News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1909-11-17
THE JOHNSON LIBRARY
Address of DR.. w. e. Ranger
at the Dedication

dedication of the new library building in
Johnson last week Wednesday. DR.. Ranger
was for several years at the head of the
Normal School at that place, and during
that time he identified himself with every
thing that pertained to the good of the
community. 1t was indeed fitting that
he should be asked to give this address,
as he is no stranger to the place and
knew the amount of toll, care and labor
that was spent in the erection of this
building and no one perhaps could speak
better and more intelligently upon this
occasion than he. He complimented the
people of Johnson upon its prosperity
and progress and the ladies of the Dread
Club upon the splendid results of their
long and arduous wo.k. Continuing he
said: -
1t is town of culture and progress as
we'll as sacrifice, as shown in former days
by the Academy, County Grammar
School, Normal School, Opera House,
water and lighting systems and improve
ments made.
Thus new library building is an inn
portant step forward. The special sig
nifcance is selfdependence, which you
have gained for yourself and which L
have come to compliment you upon.
The appreciation of the value OF any
institution in a community depends upon
a consideration of it's place in Gods econ
omy of life. The end of life is life, " am
come that they might have life and might
have it more abundantly." Any institu-
ton by a process of realization and en-
largement of the higher, more enduring
and essential life, mans life becomes
richer, purer and more abundant. MAN
shall not live by bread alone" 1t is the
higher life of thought and spirit that man
seeks. By larger realization of spiritual
life the race has developed from savagery
to humanity. The value of an institution
is measured by it's power exerted in this
life-process of mans development. In
the cause of social improvement unity OF
all institutions that make for righteous
ness. To-day the one grand object OF
organized Christian society is the better
ment of the race. The function of the
library is to serve this grand end Among
the institutions and factors which con-
tribute most efficiently to the higher de-
velopment of youth and manhood may
be named the home, the school, the church
and the library. We Judge the culture,
refinement and moral worth of COM
munity by the outward symbols OF these
forces in education. Who would choose
to live in a town in which there was neither
church nor schoolhouse? This town
has been fortunate in it's homes, churches,
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homes and schools have nurtured gener-
atoms of sterling manhood and woman
hood, and like other towns in our worthy
state, has sent it's sons and daughters
forth to other parts of our great country,
to become at times leaders in human
thought and action, and always to in
spire, to serve and to bless by that excel
lence of life that is nourished in the homes
of our green hills as the verdure that
clothes them. Assuredly the people may
regard this structure with grateful appre-
citation and honor, and entertain deep
qualification in the promise of a more
inspiring and elevating influence OF its
public library. A good library is one of
the greatest and most direct means OF a
peoples improvement. 1t soon becomes
the centre Of the intellectual life of the
| lOWIl anu dllGClS lllC DlOl anu .
of the entire community, an educational
agency, second only to the school. 1t
supplements the home, the church and
| the school.
A city superintendent once said that
the public library stands at the head of
the educational system of a place, of
which it is part. 1t provides liberal
education in itself and enables the pupil
L. Il l.. leo
aids adults education. Said Milton: "a
lgood book is the likelihood of a master
spirit, embalmed and treasurered upon
purpose to a life beyond" Said Carlyle
All that mankind has done, thought,
gained or been is lying as in magic preser-
walton in the pages of books" Said
Claiming: at is through books that we
enjoy intercourse with superior minds.
In the best books, great men talk to us,
give us their most precious thoughts, and
pour their souls into ours" If these say
ings are true, free public library makes
for democracy of culture and an aristoc-
racy of life. Modern culture and progress
would have been impossible without
books. Our growth is largely the appro-
priation and realization of what men
have thought, done or lived. All this
comes to us through books. A library is
a reservoir of good, fed by streams from
all lands and times, for it is one of the
great means to higher culture and essen
tial life in a community. A free public
library, like our free public school system
provides a means for better citizenships
by giving opportunities for betterment
of all. 1t grows upon a people. The
habit of reading is fostered Those who
never read, begin to read, and those who
read are inspired to read more and more
wisely. The service of a library is con
ditioned upon the faith, loyalty and yea
of those who care for it and of those who
receive its benefits. Great care must be
exercised in the details of administration
But such an institution cannot fail to be
successful, if it be attended by a great
love of learning and of its use, and by
"a profound desire for the betterment
of ones fellow men. Such love, am
sure, has inspired the erection of this
building for so noble purpose and for
so high service. May we not confidently
anticipate that the town that has beer
so favored will respond to such generosity
with liberal support, strenuous co-opera-
ton, a loyal devotion to higher aims, a
faithful case of the trust thus committed
and with a wise appropriation of the
benefits conferred?
May every citizen of Johnson, who has
| acp;rafiOrc for better fl1iuUS for hiu1ce1-