Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-01
Miss Herbert
Is Sworn In
AS Librarian
Ralph A. BeoIs,
Named as Aide,
Also Takes Oath

Before members OF the Board OF
Trustees, heads of branch libraries
and departments and a few of the
Oldest employees, Miss Clara w.
Herbert today took the oath OF
office as librarian Of the District
Public Library.
The oath was handed to her by ,
Miss Helen I. Cavanagh, admin
tstrative assistant and notary public.
The ceremony took place in the
huge flower filled office occupied
for SO years by DR.. George F.
Bowerman, who retired yesterday
after two extensions by the Presi-
dent for distinguished service.
Among the trustees attending the
ceremony were Frank j. Coleman,
Mrs. Lyman B. Swormstedt. Albert
w. Atwood and DR.. Frank w. Bal
lou, superintendent of public
schools.
Flowers Presented.
Miss Herbert, wearing a purple
orchid, given to her by some Of
the staff, received flowers from Mrs.
Swormstedt after the ceremony and
congratulations from the audience.
Immediately after her own swear
ing in her first official act was the
appointment of Ralph A. Beals as
assistant city librarian. After Miss
Herbert had signed and handed to
Mr.. Beals his letter of appoint
ment, he was sworn in by Miss
Cavanagh.
Flowers from several branch
libraries, including the oldest branch
in Takoma Park, crowded the office.
Bouquets from every branch in the
city are expected before tea which
will be given in the Office this after
noon for Miss Herbert and Mr.. Beals
by the administrative staff. At the
tea Miss Herbert will introduce Mr..
Beals to at least 200 members of the
city-wide library staff.
The two most pressing matters be-
fore Miss Herbert are the plans for
the new Southwest Branch Library
in the new Jefferson Junior High
School Building, and plans for the
Central Library to be erected at
Sixth street and Pennsylvania ave.
nue. NV.
Miss Herbert said yesterday that
DR.. Bowerman had set I'D the adj
ministrative division so well that her
path there was easy. She is greatly
interested in intensifying the work
OF the library to make it a place of
refuge for troubled readers.
In these troublous, strained. anx-
ious times, I want to build up even
closer relations with the public"
Miss Herbert said. II want to make
the library a place of security and
refuge"
Miss Herbert was born in South.
wick, Mass, and attended Vassar
College, 1894-1896. She attended
the Carnegie Library School, 1903
1904, and was a librarian in the
chlldren's section of the Brooklyn
Public Library before coming to
Washington in April. 1907, to take
similar position here.
Miss Herbert became director of
the children's library and also d.
rected the librarys training class
from 1914 to 1920. She has been as
sistant city librarian since 1920.
Miss Herbert's writings include:
Personnel Administration in Public
Libraries" published last year by
the American Library Association
and other professional papers.
Formerly Headed Association.
A past president of the District
Library Association, Miss Herbert
this year is chairman of the pro-
fessional training section of the
American Library Association. She
belongs to the Twentieth Century
Club, the American Association Of
University Women and the Monday
Evening Club
Mr.. Beals, who takes Miss Herbert's
place as assistant city librarian, re-
ceived his undergraduate library
training at the Riverside Library
School in California, masters de-
gree from Harvard University and
shortly will receive a Phi. D. from the
Graduate Library School of the
University of Chicago, where he
spent the past year on a fellowship
from the Carnegie Corp. of New
York.
Mr.. Beal has taught English at
Harvard and New York Universities
and served as executive secretary to
the president of the University Of
California and assistant to the di-
rector of the American Association
for Adult Education.
He is joint author with Leon
Bardy of photography of the lit
erature of adult education, shortly
to be published as one of the re-
search studies of the American As
ISOLATION of Adult Education.