Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-05-15
Formal Opening of Library Built
in Memory Of the Late
Senator.
RED LETTER DAY FOR TOWN
Afternoon Address by Rev. C. H.
Smith of Burlington-Recep.
ton in Evening-Descrip-
tion of Edifice.

Proctor. May 1.-THE opening Of an
exceptionally beautiful public library
uilding made yesterday red letter day
Tor the town Of Proctor The building.
equipment, and tho land upon which it
is located are the Eift of Mrs Rcdncld
Proctor, wife of the late Senator Proctor.
ana adds one more to the many benefits
traceablc to the public spirit and gen
crosby Of the Proctor family.
Tho celebration of the opening included
IN address iu the afternoon by the Rev.
c. H. Smith Of Burlington. followed by
reception to oUt-of-town visitors.
among whom We're librarians from many
parts OF the State Later IN the after
noon the building was visited by Proctor
school children of many natonalities.
and in tho evening another reception
was held for the benefit Of the people of
Proctor who had been unable to be
present in the afternoon. Refreshments
were served both in the afternoon and
evening and music was furnished in the
afternoon by Wilson's orchestra from
Rutland and In the evening by the
Proctor band
The building is of the colonial type,
being constructed of brick with white
marble trimmings, with a Corinthian
column of white marble on either side
Of the entrance. The inside Is as con-
venient as the outside is beautiful, with
spacious reading rooms for adults and
children, stack room for upwards of
thirty thousand books. n room apart for
serious work from reference books and
private office for the librarian. The plans
were drawn by Harry Leslie Walker Of
New York city. 1t is built ON slightly
spot above a bend in the river with tall
elm trees arching over it.
The exercises in celebration Of the
opening contained brief speech by p
j Joyce. president OF the board Of
trustees, INTRODUCING the orator of the
day, the Rev. c. ~. Smith, and few
words on behalf of the trustees by -. II.
Bixer. Among the visiting librarians
and guests were Miss Wright of Mont
pclier. secretary of the State library
commission. Miss Bates and Miss Shat
tuck of the Billings library at Burling-
ton. Miss Pierce of Ludlow. Miss Dewey
OF Fair Haven, Miss Hobart Of Yer
gennes, Miss Cheney of Rutland. Mrs
Kingsley and Mr.. and Mrs WinsloW of
Brandon, Miss Shaw of Pittsford, Mr..
Clement of Rutland, member Of the
State library commission.
ADDRESS OF REV. {. H. SMITH.
The address of the Rev. c. II. Smith on
Burlington was in part as follows;
Il suppose that my part is to say some
thing that will he a kind of starting point
for the working Of this new library, or
rather, the old library in it's new building.
Certainly it is well worth while to stop
a little and consider the significance of
this event.
For the dedication Of such a beautiful
and completely equipped library building
as this to the uses of the community is Il
noteworthy event. And. if | may be per-
mitted, as a longtime neighbor and
friend, first of all. | want to congratulate
all concerned upon the possession of this
beautiful house. I want to congratulate
those who designed this building. have
been able to make only very cursory OBJ
servation of it, but it seems to me won
drously complete and beautiful for Just
such uses. And l congratulate the people
Of Proctor on all that this building will
mean to them in the days to come, and
trust I may be pardoned if also I send
Il
graduation to her whose munhcence this
building has been made possible. often
recall to mind a remark made bv one
whose memory I hold sacred, and to
whom ministry to other people had be-
Come almost n passion. She had been
lold of a very generous gift that some
one had given TO another,-and instead of
saying as many of US would have done
nj
ly and spontaneously she said How nice
1t must be to be able to give such a gift
And, while we nave gratitude to those
who give such things as this house, yet |
think we may we'll congratulate our
friend, Madame Proctor, upon the privi-
lego OF ministering to this community in
this way.
OFFERS MORE THAN DIVERSION.
This library means far more, and will
mean far more than the casual observer
would think. Many people Will come in
here TO get books or to while away an
idle hour, with very little thought of
anything more than to pass the time.
or to get a little diversion in some way.
But nevertheless, though we may feel
that It is hardly worth while, yet the
library is serving a most useful purpose
In its ministry to that class OF people.
And If such people can be persuaded to
take even the lightest book that may be
found upon these shelves, and read it,
1t is vastly better than that they should
be reading the cheap novels from the
bookstall or the sickening drivel of the
Sunday supplement.
But the library means something
more than entertainment. 1t stands as
KIND of mile post of our civilization, and
] should like this afternoon, whether
YOU remember anything | say or not, to
have you try to look at this building and
IT'S contents, and its work as represent
ne the distance which we have come
IN our civilization, and as indicating for
US in some measure. the direction in
which We are going, and the goal which
we hope to reach. For there was a time
when no books had ever been read. or even
written when no human being had con-
ceived the idea of conveying his thought
or his desire to his fellow man by so
much as a mark upon a piece of bark or
,he skin OF an animal, or the enduring
rock.
Now when we try to think back to
such a prehistoric and crude state OF
things as that, our first thought is that
the people of that day, or We may call
them people,, the men of that day must
have been immensely below us I'm mental
capacity. But Il | am correctly Informed