The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-01-22

| had largely gone home, ! thlnk inc
June, July, and August attendance Of
any summer would increase the above
number by at least 1000, making to-
tai of 5000 in any non-le legislative year.
And during year in which the legisla
ture is sitting, the number would ex-
coed 1900, making $4,000 visitors in
| each two years space of time.
During the fiscal year closing July J.,
1919, out Of the 1000 annually allowed
us by the state for the purchase Of
books, / expended all but some $40.
And from the $1,000 available during
the year ending July |, next, we have
already used the major portion. In
September last / bought from Charles
Il. futile at private sale large num-
Der Of Vermont items which we lacked
Again in November we secured from
the Tuttle auction in Boston another
goodly supply. The above, together
with an exceptional recent offering of
genealogies by Goodspeed's of Boston,
which latter chance seemed too favor
able to be ignored has largely depleted
our present exchequer.
As you know full well. 40 out of
every 80 people who come here to con
suit book, ask for the genealogical
section; and during the eight years in
which | have served you it has been
mainly books of such nature that we
have sought in the markets. In 1911
we had barely Us genealogies and very
few town histories. Then, our further
needs were largely among the more
common items. and then, as well, gen
H.. Ga. A.
eordingly, during my first years here,
it was comparatively easy with small
amount of money to bring home large
amount of books. Now, when in the
cities and when in even large genoa
logical book store, see but few titles
under $40 each that we do not already
own
We now have Cos genealogies, togeth
er with 100 others which the Vermont
Society of Colonial DANES have bought
and permanently loaned to US. ! cam
not speak too highly of the kindness Of
these women in this work. The books
they have purchased have cost at least
5000 and could not be duplicated to-day
for 81 900 Ten years from to-day they
could not be secured for 81 500
The state library owns 3l4 genealo-
giles other than those we possess, and
this makes the total number in the
building 1882. In addition, there are
90 others owned in both libraries, which
latter are group genealogies, j. e., gen
ealogies each OF which contains several
families.
OF New England town histories we
own $50, and the state library has, |
would judge, at least 300 titles different
from ours, totalling some 1000 works
of this description.
There must be then here the largest
collection of genealogies and town his
tories gathered under single roof
north OF Boston. in New England.
The exact number of books of rea
value in our library cannot state, but
it exceeds 1000.
For decades there were stored in the
room under the dome OF the Capitol
many books and things of ours which
were unavailable, and all of which were
more or less exposed to the fire hazard. |
All this has been removed, and much |
of it catslogued. Underneath this room |
we have possession of vault in which |
can be deposited articles of value, room
here for which we do not have. We |
have received during the past year |
more gifts and loans than during any |
like period in my reeollections. This |
was to have been expected. CHARTERED |
in a conspicuous position and the atten
ton of the public being drawn to us, to |
what we have. and to what we can do, I
Il Is natural that donations would in
crease. We have received a goodly |
number Of books and pamphlets, the
detail Of which is too long for this re
hearsal; but | assure you they are all
Of value and their identities are mat
ters of record.
Among the things which the casual
visitor might observe LET me mention a
sword from Gilbert l.. Dwinell of
F. johnson of Williston, wood from the
Royal Savage" donated by Frank II.
Puffer, early views of Montpelier and
from Mrs. George Wheeler, a
iress made of silk raised in Williston,
VT, in 1915 and given by Mrs. Mary
Hart Duncan of Lowell, Mass, large
number of articles of personal and
use loaned by Ira Ormsbee
If Marshiield. and tall clock which
,enceforth will tick the time for us, il
being given by Henry and Mrs. George
Montague.
In addition, let me mention the war
elies loaned to the society by Frederic
edwards, forHtrly principal of the
Montpelier high school These were
objected by Professor Edwards during