The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-03-31
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THE PUBLIC LIBRARY

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To the Editor of The Herald and
News:
wish to direct attention to the
NeWberry Public Library, and if in
doing so I appear to sco,d other per
sons. l wish it known that l take to
myself more blame than l impute to
all the rest of the community, During
the whole of the ten years since my
return home after my sojourn in Green
wood, 1 have neglected, until few
weeks ago, to subscribe to the library,
or have anything to do with it. l am
heartily sorry iIor this bad behavior
and it is largely in consequence OF
my contrition and to make some
amends, that I write as now do
The benevolence of Hon. George S.
Mower in giving room, or, If desired,
two rooms, for the use Of the library
and the courageous. and persevering
effort Of some Of our ladies, are about
all that has kept the enterprise alive
and going. But the number Of patrons
is so small that the ladies have not
had the means to purchase many books
which they desire to have, or to OBJ
tain such furnishing for the room as
they would wish, and ought to have
Yet they have kept heart and hope,
buying such books as they could
opening the library three times every
week and in turn, and without pay,
performing all the functions Of librar-
ian-and never begging help. BY this
persistent exertion they have accumu-
lated about fifteen hundred volumes,
and furnished a good deal Of good
reading to those who have been wise
enough to avail themselves Of the OPP
portunity. And during all their dis
couraging struggle we men, With few
exceptions, have stood aloof. The
women seem to have about three
fourths of tre public spirit in New
berry, and about the same proportion
of energy. These library ladies, the
Bachelor maids, the Civic association,
the United Daughters of the Con.ed-
eracy, and the various women's char
stable and literary societies, are doing
1 suspect, ten times as much for the
welfare of the community as all the
men put together. I need not mention
their church work; everybody knows
that they keep all the churches go.
ing.
Now the. cost Of subscription to the
library is only one dollar per year. A
subscriber is allowed to take out two
volumes at the same time, and to keep
them two weeks with the privilege oS
renewal. Many one Of us pays more
than a dollar for a copy Of such trash
as eRd Pottage or V. VS. Eyes, While
for 2 dollar we could read from the
library, The Seige of the Seven Suit
ors, and The Stranger, and twenty
more rational, clean books. And there
are there a good many books besides
norels-encyclopedias, histories, bio
graphies, essays, etc. I found there,
the other day, a valuable historical
work which I have never seen else
where.
The population Of the town OF
Greenwood is very little. larger than
that of Newberry, and her wealth is
certainly no greater than ours; yet
there they have a library of about
twenty-five hundred volumes; they
pay their librarian, and they are work
ing and expect to secure a Carnegie
building on the lot lately donated by
the town. which will be upon their as
suring $4,000 annually for the sus-
tenance of the library I doubt that
cur library has received $4,000 durins
the whole thirteen years of its exist
ence.
Since the arousing G: the Southern
people from their long lethargy Of
illiteracy it is hardly necessary to
remind anyone that books are the
store-house and treasures Of knowl-
edge; the seminaries o. sound thought,
pure sentiment. and refined taste; the
best companions in our solitude; our
teachers and comforters in distress;
and most efficient in keeping boys
from vice and girls from frivolous
tomfoolery. Every one who has the
general welfare at heart should be
anxious to put good books within easy
reach of the people
rbo ,,rDin;ooJ authorities S7o0I1 l6