History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 91

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 896

USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II > Part 91

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The earliest library in Springfield of which any record can be found is the collection of the Springfield Library Company, which published a catalogue in 1796. It seems to have been a small library, to which only the proprietors had access. The catalogue contained the regulations of the library and a classified list of books. The regulations were as follows :

" The hours in which the Librarian delivers books to the Proprietors are from four to seven o'clock on the last Saturdays of the months of April, May, June, July, August, and September, and from two to five o'clock on the last Saturday's of the months of October, November, December, January, February, and March. Each proprietor is allowed by the by-laws of the company to take out each day of delivery for each share he may own two folios or three quartos, or one quarto and two octavos, or one quarto and four duodecimos, or three octavos, or two octavos and three duodecimos, or one octavo and four dnodecimos, or six duode- cimos."

The catalogue contains the titles of 320 volumes, classified under the following divisions : divinity and ethics ; history, biography, voyages, and travels ; poetry ; novels ; and mis- cellaneous. What became of this library is unknown.

The second library organization of which any record remains was the Franklin Library Association, which was composed of the workmen in the United States Armory. The date of the establishment of this library is unknown. It existed as a separate library until the year 1844, when it was made over to the Young Men's Institute.

In January, 1824, the Hampden Mechanics' Association was established. It founded a library called the Apprentices' Library. It had for a time, also, a weekly evening school for apprentices and annual courses of lectures. This association continued in existence until 1849, but in 1845 its library was transferred to the Young Men's Institute. A catalogue of the Apprentices' Library, published in 1834, gives 627 as the number of books.

The Young Men's Institute was founded in 1843. It was

* By Rev. William Rice, D.D.

an association for the improvement of its members. It estah- lished a library and reading-room, and had its debates and courses of literary and scientifie lectures.

In 1854 the Young Men's Literary Association was organ- ized. Its objects were similar to those of the institute. It also established a library and reading-room, and had its debates and lectures.

The libraries belonging to these various institutions were comparatively small, and they were accessible only to the members. The desirableness of a public library, however, began to attract attention and awaken popular discussion in connection with the efforts to increase the interest in these associations. As the result of these disenssions a petition of 1200 citizens was presented to the city government in 1855, asking for the establishment of a city library. The petition was referred to the committee on education, who reported in favor of the object, and on October 15th the report was adopted by both branches of the city council, but it was found that by reason of some technical informalities the appropriation could not be made that year. The following year the city hall was erected, and in the plans which were adopted a room was set apart for a publie library, but no action was had by the city government making provision for its establishment. The fol- lowing year the subject was introduced to the notice of tbe city council in the inaugural address of Mayor Ansel Phelps, who stated that he had been requested to call attention to this subjeet, and to recommend that an appropriation of $2000 be made for a library, but that he did not deem it expedient to recommend the appropriation at that time, in view of the heavy indebtedness of the city, and coneluded with the sug- gestion that " the creation and maintenance of a city library be deferred till a more convenient season." This suggestion of the mayor was approved by the city government, and no appropriation was made.

The friends of the city library enterprise, disappointed in this direction, determined to make a vigorous effort for the establishment of a public library by means of a voluntary association, and by seeking private subscriptions. For this purpose the City Library Association was organized, Nov. 27, 1857. The members of the Springfield Institute and the Young Men's Literary Association united in the new enterprise, and their libraries were made over to the City Library Association. A committee was also appointed to solicit subscriptions among the citizens. A considerable sum was raised, and accessions were also made to the library by donations of books.

In 1859, Mayor W. B. Calhoun in his inaugural refers to the association, and recommends that the city should stand forth as the acknowledged patron of the library by an appro- priation for its support, and argues " that, in view of the bene- fits of a public library as the fruitful source, not of the ordi- nary and acknowledged blessings of intelligence merely, but of an efficient and all-pervading economy, it would be liter- ally an institution of saving." But in view, probably, of the continued heavy indebtedness of the city, and the necessity of large appropriations for the current expenses, no action was had upon this recommendation.

During the year, however, the library of the association, now numbering about 1500 volumes, with the consent and approbation of the mayor and the committee on city property, was removed to the library-room in the city hall. From the period of removal the city furnished rent, and during most of the time fuel, lights, and the services of a janitor, free of charge to the association.

Simultaneously with the occupaney of these rooms com- menced an earnest and persistent series of efforts to inerease the resources and extend the usefulness of the library. A subseription of about $8000 was raised, and in the following year a fair was held by the ladies of the city for the benefit of the association, the result of which was a gain to the funds of the association of about $1800.

William Dice

839

HISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.

A reference theological department was commeneed, and donations, either in money or books, were seeured from vari- ous religious societies. The agricultural department was also largely increased by the addition of the Hampden Agricultu- ral Library, which was transferred by vote of the stockholders to the City Library Association. Donations of books from individual citizens were also received, and among these dona- tions may be found some of the most expensive and valuable works in the library. A special effort was made to increase the number of annual subscriptions, and the small fee of $1 per year, which was charged for the use of books, became the source of considerable revenue. A course of lectures was also given for several years, which resulted in a considerable income. Subsequent to 1864 the city also made an annual appropriation. The aggregate receipts of the association from all sourees from 1857 to 1871, when the library was removed to the new building, amounted to about $50,000, and a large portion of this amount was expended for books. To this sum should be added at least $6000,-the value of books donated to the library during the same period. As the result of these efforts, the number of volumes in the library increased during these years from 1500 to 30,000 volumes.

A museum of Ethnology and Natural History was founded in 1859, under the auspices of the association, in which were gathered collections of much interest and value, especially in some departments of local zoology.

The rooms in the city hall, ample at first, soon became crowded by the rapid growth of the library and museum, and the necessity for more commodious quarters became obvious. It was now apparent that the library was an established insti- tution, and it was felt that provision should be made for its per- manent accommodation and its continued growth. The associa- tion was therefore reorganized under a new charter, which con- stituted it a corporation for the purpose of " establishing and maintaining a library for the diffusion of knowledge and the promotion of intellectual improvement in the city of Spring- field." The corporation was authorized " to bold real and personal estate to the amount of $150,000, exclusive of the books in its library, and the collections of natural history and works of art in its museum." And all its real and per- sonal estate were to be heldl in trust " for the uses and pur- poses appropriate for a public and social library and museum, to be used and enjoyed by the inhabitants of Springfield, under sueh regulations as the corporation might from time to time preseribe." The city of Springfield was authorized to make appropriations for its maintenance so long as the corporation allowed the inhabitants of the city free access to the library at reasonable hours, for the purpose of using the same on the premises.

The new organization was effected in May, 1864, and the fol- lowing board of officers were elected : John L. King, President ; D. L. Harris, Vice-President ; Wmn. Rice, Clerk and Librarian ; J. D. Safford, Treasurer ; George Bliss, C. W. Chapin, J. M. Thompson, Chas. Merriam, Geo. Walker, E. W. Bond, J. G. Holland, J. B. Stebbins, James Kirkham, and P. B. Tyler, Directors ; O. H. Greenleaf and Henry Smith, Auditors. The officers of the society at this first meeting received a cominu- nieation from IIon. Geo. Bliss offering to donate a lot of land for a library building. A committee was at onee appointed to confer with architects and to obtain plans for a building. The president of the association was also requested hy the directors to secure subscriptions. Many of the citizens re- sponded liberally to this appeal, and in February, 1865, the sum of $77,000 was raised, more than half this amount hav- ing been subscribed by the board of officers. Considerable delay was occasioned by the difficulty of obtaining a plan for the building, but the one finally accepted was by George IIa- tborne, of New York. The building committee, in October, 1867, contracted for the erection of the building with Ama- ziah Mayo. It was completed in the spring of 1871, at an

expense of $100,000, and the library was opened to the public in the fall of the same year.

The library building is on State Street. It is 100 feet long and 65 feet deep, standing some 12 or 15 feet above the general level of the street, and 60 feet back from the front of the lot. Two flights of broad granite steps ascend from the street to an arched stone porch before the central tower. The buikdling is of Monson gneiss to the height of the water-tahle; above, it is constructed of good faced brick, relieved by strongly con- trasting and richly cut and carved light sandstone, from quar- ries at Amherst, O. The graceful porch, the bay-windows on the west and east ends, the arch-stones, panels, moldings, bands, dormers, and tracery are all of this delicate-tinted stone. The roof is the most peculiar and picturesque feature of the building, and is trimmed with light iron finials and railings, decorated and gilded. The architecture is the mod- ern adaptation of the Gothic, prevalent in the Middle Ages on the continent, and in England at the present time, and is known as the medieval revival .* It is admirably adapted to isolated public buildings like this, by its free and varied out- line and its opportunity for elaborate ornamentation.

The entrance-hall is 25 feet wide, extending from front to rear of the building. Opening from the hall on the right is the museum-room, 20 by 50 feet, furnished with aleoves and eases. On the west is a similar though smaller hall, to be used as a reading-room, while beyond, and also entered from the entrance-hall, is the janitor's room.

Entering the library proper by the spacious stairway, the visitor stands in one of the most beautiful library interiors in this country. It occupies the entire building above the first floor, extending therefrom to the oblong dome. A clear space of 60 feet by 20 on the floor, and 50 feet in height, is surrounded by aleoves 15 feet deep. A series of clusters of columns en- compass this open space, and from their carved, leafy capitals, each different and all beautiful, spring arebed ribs, which meet and intersect beneath the glass dome. From these col- umns radiate in every direction the aleoves and galleries of the library. In the centre and front of the building, opposite the stairway, occupying the room of two aleoves, is the dis- tributing eentre, faced with a counter for the librarian and attendants. A winding iron staircase connects this with the galleries, with the floor above, and with the tower.

The centre aleoves at each end extend beyond the line of the building in a bay-window, which gives additional appa- rent length to the room and space for a table and chairs. Each aleove has a height of 17 feet, with two divisions, the upper accessible from a light gallery, from which in each corner alcove a eireular staircase leads to the floor below. The galleries form an unbroken connection one with the other, and entirely surround the library.

A remarkable feature of this library is the abundance of light,-a rare thing in such structures. The dome is a large central skylight, some 50 feet in length, of ground glass; this is covered above at a height of six or seven feet by a larger frame-work containing an outer skylight. By this ar- rangement the heating and ventilation are more thoroughly controlled in winter, the direct rays of the sun tempered in summer, and at all times a softer and better light secured. In addition to the centre light, the aleoves have also a more direct light, one or more windows being arranged in each alcove. A great defeet largely experienced in most existing libraries, namely, dark alcoves, has been entirely remedied by this arrangement. The shelves throughout are movable, se- cured by square-headed oak pins, which are let into the under side of the shelves flush, the divisions and also all other por- tions of the cases having been carefully fitted, so that there are no projecting corners or edges to mar the books.

But the crowning beauty of this fine interior is the artistie

* Or Rennaissance.

840

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

excellence of the fresco-painting. It is the work of Mr. Gui- seppe Garibaldi, of New York, and its brilliant and harmoni- ous combinations of color have added the very touch needed to meet the architect's ideal and lift the arches, columns, and carved capitals into definite grace and ornate splendor. The city may well be proud of so beautiful a repository for its treas- ures of the wisdom and wit of the world.

The association was about $25,000 in debt at the comple- tion of the building, and measures were immediately taken to secure subscriptions to meet the indebtedness. Hon. D. L. Harris, who was elected president on the death of Mr. King, was appointed to solicit subscriptions, and devoted himself with such enthusiasm and persistence to this work that at the annual meeting in 1873 he was able to report that the entire amount had been obtained.

In 1869 a donation of $6000 was made to the association by Miss Mary Bryant, of Boston, with the condition that this amount be invested, and the interest only be used for the pur- chase of books. This was the first donation made to the asso- ciation looking toward an endowment. In 1878 a donation of $1000 was also made to the permanent funds by Charles Mer- riam, on condition that the interest on the investment should be used under the direction of the librarian, for the issue of free subscriptions to worthy persons.

Simultaneously with the opening of the library in the new building a catalogue was published, prepared by the libra- rian. The catalogue is upon what is called the dictionary plan. The books are entered under the name of the author and title, and they are arranged also under subjects, where the nature of the title will admit of it. To add to the value of the catalogue for practical purposes, the scientific, philosophi- cal, and theological departments are thoroughly classified, and appropriate eross-references are made. For the further con- venience of the reader lists of authors and titles of anony- mous works are given, under poetry, fiction, and juveniles ; and lists of authors also, under religion and drama. The library was opened in the new building with 31,400 volumes upon the shelves. Since that period there has been an annual increase, and it now numbers (1878) 42,000 volumes.

In addition to the volumes belonging to the association, the library contains a collection of the public documents of the United States, placed on deposit for reference, by the trustees of the State Library. This collection now numbers more than 2000 volumes, and is one of the most complete in the United States. The library also contains the " Reports of Drawings and Specifications," published by the United States Patent-Othice. The rea ling-room department connected with the institution is well supplied with papers, magazines, and reviews.

There have been but few changes in the board of officers. The present list is as follows : D. L. Harris, President ; E. W. Bond, Vice-President ; William Rice, Clerk and Librarian ; J. D. Safford, Treasurer; JJ. M. Thompson, Charles Merriam, Chester W. Chapin, John B. Stebbins, James Kirkham, Charles O. Chapin, Horace Smith, O. H. Greenleaf, George E. Howard, and Samuel Bowles, Directors; R. F. Hawkins and J. Il. Appleton, Auditors.

By a change of the by-laws, adopted at the annual meet- ing in 1873, the mayor of the eity, the president of the com- mon council, and the chairman of the school committee are also constituted members er-officio of the board of directors.

Rev. William Rice, D.D., was elected librarian a few months after the establishment of the library in the city-hall, and has remained in charge until the present time.

The affairs of the association have been conducted on a broad and liberal basis. The directors have steadily adhered to one purpose, that of building up a valuable public library, which should furnish means not only for the gratification of taste, but also for the acquisition of substantial knowledge. They have not been content to establish a mere circulating

library, provided with the current literature of the day, but have labored for a far higher and nobler end, viz., the accu- mulation of a library of permanent value, which would sup- ply the most earnest and serious needs of the community, and furnish ample seope for research and investigation in the vari- ous departments of literature, science, art, philosophy, and religion.

They have been eminently successful in this work, and the City Library of Springfield may be regarded as one of the best-selected and valuable libraries of its size in the State, or in the country.

THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY .*

The Connecticut Valley Historical Society was organized by the adoption of by-laws and the choice of officers at a meeting held at the City Library in Springfield on the 21st of April, 1876. A charter was secured from the Secretary of the Commonwealth under Chapter 375 of the Acts and Resolves of 1874, and the society thus became a corporation legally es- tablished under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachu- setts, May 9, 1876. The officers of the corporation elected at its organization were the following : President, Judge Henry Morris ; Vice-Presidents, Judge A. L. Soule, Non. William L. Smith, and Samuel Bowles; Clerk and Treasurer, Rev. Wm. Rice, D.D. ; Executive Committee, Rev. S. G. Buck- ingham, D.D., Rev. E. A. Reed, Homer Merriam, Joseph C. Pynchon, Henry S. Lee, Charles Marsh.

The reasons which led to the organization of this society and the importance of the objects which it contemplates are so ad- mirably set forth in the opening address of the president, Judge Henry Morris, that we cannot do better than to present a considerable part of that address as a portion of this brief history :

"The valley of the Connecticut presents a field for historic research equaled by few, surpassed by none. True, we have no Revolutionary battle-fields conse- crated in the great struggle for independence. The armies of England never penetrated so far into the interior. The only British soldiers who rume here came as prisoners, and some of these took so kindly to our valley that they settled among us as citizens, married wives, established homes, and raised fami- lies. Some of their descendants are with us at this day, filling positions of responsibility aml usefulness.

" But while we have in the valley no battle-grounds famous in Revolutionary annals, we are rich in memorials of earlier trials. We can point to many a spot where the war-whoop of the savage lias echoed in peaceful villages and startled the settler by his fireside, or at his labor in the field, to seek protection for his wife and children.

"The tomahawk and the torch were artive instruments in those days in the work of destruction. Ilere, too, is soil that has witnessed the fierce and pro- tracted conflict with the savage foe, and heen wet with the mingled blood of white men and red men. The horrors of that early warfare have had few parallels in later times, unless it be in the atrocities recently perpetrated in the Old World upon a professedly Christian people.

"These early wars have been to a large extent chronicled by writers whose works have been published. I apprehend, however, that there are many inter- esting details to be gathered and localities marked which have never yet been preserved in a form that will secure their transmission to those who shall come after us.

" Aside from the annals of Indian warfare, this valley has been the scene of many important events that merit a fuller record than they have yet received. How little is known of the part taken in the old French war by the people resid- ing in this valley ! Yet it is a fact that in the single year 1745 eightceu of our young men of Springfield met with death during the siege and at the capture of the fortress of Louisburg. How many incidents connecting the valley with the American Revolution have failed of any permanent record ! And yet it is safe to say that there is not a town in this part of the State that did not send its sons into onr armies to fight the battles for independence, numbers of whom perisl:ed on the field or fell victims to the diseases and hardships of camp-life. Is it too Inte to rescne the names of these heroic men from oblivion? And then that trouble known as Shays' rebellion, which followed so soon after the war of the Revolution,-are there not some traditions to be gathered concerning it which have found no record in the pages of Minot or any other aunalist ?

" It is not, however, in wars and tumults alone that the Irne antiquarian will seek subjects for his diligent study. The multifarious transactions of civil lite, in which the men who have passed away from among us took part,-trans- actions which in their time attracted general attention and interest ; nay, the very men themselves, the actors in these transactions, who in the two centuries before the present, and some even in the present century, planned and organ-

* By Rev. William Rice, D.D.

INGER

RES. OF JOHN B. ADAMS, SPRINGFIELD, MASS.

RESIDENCE OF THE LATE DANIEL HITCHCOCK . SPRINGFIELD, MASS

S-11

HISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.

ized our civil institutions, inaugurated and conducted the various enterprises of their lime, and gave shape and tone to its social life,-is there not much to be collected and preserved concerning them, that those who may come after us may not be left in profound ignorance that such men have lived and acted their part livre ?

" It is one of the marked peculiarities of this centennial era that it has drawn the attention of our countrymen so much to the past, and bas awakened so strong a desire to preserve the fragmentary memorials that yet remain. Everywhere is manifested an anxiety to secure the local annals. Writers ate busy investigating re bords and documents that have been neglected and forgotten for years. Many tuwn histories have been published. Others are in course of preparation. Ilis- toticul discourses have been delivere ) by clergymen in their vations parishes. The addresses before the various professional and social organizati mis existing among us have largely taken on a historical type, and the public mind generally i- becoming more inquisitive, and so better informe 3, about the past. It was in sympathy with this sentiment that this society had its origin. Deeply impressed with the importance of preserving our lowal annals, and appreciating in some degree the value of the field for investigation afforded by the valley of the Con- nevtient, a few gentlemen associated themselves as the Connecticut Valley His- torical Society, and organized as a corporation under the laws of this Comnon- wealth. A good degree of interest has been manifested in the object, which, considering the general depression in almost every kind of business at present prevailing, is an encouraging omen of success in our enterprise, Whether this snecess shall be achieved depends mainly upon the spirit with which the members of the society engage in the work contendated by our constitution. One very important part of this work is the collection and preservation of ancient records and documents of every kind that may in any way illustrate ancient transac- tions and the halts of life and modes of business that characterized years long post. Many an important historical fact has been derived from some old letter which has been preserved among the family treasures, or from some entry nuule in some conrt record, or in the diary of some individual made for a very different purpose. For instance, it has been regarded as an interesting fact, in connection with the early history of Springfield, that the pioneers who first came to this valley purposed to locate their settlement on the west side of the giver, and actually built their first house there. The evidence of that fart rests almost entirely, as I suppose, upon the entry made in the old Pynchon record of a lawsuit about the building of that house. There are many similar cases. I have no doubt that if all the old account-books, newspapers, and documents of wari ms kinds which had lain dormant in the garrets of our uld houses for many years before our late civil war, but which were hantel up and sold for paper-stock when paper-stock was high, were now in existence, and could be subjected to a careful scrutiny by persons skilled in antiquarian lure, very many valnable facts illustra- ting the past history of our land, and the characters of the men and women who were conspicuous actors on the stage of life before the beginning of the present century, would be brought to light. Much, very much, that would have been valuable has been lost in this way within the last fifteen years. Much, however, yet remains and may be saved. Let ns endeavor to gather from their dark and Justy depositoties these relies of the past and place them in the archives of this society, where they will be carefully preserved and made available to future historians, who shall undertake the office of recording in a permanent form the transactions of a past age.

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History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 91

Author: L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts Number of Pages: 896

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 896