The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1909-01-08
DOOM OF N EYESORE
How Kansas Women Transform
ed Towns UgIieSt Block.
PUBLIC LIBRARY THEIR AIM.
Through Efforts Of Abilene's clubwo-
men an Unsiohtly Spot Was Con-
demned For Park Purposes-csrne-
gle Library Erected In its Center.

men an Unsiohtly Spot Was Con-
demned For Park Purposes--csrne-
sic Library Erected In its Center.
After nine years Of effort, sacrifice
and planning the women Of Abilene,
Kan. recently saw a fruition of their
hopes In the dedication Of a public H.
brary costing Sl2.5O0, equipped with
6.O00 books and set In the midst of a
pretty city park in the most central
block Of town.
This Is a striking example of what
can be done In the average country
community when the right persons
have the right inspiration and endeav
or to do some good TO those around
them. Ten years ago the people OF
Abilene laughed at the idea Of sue
cessful public library. Several at
tempts had been made to establish
such, and each was a failure. The
books gradually had been lost, and
finally the rooms were given up
The clubwomen took up the idea.
appointing a committee composed Of
members from each Of the clubs, and
made another effort says the Kansas
City Star. ii was a slow and tedious
process at first The first books were
gifts from individuals, making a very
meager collection of Indifferent litera-
ture. The first money In any amount
that was secured for the library was
from a lecture by William Jennings
Bryan soon after the election Of 1900
The proceeds were divided between
the library and other local enterprises.
and 500 was realized. Then came
the first rummage sale, something the
town never had experienced and which
created much hlarity when 1t opened.
But in those days old clothes were
much more IN demand than In these
times. and the proceeds surprised even
the managers. After this the library
fund grew steadily from all sorts OF
entertainments. donations and schemes
that would add to its proportions.
small room was secured over grocery
store. and the first books were install
ed with a librarian who practically
gave her services.
This librarian was Miss Ida ROmig
a graduate Of the University Of Kan
sas and with experience In the large
book concerns Of Chicago and Boston
She entered into the work Of the
struggling library with all the enthu
siasm Of the clubwomen's committee
and gave It the same earnest and care.
full attention that might characterize
the largest city institution.
After awhile the town voted libra
~ tax. This amounts to about $1,000
a year. which speedily put the library
on its feet 1t had become by this time
an established institution. The appli
cation for books far exceeded the
equipment. and the little room became
too small for the growing number o.
volumes Next the women sought n
library building, but they had no place
to put II nor money with which to buy
site Finally they evolved a way oul
OF the difficulty and included I'm their
plans the wiping out Of what had be
come the towns eyesore. the ugliesi
block IN Abilene.
This block was In the center Of the
town. hut on low ground which had
often been overlooked at food time
On one corner was the badly located
city hail. built in the boom days and
used for the marshars residence and
the fire department An unsightly liv
cry barn. an old house, a great sheet
Iron shed for implements. four or five
rlckety store buildings used for black
smith shops and second hand stores
and three or four lots covered with
discarded traction engines. thrashing
machines and rubbish Of every sort
completed the Disagreement Of the
square. 1t was laughed at. scorned
and abused by everybody and consid
cred a disgrace to the city. Visitors
never were taken past that block II II
was possible to avoid II.
The clubwomen undertook to trans
form this unsightly spot into one Of
beauty. The mayor assisted them 10y
calling a special election TO Issue park
bonds. and by the work Of the women
these bonds were voted by small ma
iority. Then the entire block was con
demned for park purposes. and all tn"
buildings and disfgurements on II
were removed. leaving the city hall as
its only occupant. Then by request Of
the women the city made formal april
cation TO Andrew Carnegie for $4,000
for a public library. accompanying the
request by the assurance that the park
block would be used for a site. The
library tax already In force, together
with the income from other methods
Of money raising, insured a sufficient
income to meet the requirements Of
the Carnegie gift The city hauled I'm
dirt from the higher portions Of the
town and filed up the block far above
the high water mark. and In the center
has been placed the new public libra
nv. II is all stone and brick. with ce
ment basement and foundations. and
is one 3f the handsomest buildings OF
its class In the state The furniture Is
all oak and in the simplest lines and
most artistic form A handsomely fur
nished assembly room Is open to the
rlubwoipen for their meetings
When the new building was opened
the people thronged the rooms and
were ELUSIVE In their praise OF the ac-
compishments that the women Of the
town bid brought about
The pretty park block has been
plantedlin elms and sown to blue grass
and vii be one Of the beauty spots OF
Abilene, Every visitor now IS taken
by the public library aud the town
nrk
The FarnVllIe