Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1911-09-25
EVERYBODY WILL RE GIVEN
OPPORTUNITY TO ASSIST
IN RAISING FUNDS
FOR LIBRARY.
BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH
From Small Beginning, Popular Lo-
cal Institution Has Grown In Size
and Value as a Result Of Ardent
and Unceasing Efforts of Progress
i've Women.


and the atmosphere will take on the
hue of delicately ripe pumpkin,
for that is the distinctive color of
the little pieces Of cardboard which
all friends of the Dallas Public Ii
brary will wear with pleasure on
that day. The tag will be the badge
of the booster, the emblem of civic
pride and the guarantee of good
deed well done. No one, high or low,
rich or richer, little or big, will be
allowed to escape without one and
doubtless more. Bevies of fair young
sales girls will be upon every prom
inent street corner and woe unto he
or she that would escape tagless.
Prizes are to be offered to the ones
making the largest sales and compe-
titien will be keen in the extreme,
so that it will be simply case of buy
tag or get off the earth.
Small Beginning.
The library needs no introduction.
Since the seventeenth Of October,
1906, when it first opened its doors
to the public as the result of the in
sistent work Of a number of promi-
nent Dallas women of spirit and
energy, it has been a powerful factor
for good. At that time its equip
ment consisted more of needs than
of furniture. Two small cases partly
filed with books, a reading table well
stocked with fresh magazines and
an old desk and some
chairs completed the inventory.
A patient house to house canvass
for the purpose of arousing interest
in the project and collecting funds
to make start, had covered a period
of six weeks previous to the date OF
opening. 1t is remembered with
gratitude by the women who so faith
fully carried on the campaign that
the late William Brown and the late
NJ. M. Ellis were the two heaviest
contributors and were the ones that
lent the most encouragement.
Loyal Volunteers.
For year and half, the women
Of the Library association, aided by
a few young men, stood Loyalty by
the library, each taking charge OF
the room for a day at time and
doing the work as volunteers. At the
end of that time the institution had
80 increased in popularity and the
duties became so multiplied that 1t
was found necessary to have a sal
aried librarian in charge. Accord
nglv. Miss Jennie MuscOtt was Sc
ected for the position, and she has
filed it most creditably ever since.
The installation of regular libra
rian was made possible by the action
IF the city council in increasing their
initial appropriation of $l5O for the
irst wear to a one-half mill tax levy,
which Welded something over $500;
proof of the substantial growth OF
he city is shown by that fact that the
anne tax now brings in over $5OO.
Gases Now Crowded.
A visit now to the library, after
,early six years of continuous and
.yer increasing usefulness to the
shows the walls solldly
ined with book eases, making 1t no
onper necessary, as one Of the pro-
nofers saws. "to place the books on
he upper shelves where they wlll
how most. as was the case on the
,igbt of the Library's formal open
no - On the other hand, the cases
ne now crowded with the l6OO vol
,mes indexed periodicals, pamphlets,
'te which have been gathered
HIt has been the policy OF the IL
,rsrv management, says Mrs:George
;erliuger. founder Of the library
TO build up a good reference depart
,,ont and TO have the best books pub
she'd for the children and young
,oo,,Ia as far as means would per-
St 4 standard fiction, Of course,
,as q prominent place here, as IN
very other library, and the best Oh
he new fiction Is furnished at
rail ~ rental fee which helps pay tor
5s cost Of the books.
Career Of Usefulness
sTbe Dallas Library association
II. that Il can Justly point with
-. - h is career Of usefulness, and
/, : - = .ts vish Of its members to make
- rsefulness even greater dunng
- = coming wear, if the responses on
.ae-Sav are liberal enOugh to maze maze
,sis he purchase Of many new
'ooFs a library, ike any Other ,sl-
'..s;-ess enterprise must constantly
- and 70 forward, or 1t deter1o-
AZ 7. : the ardent wish Of the people
. 80 sitv that before another yeSl -
q c--,sg;e - library building may q
I, ,.s..S Ii furnish adequate quarters
- ~ pouuIar institution Al ne
81 -.,;d1 - al Ms Gerlinger, tne
- -ogue7 has made formal Re
-. =. IN the CaFnegie Libr1ry !, iaIo ,...
- 10 srect q SOU oliiolls' e
=. 4. hors7 that the amount 49, .i.
,qt ! >. II h. ;rrrs.ssd to $4,000