gran
ite walls of the old building. which, un-
fortunately. was constructed somewhat
on the plan of a nut-nine parts shell
and one part kernel-with the result
that the interior is overcrowded al
most 10 the bursting point.
Next 10 personal and family eco
nomic welfare and national patriotism,
the average American rates education
as something for which he will make
nearly any sacrifice. Above religion,
the fine arts or municipal or state
patriotism, is the Americans respect
for educated intelligence. Primacy in
the American educational realm is con-
ceded TO Harvard university. Whose
leads her commands national attention
by reason of his Office. Hence choice
of President Eliot's successor has been
a matter Of concern far beyond Har-
wards alumni circles, far beyond New
England, and among parents and youth
as well as among educators
The selection Of Prof. Abbott Law
renee Lowell by the corporation Of the
university, and informal acquiescence by
the beard OF overseers. who will rati-
fy the action later is, like the choice Of
Prof. Hadley for. the presidency Of Yale,
in the line OF the successful candidates
promotion from faculty to president,
and is from the ruling and dominating
coterie in the academic vicinage. All
the traditions, social, financial and aca-
demic. will be maintained and handed
on. THE benign mother Of educated
New England" as George William Cur
It's called Harvard, is to remain, as
President Eliot said that he hoped she
would, a distinctly New England insti-
tuition, led by a thoroughbred New
Englander and Bostonian.
What the Boston Public Library real.
ly means to the community as an in
stitution for public education and how
the entire system is administered and
operated were made clear to the Bea-
con society at a recent banquet at the
Algonquin club by Joseph II. Benston,
chairman of the board of trustees, who
read paper covering in detail the bus
mess and workings of this famous in
stitution.
Mr. Benton traced the public library
movement in Boston from the first one
established in 1867 in the old town
house. where later was built the old
State House. This was the first pub
lie library of it's kind in America. In
1747 the old State House ~as destroyed
by fire and the first Boston Public Lib
rary perished, not to be revived again
until the present institution was opened
in 1854, in two rooms Of the municipal
building on Mason street, where the
school board now has headquarters.
The library then had less than 10000
volumes and its entire expense the first
year was $13,S3SO7, of which S62430
was for books.
From such small beginnings the Ii
brary has grown in 54 years TO its pres
ent estate, with a great central build
ing in Copley square that cost nearly
$3000,000, with nearly 100000 vol
umes and holding property valued at
not less than $S,000,000. The conduct
of the business Of the present library
system costs about $4,000 a month,
and the whole library business is in
charge Of five trustees appointed by the
mayor and confirmed by the board of
aldermen, to serve without compensa-
tion for terms of five years. Under
a special statute the trustees are con-
stituted a corporation with authority
to take and hold real and personal
estate which may be given TO il for any
purpose.
After describing the great central
structure on Copley square with its
many utilities, Mr.. Benton touched on
the treasures which ii contains in
books. manuscripts, photographs, stat
uary, engravings, etc. The central H.
brary has $4,000 separate manuscripts
and about $50 volumes of manuscript
books, about 10000 maps, 200 aliases
and 10000 photographs, prints, engrav.
ings and other pictures.
This week at the Hollis Street The
atre, Henry w. Savage offers for the
first time in Boston the only authorized
version of Franz Molnar's sensational
success. The Devil" Edward Stew
ems is seen as his Satanic Majesty, sup.
ported by the original organization
which ran for more than five months
M tho Garden theatre New York