Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-01-06
LIBRARY GIVEN
new CHANCE
COUNCIL BUDGET
Boards Request For $1O0 Month
ly And $425 To Pay Debt
Granted-Means New Life

Complying with a request of the
Canegie library board, which was
backed in person by large delega-
ton of leading women of the city
and various civic committees, the city
council last night revised its tenta-
tive budget for 1922 and voted $1O0
per month to the library. This was
double the amount granted the IL
brary last year and an increase in
the tentative budget which provided
for S75 per month. This increase,
added to the $50 month granted
by the county, will provide monthly
incom,s for the institution of $3.50
per month which, the board feels,
will permit the beginning of pro-
gram of rehabilitation of the institu-
ton which has been starved for years.
The council also voted last night
10 pay debt of $425 owed by the Ii
prary for some time TO the CONNER
cial City bank, the affairs of watch
are being wound up and which ac-
count is being pressed for payment.
The city had promised last year to
ray the board $500 on this account
but had not been able to do it. The
voting of this amount to liquidate
this debt will permit the library to
start with a clean slate, it was said.
President Harold Speaks.
Thomas Harold, president of the
library board, was first spokesman
for the advocates of an increased ap-
preparation for the institution. He
asked for payment of the $425 debt
and reinstatement of the appropria-
ton of $100 a month which was for
merly made. He stated that under
the recent small income it had been
found almost impossible to keep the
doors of the library open, to say moth
ing of buying new books, repairing
books, binding magazines, etc. He
stated that Miss Carrie Speer, the
temporary librarian, feels the work is
too heavy for her and that the board
desired to obtain an experienced Ii
briarian. He mentioned that when
Andrew Carnegie put $4,000 into
the city agreed to appropriate 10 per
cent of the amount annually, or $2,-
600 for, its upkeep, which has never
been done. He said the library had
been tagging under it's crippled con-
dition and that unless more money
could be had its usefulness would end.
Lovelace Eve, one of the Rotary
club committee, said the library is
second only to the schools; that prop
er selection and censorship of books
is necessary for young people and
this work had been properly done
here, He said that cities can always
find the money to do that for which
there is, real demand and what they
really want done.
Important to Schools.
Superintendent Mathis briefly out
lined the relationship of the library
to the public schools and the impor-
tant part it plays in keeping the
schools on the accredited list.
Frank Sheffield put in a good word
for the library and an increased ap-
preparation. Chas. L. Ansley said
Cordele and Albany each spend 49,
600 per year on their libraries and
that Americus should not be, behind
them.
Miss Speer, librarian, mentioned
the crying need for children's books.
She said her experience in the library
had brought home to her the fearful
responsibility, of looking after the de-
velopment Of the children. She said
there were SO few children's books in
the library, and the demand is so
great that the situation is truly pa
thetie, and. stressed the Importance, at
the time when the characters are be-
ing formed, of the right kind of read
ing being provided for them. "We
just know that with our present in
home we cannot buy books" she said,
and we just must have some for the
Children" She said the library had
been starved SO long and its needs
were so great that S76 month which
was planned to give it, would not be
enough.
SdPI. JoUH "A. kCODD, WHO HAS Uecll
member of the library board since
IT'S inception, said there never had
been period in the histos6h of the
institution when its needs We're as
great or as important, and added a
plea for the full amount asked.
Mrs. Glenn's Tribute.
Mrs. R. P. Glenn paid high tribute
to the ability of Miss Speer feelingly
told the council it was unfair to have
a thoroughbred and not feed her.
Mrs. B. C. Keister added word
on the Importance of giving the chill
dren the best education possible be-
cause it is the one thing that eannot
be taken from them in after lie.
The movement to amend the bud
get as offered, increasing the IL
orary appropriation, was begun by
Alderman Taylor, after Alderman
burke had expressed himself as fav-
oring the change. Alderman Alli-
son objected, declaring sympathy with
the library and its needs, but assert
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