Evening journal., 1911-06-26
State Historical Society Makes Appeal for Help

"The publication Of data of state
and local history is also an i'm
portant function of a historical So
ciety. Such a society has not fulfilled
its highest mission when it has col
lected library and housed it secure
ly. The original material in its pos
session should be made accessible by
publication to students and searchers
who live at distance. Are there mss.
of value? They should be printed.
Has some Delaware student done
piece of good work? It should be
given to the press. But such work
is expensive. Unless special provision
is made for 1t, it cannot be done. It
is little to the credit of Delawareans,
but it is true-that the Historical
Society has no special funds of any
kind. no purchasing fund-a fact of
which the president is frequently re-
minded when an addition to the Ii
brary should be made--no binding
fund no publication fund. We are
almost wholly dependent on member
ship dues, which are not equal to the
demands of our work. We need and
we should have at once a permanent
fund of not less than twenty thous-
and dollars. A larger income is alb
solutely necessary for the adequate
administration, maintenance and in
crease of our library.
New Building Needed.
"But of all our needs by far the
most important and imperative is that
of a building of a sufficient size, suit
ably arranged and equipped for the
society's work. The lease by which
We hold the old building of the First
Presbyterian Church has only a little
over a year to run. It's renewal is
apparently not to be expected ,on
terms the society can accept II
should not be renewed on any terms,
for the old quarters no longer suffice.
We have completely outgrown them.
It is impossible for the society to ac-
complish its work, enlarge its col
| lections or safeguard its treasures
where it is. II must have more room.
This, however. is not the chief reason
/ for building. We are counting dis
aster while we remain in The present
! location. A single match, may in a
] HlOMtul put i've treasures Edlutitl
by the patient and persistent effort
of the last fifty years, beyond the pos
sibility of future usefulness. Our col
lections are unique and priceless; our
! library is important and valuable f;
their loss by fire would be irrepar-
able and we owe il to the public to
ensure their preservation. Our paint
ings, mss, rare books and engrav-
ings are in constant danger, and will
continue so until they are properly
housed. Many Of our most valuable
mss. are stored in the vaults of the
Wilmington Trust Company. where
they are practically inaccessible to
those who wish to consult them.
These, then, are the reasons, or a
/ few of the reasons, which impel the
Historical Society to appeal to all
Delaware for immediate and ample
contributions. We want at least sixty
thousand dollars for our proposed
building. of which, perhaps, ten thou
sand will be needed for a site. We
ought to have twenty-five thousand
dollars more for a permanent fund
Is this too much? Are we over ex-
pectant and prespmptuous? No one
can say we are who knows what has
been done, and what is being done
elsewhere on similar lines. The His
torical Society of Bucks Co.. Pa. oc
cupies a building which cost $4,000
The building Of the New Haven His.
torical Society cost SSS,000. The