The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1928-06-07
Bryan Library
Starred Friday,
Nov. Is, 1869
Sank Centres First Readers Club
Founded in 1866 Was Nucleus
- of Present Association.
(Miss Helen B. Bakery

that every middle western COM
munlty possesses its "Main Street."
church, school, and library. Back
in the early pioneer days before
we lind people organized into spe-
chic societies and clubs we hear of
"easterners" coming into our To-
callty for a purpose of entertain
ing the people by the educative pro-
cess. Between 1850 and 1880 the
Lyceum, which is the French word
for "school,'' was a very popular
movement in the eastern states and
the same moved west rapidly. This
form of entertainment, was intel
lectual. The people who had hith-
erto been too busy with their home
stealing and pioneering duties
were hungry and some. were starry
ing for information and KNOWLEDGE
to nourish and strengthen their
minds. Consequently the people
who possessed mental ability, edu-
cation, literary ability, or musical
attalnments occupied high place
in public estimation. These peo-
Pile organized and fostered spelling
bees -glee clubs-choral unions
and similar entertainments, and
their leisure time was devoted very
largely to things that tended to
mental improvement.
The first club in Sank Centre,
as far as is known, was about 1866
when few women met to read.
The books thus read were pat to-
gether, when the club disbanded,
and formed the nucleous of what
is now the Bryant Library.
About 1885 a club composed of
both men and women met evenings
in hall or church, where minister.
lawyer, doctor, and layman pitted
their wit and wisdom against each
other on various subjects.
Books were not plentiful in the
early days of Sank Centre, but
reading clubs were formed and the
most was made of what they had
by forming sort of circulating Ii
brary through a system of mutual
exchange. 1t was a gratuitous ex-
change of books, for the pride of
each owner stimulated him to pre-
serve the original condition of the
borrowed book, and return it with
in the designated time limit. Be-
fore there was village organiza-
ton, the Palmer, Oaford, Barto,
Barnum, Howard, and other fami-
lies formed what they named the
Bryant Library Association. This
was the beginning of the Sank
Centre Public Library. The first
official meeting took place on Fri
day, November IS, 1869, at the
residenceof P. Lamb. A perma-
nent and active organization was
effected, and the following officers
elected:
President Solomon Pendergast.
Vice President Lamb.
Secretary-Miss Nellie Burrows.
Treasurer-E. Oakford.
Librarian-E. Tubbs.
Membership fees were fixed at
$1.OO year for gentleman and
fifty cents for Ladies. This provided
an emergency fund for expenses
which might arise in regard to
the purchase and repair of books.
There is no record of the adoption
of constitution or bylaws or the
selection of any particular name.
The organization kept up it's exist
ence and held meetings some
what irregularly. The organization
gave entertainments and lectures
until December Is, 1878.
The nature of these entertain
ments was in all cases education
al. Noted lecturers, musicians, and
authors were brought to Sank Gen.
tire through the efforts of this
new Library organization. Some
of the entertainments were given
for the purpose of raising money;
but more often they were given for
the purpose of attaining the edu-
cational stimulus which they
brought into the community. This
was during the days when people
thoroughly enjoyed giving their
undivided attention to lecture
which was prolonged two and three
hours.
At that time a public meeting
was held in Barnum's Hall where
organization was merged into the
Bryant Library Association which
was incorporated under the laws
of the State of Minnesota and the
following officers were elected:
President B. P. Palmer.
Vice President P. Barnum.
Treasurer-Mrs. E. Oakford.
Secretary-F. E. Searle.
Librarian-Miss Alice Tobey.
Directors-A. Barto and Mrs.
Louise Lamb.
The first book to be added
was an autographed copy of the
poems of William Cullen Bryant,
in whose honor the library had
been named. Much to the regret
of every one interested in the IL
brary it is necessary to state that
this volume was stolen from its
place.
On February ID, 1879, bylaws
were adopted and the salary of the
Librarian was fixed at SOC a week.
The next meeting was held on
May Z, 1880, village Library hav-
ing been organized under a Leg
islative enactment, passed in the
winter of 1880, entitled: can Act
to authorize the establishment of
Village Libraries, and provide for
their maintenance" Sank Centre
was the second town in the state
to organize an association under
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