Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-12
LIBRARY WORK
OF ART AND JOY
Monument to Beloved Poet
and Literary Prestige
of HoOsier State.
OUR PUBLIC library is a work Of

OUR PUBLIC library is a work Of
" art and joy forever. Oct. 7
marks the birth of our beloved Riley
and the birth of new and complete
library for the public, whom he loved
and who loved him SO well. Riley is
our one native poet of worldwide
fame, who gathered our Hoosier dia-
lect and gave it a soul, and he so
loved his native city that he gave it
tract of ground on which to build a
new library-a monument for all
time-and this gift is worthy of the
great poet.
Let us see what the great men Of our
country think of our library.
r. A. Cram, one of the leading archi-
tects Of this country and the greatest
auth GRITTY on tho Gothic, said: 1.-THE In
dianapolis public library is the most
beautiful secular building in the United
States, If not the most beautiful SECULAR
building produced in modern times.
have never come in contact with anything
which seemed to me so complete in its
planning, its organism, its scale and its
consummate beauty. This is real and
convincing architecture. I never expected
to see anything of the sort in my day
and generation
Norman Hapgood, the we'll known edi-
tor, pays our library tremendous trib-
ute. Mr.. Hapgood said: "In the world
Of plastic things nothing since I re
turned to America has given me a spring
comparable to that with which / left the
newly finished public library in Indian
apolis. With the first sight it came over
me at once with a shock, as one receives
the high peaks in those countries that
have known outbursts of art genius. Such
a possession means that life in Indianap-
oils is worth more to every young spirit
that reaches out. In style the building
Is classic without eoIdness; in other
words, it Is real classic. It's adapta-
bility to its purpose through internal ar
rangement, is equal to it's breathing tri-
umph as a monument"
This is surely worthy tribute and
gratifying to US, but the opinion OF Prof
Charles w. Killam, head OF the school OF
architecture of Harvard university. is
also worthy of note on account of the
high position he holds in this country
as an authority on that which is best and
noblest in architecture. Prof Killam
said; This Is probably the finest
building in America on Greek precedent
"a very beautiful library building" And
only few months ago Anre Arneson
came over from Christianla Norway. to
study our new building with a view to
planning their new library, to be built
in the capital Of Norway.
Il ! =
The Indianapolis public library was
authorized by an act Of the general as
sembly passed in the winter Of 1871.
There we're at that time between seven
and eight thousand children in the
public schools. The pupils and teach
ers had no reading or reference library.
and 1t was necessary to provide for this
important movement. A number OF sug-
gestions were made by our leading citi-
zens regarding this matter and il was
finally decided to call a conference for
advice and counsel and a general ex-
change Of views as to the laws needful
to pass 10 provide for a public library.
A memorandum was drawn up, giving an
outline Of a general law, together with
an explanation Of its provisions, to pre-
cent to the lawmakers VIII: were shortly
to assemble. committe was appointed,
instructed to take the memorandum and
prepare a bill In accordance with its
provisions. This committee completed