USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Watertown > Historical sketches of Watertown, Massachusetts > Part 12
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The town, at this meeting, appointed as committee to report a plan of organization, Messrs. Jesse A. Locke, Edward Bangs, Henry Chase, Alvin Adams, David B. Flint, and the chairman, Rev. John Weiss, and the secretary, Solon F. Whitney, of the former committee.
At a town-meeting held July 22, 1868, this com- mittee reported and the town adopted as a plan of organization the rules and regulations, which, with some amendment, remain in force to this day.
The town at this meeting appointed ten trustees to serve till March, 1869, viz. : --
John Weiss, Alfred Hosmer,
Josiah Stickney, David T. Huckins,
James M. Bell,
Abiel Abbott,
Joseph Bird,
Joshna Coohdge,
Jesse A. Locke,
Charles J. Barry.
At the same meeting the town voted that the trus- tees be authorized to take the room under the town- hall, then occupied as a store, " or any other portion of the Public Buildings which they may select for the use of the Library."
Also " Voted that the Library shall not be open on Sundays."
This Board of Trustees organized by making John
1 The contributions from non-residents to the original fund of six thousand dollars were :-
In 1868-1869.
Seth and George Bemis, of Newton . $300
Heirs of Abijah White, Cam-
bridge . . 500
George T. Bigelow, Boston . 100 George C. and Abby Francis,
Mrs. Mary Jennisen, Newton 10
Mrs. G. W. Lyman, Waltham 50 In 1872.
William Cole, Baltimore . . $100
In IsTo. Heirs of Jonas White, Cam-
bridge . . . $100
Besides numerous contributions of $1, $5, or $10 each, from residents, there were also the following :-
Alvin Adame $1000
George F. Meacham $50
Jesse A. Locke 600
Rev. John Weiss . 50
Josiah Stickney 200
Andrew J. Russ 50
Adolphe Lewando 150
Miss Mary Pratt . 50
David B. Flint 100
Charles J. Barry 50
Miles Pratt 100
John Trickey 50
B. B. Titcomb 100
Charles Bemis 50
John Templeton . 100 Edward Bangs .
Harrison P. Page 100
George B. Wilbur 50
50
George K. Snow . 100
Royal Gilkey 60
Dr. Samuel Richardson 25 Joshua G. Gooch 25
Joseph Crafts 25 Thomas L. French 25
Solon F. Whitney 25 Jesse Wheeler . 20
Samuel L. Batchelder 25 John K. Stickney 20
Dr. Alfred Huemer 50 Oliver Shaw .
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Weiss, chairman, and Alfred Hosmer, secretary, and chose Solon F. Whitney, librarian.
They proceeded at once to prepare lists of books, appropriated a vacant room under the High School room for their reception and preparation for use. After occupying this room about seven months, they moved the books to the town-hall, and, as was stated in the first lines of this sketch, were able to open the library to the public on the 3Ist of March, 1869.
The eagerness with which the people accepted the proffered privileges is witnessed by the fact that the circulation rose at once to ten thousand volumes the first year, and has gone on increasing till the number of nearly forty thousand volumes has been attained during the past year.
OPENING OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY .- The first even- ing the trustees were all present ; the people came in great numbers and business at once began.
There was then no time wasted in speech-making, no band of music, no display of flags neither orator or poet who, in grand and stirring periods or glowing rhymes, sounded the praises of the authors whose works were displayed on the shelves, or of the persons who had been instrumental in collecting the library; no speech-making except the cheery conversation of the trustees as they took the signatures of those de- siring to become takers of books, the few words of librarian and assistants as they helped each to a new book ; no sounds of music except the busy tones of all as they passed through the aleoves and praised the collection or criticised the absence of some loved author; no flags except the long written lists that served at first as catalogues of books. The blooming periods of orators and the musical and flowing rhymes were indeed there, but bound between pasteboard covers, asleep till some touch of the hand of the prince should come to wake them from sleep; the solid prin- ciples of philosophy and of conduct were, indeed, offered, and no taste too delicate and no moral condi- tion too enfeebled to drink else but health and in- spiration from some of the pages written by the mas- ter spirits of this and all past ages there offered free to all.
The opening of this library to the people of Water- town we may acknowledge, at this distance of time, when most of the principal actors have passed on to other fields and are beyond reach of praise or blame of our poor words, was an occasion the wisdom, the magnitude of which far transcends in character and importance most of those occasions that are mar- shaled in with so much display and circumstance, when all are moved to contribute their presence and their aid in magnifying the event.
Our children in some future time shall gather to lay the corner stone of some grand temple of learning and rational enjoyment, when they will recall the simple and business-like proceedings at this opening, and calling to their aid the muses of music and of painting, of architecture and of sculpture, will rouse
50
George N. March 100 Caleb Ladd
L. L. Thaxter, Newton .. 10
Edward S. Rowse, St. Louis . 100 B. R. Curtis, Boston . . 50 Cambridge . . 100
H. H. Hunnewell, of Boston . $500 Edward Whitney, Belmont . 100 Mrs. Theodor Chase, Boston 100
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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS
the kindled souls of a more sensitive and apprecia- tive people to the full significance of the opening event, when the few, by the sacrifice of books from their own stores, by the gift of funds from their own small incomes, aided by larger gifts from those who had opportunity to test the benefits of stores of books, from some who, perhaps, saw this a cheaper way to police the town and protect their own abundant wealth, had been brought to unite in such an under- taking in those early days when not more than one- eighth of the towns and cities of the Commonwealth had taken the first step to establish that long list of libraries now almost equal in number to the number of the separate municipalities in the State.
These lame words can only make this attempt to record the beginning of the march of this company in the grand army now covering the whole land, whose onward and majestic tread shall, in its own time, ex- alt the lowly and break down the proud, shall offer to every appreciative soul the help of the choicest spirits of earth, and breaking down every barrier of power or wealth or social distinction, bring together in the kingdom of intelligence and moral worth those who begin to catch some glimpse of those shores of the blessed lands where all shall find full scope for the best of which he is capable, and all circum- scribing hindrances to full development be removed. Emerson says when you find some fine piece of statu- ary that you greatly enjoy or some picture that stirs your soul, place them where the public may enjoy them and your pleasure shall be all the greater.
In this spirit many were led to begin this library. Continued in this spirit, it will ever grow in magni- tude, in richness of adornment, as well as in the re- sources it will accumulate to give pleasure to the latest generation of a happy posterity.
The wealth of our language is too poor to give full credit to the clear intuitions, the noble motives of some of those engaged in laying the foundations of this Watertown Free Public Library. John Weiss made the larger part of the first selection of books. That selection challenges the scrutiny of all oppo- nents of public libraries. Some of the books in the collection, it is true, were such as our people felt moved to give from their own stores. Some of these were not what more intelligent people, with ample means, would have selected from the shelves of pub- lishers when choice was free. The trustees wished to encourage all to give according to their means and according to their knowledge. All good books are use- ful,-some to some people, others to others. They desired to avoid giving offence to any by rejection of gifts of any books which any person felt moved to offer to the common good, while exercising the great- est care and discrimination in spending the money which was the free offering of the best of the entire people.
John Weiss, looking up to the spire of one of the churches, and thinking of the exclusiveness which in
the name of religion bars out all who can not pro- nounce a certain shibboleth, was moved to say that the time will sometime come when the work of the public library will be sustained with hope and with honor when all such narrowness shall be despised and forgotten. With the keen eye that looks through shams and the clouds that beset ignorance and selfish- ness, he saw with that piercing vision the weakness in the harness of other men, while feeling with humility the mortal weakness of his own.
John Weiss was aided on the board of trustees, by men, who, being yet above the sod and liable to still greater efforts, to show still greater works, had better not be praised too openly. But one large, noble fel- low, whose faults as well as virtues are still vividly before his companions, "Jo Bird," as he was familiarly known and called, " who read every book that came under his hand and remembered every book he read;" who made the man who had no music in his soul feel like a child to begin the humble steps to musical ap- preciation if not musical performance, who roused the wealthy to the first gifts for the teachers' library and gained the aid of the ablest followers of Horace Mann in a wise selection of books for the same: who had in his younger days co-operated with Horace Mann himself in his noble work at Lexington and West Newton, came to some of the others one day with his big soul, too big for his big body, all aglow with the enthusiasm which success had begun to kindle in him, to express his joy and thankfulness that his appeals had been heard and that this larger prospect of a town library seemed possible. Joseph Bird, the music teacher, the man whose voice never failed to be heard when he thought the truth or the justice or even the fitness of things required his help, was at the first one of the most outspoken friends of the library. Too quick to see the advantages to be gained by a forward movement, too rash to protect his flanks by outlying or his rear by reserve forces, he failed to accomplish alone what a more careful and better disciplined man would have accomplished. But take the ten first trustees as a body of men who were selected to lead the weak hope, to pioneer a new undertaking in a new field, for what they were, with their peculiar surroundings, and success was well assured from the beginning.
There were John Weiss, the keen eye, the facile tongue, the wise leader ; Josiah Stickney, full of years and good taste ; Jesse A. Locke, whose generous and grateful heart made the first pledge of his winter's ser- vices in the legislature to the project ; Joseph Bird, big with hope and fertile in expedients ; Abiel Abbott, the conscientious lawyer, and Charles J. Barry, prompt in every duty, all gone to their reward. Then among those still living there were Alfred Hosmer, the general who had the courage of his convictions; Joshua Coolidge, who knew when to hold back and when the crucial hour required his utmost effort; David T. Huckins, who held not too long on the funds needed
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1
365
WATERTOWN.
for supplies, and James M. Bell, the large and liberal- minded clergyman-these were the men to pioneer this noble undertaking.
It may not be unwise to reflect that they were . well sustained by the people. Miles Pratt, who would not hold office himself, gave freely of his counsel, and helped to gather the sinews of war; Joseph Crafts, the daring captain whose raids brought in the last subscriptions to complete the required 86000, Henry Chace, who said the few must always take the lead ; and others whom time fails to allow us to enumerate- these served on committees during those preliminary months when the enterprise wavered and further pro- gress was in doubt, and when one of the committee, Rev. Mr. Stubbert, thought " there was a radical un- preparedness in the public mind for the library ;" and another and a wealthy member of the committee with- held for a time the aid he never could quite give to the project. These were the times of doubt and delay. The time is yet too soon for most to see what the effect in the end shall be. But your historian must, as in duty bound, record the advance already made.
THE NEW PUBLIC LIBRARY BUILDING .- The room on the first floor of the Town-House answered very well the purposes of the library for several years. Beginning by taking the room long occupied first by William Sherman, then William H. Ingraham, and last by Joel Barnard as a dry-goods store, it was soon found necessary to take the other side, occupied for many years by Samuel Noyes for medicines and groceries. Then, by changing the position of parti- tions, taking in an engine-room, certain rooms were obtained for town offices. The location was admirable for the uses of the library, but the growing collection could with difficulty be managed, and the room seemed to grow closer and closer. The question of a new building was discussed in the annual reports and in the local press, until in 1882 the way seemed clear to obtain a new building. In the librarian's report for that year he said, "We have looked forward with longing eyes for several years to the possession of a proper building for this library." In the report for 1881 he said, "Fortunate is the town, too, it seems to us, that others feel this need so pressing that they are willing to offer to the town, dollar for dollar, the means needed to put the library in a sufficiently large, well-ventillated, well-lighted, fire-proof build- ing."
The attempt was made to raise $20,000 by subscrip- tion, and then ask the town to raise as much more for a snitable building. The trustees themselves sub- scribed, showing their good faith, and Hon. Hollis H. Hunnewell, son of Dr. Walter Hunnewell who once lived on Main Street and practiced the healing art in our village, generously offered to give $10,000, one- half of this. Mr. Samuel Walker offered over $4000 if the library were located on Main Street,1 and other
large amounts were quickly pledged 2 so that even more than the amount stipulated was secured. The town then came together and appropriated $20,000, and appointed a building committee to proceed at once to obtain plans and estimates, and then to pro- secute the work until the building was completed and turned over to the Board of Trustees. The architects chosen by this committee were Shaw & Hunnewell, of Boston; the contractor, David Per- kins, also of Boston.
The plans were shown at the March meeting of 1882, and during the summer the work was pushed on vigorously. It was wholly enclosed before cold weather, finished during the early winter, and on the 12th of February the books were moved in, the venera- ble Joshua Coolidge helping in person to make the transfer from the old rooms to the new.
Following is a general description of the public library building. Its plan, viewed from Main Street, is like an inverted T, being of two principal divis- ions. Standing about eighty feet from the line of street, the building presents a frontage of sixty-two feet, brcken by a central projection, gabled, twenty- six feet wide and ten feet deep, containing the main vestibule and basement stairway. The front main division is 24 x 62 feet, divided into a distributing room, 30 x 18 feet, on the right of which is a reading room, 18 x 21 feet, with the addition of a large half- circle window, and on the left a reference and study room of the same size. Works of art can bedisplayed in either of these rooms. Back of these, forming the stem of the T, is a structure 36 x 49 feet, containing a book room 34 x 48 feet, while a projecting portion provides a librarian's room, 9 x 14 feet, opening out from the book-room.
Large arches form the dividing lines between these several apartments, so that really the whole interior, except the librarian's room, is exposed to sight, the effect being to present an interior of generous propor- tions to the eye of the observer. If it is found desirable to divide off' more closely the study-room, or reading- room, curtains may be hung between the arches. A unique effect is produced by finishing the internal walls
church, a troublesome one. The church-lot on Church Street had many advocates, as had also the old parsonage lot on Mt. Auburn Street, but this gift of Mr. Walker, and the promised opportunity for a public park adjoining carried the day.
2 The amounte subscribed and the names of the subscribers who did 80 great a service to the Public Library and to the town are here given :
H. H. Hunnewell . . $10,000
Charles B. Gardner. . $100
Samuel Walker
4,200
Rev. R P. Stack 100
Edward Whitney 1,000
Seth Bemis 1,000
Samuel Noyes 100
Mrs. Lucy W. Titcombe . 1,000
J. H. Conant . 100
D. B. Flint . 600
Wm. H. Ingraham 50
Charles J. Barry
500
E. B. Eaton 50
S. R. Payson . 500
Wm. H. Dadmun
25
Mrs. P. C. Brooks
500
Mrs. R. A. Bradford . 25
Solon F. Whitney 200
Mrs. A. L. Richards. .
25
J. K. Stickuey . 100
T. G. Abbbott . 25
1 The question of location was, es early in the history of the first
Mrs. Theo. Cbase
100
Geo. K. Snow 100
360
HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
with faced and moulded brick, upon which the fresco decorations are made, while panels, formed by bands of cement on the corners and angles, are also decorated. Large brick fire-places finished above with terra cotta further embellish the study and reading-rooms. All ceilings are open timbered, divided into panels, and lathed, plastered, and frescoed between the beams. The book-room will hold 30,000 volumes, is sixteen feet high on the walls, and slanted up to twenty feet in height to ceiling. Galleries can be put in when required, doubling the book storage capacity. The height of the distributing room is fifteen feet on walls, arched np to eighteen feet six inches, for central ceil- ing. The side-rooms are fifteen feet high, level ceil- ing. In the basement, finished in I888, ten feet in clear, are a large, well-lighted reading-room, a patent office report room, a trustees' room, besides rooms for the steam heating apparatus, toilet and other conven- iences. The floor is concreted with cement and over- laid with hard wood, with air-spaces between; the ceiling and walls are decorated with taste, the work having been done by Haberstroh of Boston. A good supply of water and proper drainage are also pro- vided.
French Renaissance is the style of architecture chosen, the basement being constructed of Roxbury rubble stones, the walls above of brick with New Brunswick red freestone trimmings, and the hipped roofs are covered with red slates. The front is dressed quite freely with stone columns, pilasters and window decorations, and present a bold appearance. A large half-circle bay on the southeasterly side forms a beau- tiful feature of the design and increases the size of the reading-room. A tlight of stone steps leads to the vestibule, the door of which is at one side of the front projection, and not directly exposed to view from the street. The outside walls have an average height of twenty feet from grade, and the brick walls are four- teen inches thick, having a two-inch air space. The trusses and floor timbers are hard pine, the objects in view being strength, durability and safety. For arch columns and other wood finish of the interior, ash. stained, is used. Large windows of plain glass furnish abundant light. Finials, ridges and conductors are made of copper.
The basement was not finished before the building was delivered to the Library Trustees in 1884. It was not supposed that there would be need of more space than given on the upper floor. Few of the Building Committee had had experience with libraries. One of the best librarians of the country, Mr. Cutter, of the Boston Atheneum, said, " It was a good rule to build five times as large as would be needed at once." The area of the single floor was but a little larger than the space in the town house. In less than ten years from the occupancy of the building, addi- tional room will need to be asked for. The shelves in 1890 are so full that inconvenience is experienced, in some departments, in preserving an orderly ar-
rangement of books. The reading-rooms were felt to be limited.
THE PRATT GIFT .- The "Asa Pratt" Fund .- In 1888, after some correspondence with Mr. Charles Pratt. of Brooklyn, New York, son of Mr. Asa Pratt, late of Watertown, as to the details of a scheme in which he wished to benefit the working people par- tienlarly, of his native town, he offered to give for the Asa Pratt heirs the sum of 85000 for the es- tablishment of a fund to furnish periodicals of use particularly to the industrial portion of the commu- nity, on condition that the town would fit up the lower rooms for reading-rooms in an appropriate and substantial manner. The following is an exact copy of the offer of the gift and the attending conditions :
Mr. Asa Pratt lived in Watertown for over sizty years. He died November 9, 1878, leaving his widow a life interest in his estate. She having recently died, the children, in closing up the estate, are desirous of commemorating as a worthy example one of whom it was said, " He conducted business as a manufac- turer of furniture in Watertown in his own name for nearly fifty years. Many pieces of furniture have been in constant nse for more than half a century and are still in good condition, thus giving evidence of the integrity of his work. He raised a large family and although in humble circumstances he always paid one hundred cents on the dollar and taught bis children to follow bis example." All who knew him said : " Asa Pratt was an honest man."
Learning from your published report, and other- wise, that the establishment of an additional readiog- room bas been proposed which shall be particularly for the benefit of the industrial portion of the people, and knowing it would be consistent with the memory of his life (he was for many years a member of the Board of Public Education), and to aid the efforts of her people for such education as tends specially to make all men more useful citizens, the executors of his estate, on the behalf of his children, hereby offer to give to the town of Watertown the sum of five thousand dollars (or its equivalent, five thousand- dollar fifty-year five per cent. gold bonds), for the es- tablishment of a fund to be known as the " Asa Pratt Fund." upon the following terms and conditions, viz .: that
"1. TL- town shall finish the basement room of the library building, or provide other similar suitable room, with an independent entrance from the outside, properly eupplied with sufficient light and heat and the necessary appropriate furniture, and keep the same open and access- ible to the public not less than the library above, of which it shall form a part.
" 2. Sill fond shall be kept safely invested, and a part of the yearly income thereof as stated below shall every year be paidl over to the trus- tees of the public library and by them be applied to the purchase of snch periodical literature, including papers, as in their opinion ehall be of particular interest and use to the industrial portion of the commun- ity, and which consequently may be of use to all. The part of said yearly iocome to be thus paid over and applied every year, eball be for each of the first five years the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars ; for each of the second five years, one hundred and seventy-five dollars, and for each of the third five years, two hundred dollars, and so on ; that is
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367
WATERTOWN.
to say, at the beginning of every period of five years after the first five years, the yearly allowance for said purchase shall be increased twenty- five dollars over such allowance during the preceding period of five years. The balance of said yearly income in excess of what is paid over to said trustees and expended under the foregoing provision shall be added to and become a part of said principal.
"3. No sectarian influence shall govern in the selection of reading matter purchased with any portion of the income of said fund.
"4. The care, control and investment of said fund, and all addi- tions thereto, and the general supervision of the trust hereby created and the power to carry into effect its purposes and spirit, -bill be Fested in a permanent board composed of three reputable freehollers of the town, one of whom shall be Mr. H. W. Otis, the other two to be ap- pointed by the trustees of the Free Public Library and the Selectmien of the town acting jointly. All vacancies on account of death, r-moval from town, resignation, or otherwise occurring in the Board, may be filled in like manner by the joint action of the Trustees and Selectmen Members of the Board may hold their membership during their pleasure, provided they comply with the terms and sprit of this trust.
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