The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-06-04

Judge Afford declared that "an in
PRODUCTION would be useless. Every
body knows Charlie!"
And "Charlie" gave the audience a
brief sketch of the historical devel-
opment and growth of the public Ii
brary institution in Kenosha from it's
beginnings until the present time. Mr..
Brown is the present president of the
library board, and he confides that Civ
ing his time and energy to this task
is one of his most treasured hobbies.
In his talk Mr.. Brown paid tribute
to the indefatigable efforts of Mrs.
Clara Barnes, the city's first librarian.
He also referred to the elder q. G.
Simmons as the city's greatest bene-
factor. Everywhere you go in Keno
sha," he said, "you find the results of
his handiwork."
Called upon to express an opinion
as to whether he believed his dad"
would have been satisfied with the pre-
sent institution if he were living to-
day, z. G. Simmons replied that no
doubt the growth Of the Gilbert M.
Simmons library today would have
fulfilled every expectation that his
father had ever harbored concerning
his desire to do one great thing for
the community which would be lasting
in it's influence, and enduring in its
benefits.
G. B. Lester, secretary Of the Wis
consin Library Commission, at Madi-
son, was the speaker of the evening
and gave the dedicatory address. In an
interesting and inspiring talk the
speaker Landed the spirit which had
prompted Kenosha to pay such signi-
ficant attention to the needs Of the
community in providing library faci-
lities for all. He likened the library
and its staff to the school room.
"The accumulation of the ability to
learn and learn more is found in the
school room," he said. "That is the
formal course all of us 60 through.
But when that is done, it does not
mean that the accumulation of more
knowledge is stopped. The education
al processes continue, different in cha
racter, in quantity, but not differing
in quality. Here the public library
exhibits its effectiveness. Our educa-
tional requirements continue to be
fulfilled as we depend upon the ex-
perience of others in the aceumula-
ton of knowledge and placing it on
the printed page. 1t is the part Of
the library to do for the community
what the individuals of the community
cannot do for themselves. 1t organ
ICES this flood of printed material in
such a way as to make it useful. 1t Is
not only mere collection Of books,
but it is also a repository for infor-
nation, and I am happy to know that
in Kenosha the library is called upon
to take an important part along these
lines
"There is another side to the educa-
tional process-the part of the taach-
er. She organizes the material on
hand, she dispenses information, she
acts as guide in showing how to get
information and knowledge as much as
in giving it to US. The library staff
bears the same relation to q commun-
ity as a whole as the teacher does
to the pupils in the classroom"
Mr.. Lester voiced his pride and his
pleasure in being given the honor of
dedicating the west side branch IL
brary ito an era OF effective useful
ness for all, for the betterment of the
citizen, the community, the state, and
the nation"
During the evenings program an
orchestra directed by w. H. Schroeder
played several selections: Mendles-
ohn's Festival March," and selections
from 1.-THE Candy Shop"
The formal opening of the branch
library fully equipped which was orr
ginally to have been held today, has
been postponed due to delay in the
arrival of equipment. The day of op-
f! ening will be announced later.