USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > Inaugural address of the mayor, with the annual report of the officers of the city of Quincy for the year 1918 > Part 15
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It was the desire of the Trustees to restore the beautiful green lawn of the Library grounds which was so pleasing and restful, not only to the eyes of our citizens, but to all strangers passing through our city. But, owing to the unfinished condition of the" sidewalk on Washington street, and the difficulty in securing teams and laborers, it was deemed advisable to postpone the grading and seeding until the spring of 1919. Then with a few more trees planted we hope to make this the Civic Centre of Quincy, in attractiveness second to none in the Commonwealth.
It is with an abiding sense of loss that we record the death of Mr. Albert Crane, September 21st, at Stamford, Conn. While it is not the office of the Trustees to eulogize, we feel that it is not out of place to say: He embodied the higher things of thought and action, and it is of high and noble things that we are to think, when we think of him. The Trustees were represented at the funeral and appropriate resolutions were forwarded to his family.
It is certain that, while our Library is doing much, it is not doing all that it might for Quincy. The progress of the Library should be commensurate with the advance of the city. Our rapidly increasing population presents conditions that require careful consideration and some provision should be made for bringing the resources of the Library nearer to the homes of the
239
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
people. I refer particularly to the Point section. The Library is recognized as a necessary complement to the schools and should receive a like liberal support.
It has been said: "The true university of these days is a collection of books." This spirit of co-operation and sympathy between the Library and the schools is deservedly encouraged, but, what is particularly desired is that boys and girls who have left school should continue to read books to the end of further intellectual and moral advancement. Is it not true that many of our young people are giving practically all their spare time to bowling, pool, cards, moving pictures, or " somewhere ?"
Better a boy develop the " library habit," reading the Youth's Companion, than to acquire the cigarette habit with youthful companions on the street. An evening spent with The Ladies' Home Journal or Good Housekeeping enlarges the mental horizon and is making for better wives than tangoing round a dance hall. Tingling the imagination with great fiction is a better mental stimulus than tickling the brain with moving pictures. Burning the midnight oil, reading history and biography is preferable to making history in a police court for gambling in the " wee small " hours. Delving in science to discover how to exterminate the insect, boll weevil, will bring a larger reward than propagating the worm of Bolshevism on the street corners. The question is: How to provide the proverbial " ounce of prevention " which we believe is to be found by establishing branch libraries.
The Trustees, as tax-payers, realize what branch libraries mean to the rate per thousand, and for that reason we respectfully offer this suggestion. That the City of Quincy go to the same generous source for branch libraries as did the City of Worcester, Andrew Carnegie, who gave $75,000.00 for the erection and equip- ment of three branch libraries in that city.
Your attention is directed to the respective reports of the Treasurer and the Assistant Librarian.
Respectfully submitted for the Trustees,
CHARLES R. SAFFORD, Chairman.
240
CITY OF QUINCY
City Appropriation
Forward from 1917.
$274.95
Appropriation for 1918
18,282.00
Dog tax.
2,316.00
Additional appropriation
1,200.00
Total
$22,072.95
Expenditures
Central Library :
Salaries and services
$11,394.33
Books .
3,247.08
Periodicals, binding and printing
1,436.29
Fuel and lighting
878.09
Sundries
1,012.95
$17,968.74
West Quincy Reading Room:
Rent and care of room ..
$500.04
Salary and assistance.
847.48
Books and periodicals, etc.
155.36
Fuel and lighting
135.65
Sundries .
129.23
1,767.76
Atlantic Reading Room:
Rent and care of room.
$540.00
Salary and assistance .
841.06
Books, periodicals, etc
129.46
Fuel and lighting
114.55
Sundries
94.73
1,719.80
Total expenditures.
$21,456.30
Held for contract for coal.
616.65
$22,072.95
241
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
TREASURER'S STATEMENT 1918
Thomas Crane Endowment Fund
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1917:
Mass. State Bonds (cost price) $19,656.75
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank .. . . 635.88
Received interest on Mass. State Bonds . 630.00
Received interest on deposits in
Quincy Savings Bank. 37.14
Received rebate on bond for Chas R. Safford, Treasurer. 2.74
Paid American Surety Co. of N. Y., premium on bond for Treasurer.
$6.25
Wm. A Bradford Co., sill-cocks and labor 7.87
Granite Trust Co., rent of safe deposit box. 5.00
360.00
J. C. Hayden, labor on grounds, etc. Holmes and Hall, spring, labor on door .
5.25
John G. Thomas, repairs on roof Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1918:
7.52
Mass. State Bonds (cost price)
19,656.75
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank.
913.87
$20,962.51 $20,962.51
Catalog Fund
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1917 $372.04
Received from Library fines 651.32
Received interest on deposits in Quincy Savings Bank. 18.63
Paid A. L. A. Publishing Board, cards for Warner's Library. $7.64
Granite City Print, printing 130.00
242
CITY OF QUINCY
Library of Congress, catalog cards ....
$100.00
George W. Prescott Publishing Co., printing D. W. Weinhouse, work on catalog. .
3.00
11.34
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1918 790.01
$1,041.99
$1,041.99
Cotton Center Johnson Fund
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1917:
Kansas City, Clay County and St. Joseph
bonds (cost price) ..
$1,890.00
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank. 128.71
Received interest on bonds
100.00
Received interest on deposits in Quincy Savings Bank . 6.95
Paid West Publishing Co., book. $8.00
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1918:
Kansas City, Clay County and St. Joseph bonds (cost price) .
1,890.00
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank.
227.66
$2,125.66
$2,125.66
Gift of Albert Crane
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1917
$27.74
Received interest on deposit in Quincy Savings Bank . 1.24
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1918 $28.98
$28.98 $28.98
Children's Fund . Gift of Quincy Women's Club
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1917 . $63.90
Received interest on deposit in Quincy Savings Bank. 2.88
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1918 $66.78
$66.78 $66.78
243
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
George W. Morton Fund
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1917:
2 Kansas City Terminal Bonds 4's. . . $1,880.50
3 Massachusetts Gas, 42's. 2,912.38
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank. 338.01
Received interest on bonds. 322.50
Received interest on deposits in Quincy Savings Bank . 15.29
Paid Mabel S. Baxter, work done for Charles J. McGilvray, Treasurer. . .
$20.00
The International Text Book Co., books .
52.00
Charles E. Lauriat Company, books. . Rand, McNally & Co., books .
73.22
16.00
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1918:
2 Kansas City Terminal Bonds, 4's. .
1,880.50
3 Massachusetts Gas, 42's.
2,912.38
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank.
514.58
$5,468.68 $5,468.68
Mt. Wollaston Bank Account
May 8, 1913, deposit by transfer from Endowment Fund . . ' $100.00
Balance on hand Dec. 31, 1918
$100.00
$100.00
$100.00
CHARLES J. McGILVRAY, Treasurer.
Approved:
(Signed) HENRY O. FAIRBANKS,
City Auditor.
REPORT OF THE ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN
To the Trustees of the Thomas Crane Public Library:
I submit herewith the Librarian's report for the year ending December 31, 1918.
Various causes have contributed to make the past year an unsettled one in the Library. Chief among these was Miss White's long absence on sick leave which began in June and finally led to her resignation in October. Members of the Library staff were deeply shocked by the news of her death on December 28th. Her funeral occurred on the last day of the year, the day before that on which her resignation took effect. For nearly forty-two years she had served the Library with zeal and devotion and her whole interest in life was bound up in this institution.
By the death of Mr. Albert Crane, late in September, the Library lost a sincere friend and ever-ready benefactor. Though not a resident of Quincy he always took a deep interest in the memorial that his family's generosity had made possible. As a mark of respect the Library closed on the day of his funeral.
Throughout the year many demands have been made by other organizations for co-operation in connection with war activities. Campaigns for camp library books, for War Savings Stamps, Liberty Loans, food conservation, Red Cross, Boy Scouts and United War Work funds have followed one another in rapid suc- cession; and in every case an effort was made to put before everyone who came into the reading room all available information on the subject.
Books for the men in all branches of the service have con- tinued to come in. During the year 3,583 volumes were forwarded by the Library, of which 3,334 were wholly or partially prepared for circulation. Miss Georgiana C. Lane has been very kind in collecting books in spite of being much occupied with other war work. Thanks are also due to Miss M. Lizzie Furnald, Miss Ella A. Freeman and Miss Ring for their assistance.
The epidemic of influenza, particularly virulent in Quincy,
244
245
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
naturally affected the Library's activity. On the advice of the Board of Health the delivery desks were closed in the Central Library and branches from September 25th to October 20th, but the public was allowed to use all reading rooms freely. Books known to have been in homes where there had been cases of in- fluenza were burned. Other books, believed not to have been exposed to infection, but which had been in circulation at the time the order to close the desks was issued were fumigated.
Owing to the coal shortage at the beginning of the year the Library was closed every morning till one o'clock, and all day on Mondays from January 21st to February 25th.
Reading Room
While no record of the attendance in the reading room has been kept, there is no doubt that it has grown steadily. Mere numbers mean little; hence it is gratifying to be able to say that many of those who used the room were adult students. Naval men who were studying for examinations and men employed at the Fore River Yard found our collection of technical books most helpful, but not nearly large enough. The demand was for more duplicates rather than for a wider range of subjects.
The reference department, still in its infancy when the war broke out, has necessarily suffered, particularly this past year, as the resignation of several members of the staff increased the diffi- culty of keeping a reference clerk in the reading room during the busier hours of the day. Since October it has been possible to arrange for Miss Eleanor Whittemore to give most of her time to this work. It is particularly important that new borrowers should become acquainted with the resources of the Library and be made to feel at ease. The reference clerk can do more to accomplish this than any other assistant, besides helping regular readers to find what they want. An active, successful reference department is a truer measure of the extent to which a Library meets the needs of the community than a large circulation. We would urge that no other demands on the Library be allowed to interfere with the development of this work.
As in other years, various collections of timely books, kept in
246
CITY OF QUINCY
the reading room and changed frequently, have stimulated bor- rowers to keep up with movements of current interest.
· It seems scarcely necessary to say that the open shelves in the reading room are very much appreciated. More have been added since the stacks were first set up and others are on their way. A steel filing case has also been ordered for the use of the reference clerk.
Registration
Re-registration, which has been going on since July 1st, 1917, makes it possible for us to give a fairly accurate estimate of the number of our active borrowers. On December 31st there were 8,502, including those registered in the children's room or at a branch. A year ago we had 5,430, so that the year shows an increase of 3,072, or more than 36 per cent. Of this increase 1,077 are juvenile. It is interesting to notice that while in 1917 the juvenile registration at the branches was 53 and 42 per cent., respectively, of the total branch registration in 1918 the figures had risen to 44 and 43 per cent. at the branches and, on the other hand, had dropped at the Central Library from 30 to 29 per cent. It is probable that this increase in the proportion of adult borrowers at the Central Library is due to the number of men in the service and at Fore River who have come here for technical books.
Circulation
The total circulation for the year is 167,097, a decrease of 16,837 from that of 1917. This is apparently due to the closing of the delivery desks during the coal shortage and the influenza epidemic, as reference to the statistics shows that the total average daily circulation has increased from 606 to 612. The largest gain is in the Atlantic branch and the only desk where the daily circula- tion shows no increase is in the children's room at the Central Library.
Staff
Early in the year Miss Theodora Clark resigned to take a position in the New York Public Library. In October, Miss Mary K. Weston resigned the librarianship of the children's room and
247
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
Miss Elizabeth Reed, who had taken a special course at Simmons College in the summer to fit herself for library work with children, was appointed in Miss Weston's place. Miss Alma Farr resigned in December to take up nursing as a profession. Miss Alexander is still on leave of absence to enable her to continue her work for the Red Cross.
During the six months that the Library has been practically without a head, the somewhat depleted staff has carried on the work in a manner that deserves much credit, and was made possible only by the strong spirit of co-operation and harmony that has prevailed. Miss Charlotte Cochrane, in particular, who for many years had been Miss White's able adjutant, has given generously of her own time in doing the extra work that the absence of a librarian naturally involved.
Children's Room
The outstanding feature in the children's room this year has been a long hoped for increase in the work with the schools. Both teachers and pupils have used the Library more than ever before; the reference work is growing rapidly and the picture collections have been much in demand.
Branches
There have been no developments worthy of comment in work of the branches this year. The average daily circulation in both has grown. In Atlantic the number of borrowers has in- creased by nearly 42 per cent; in West Quincy the increase is some- thing over 35 per cent. Attention was called in last year's report to the overcrowding in the West Quincy reading room. It is clear that this condition has been aggravated by the larger number of borrowers.
The census of 1915 gives the population of Quincy as 40,674. · It is now believed to be nearer 55,000. If the latter figure is correct the number of our borrowers is less than 16 per cent. of the popula- tion. Certain outlying districts of the city are served very inade- quately, or not at all. Since the discontinuance of the Norfolk Downs car line, for instance, the lower part of Wollaston Park and
248
CITY OF QUINCY
a large section of the Downs are not within reach of any branch or delivery station. Some communities have solved a similar prob- lem by instituting a house to house automobile delivery. What- ever method may eventually be adopted, some expedient should be devised without delay to provide service of some kind for these rapidly growing parts of the city where many children of Grammar school age have no opportunity to form the " library habit " that means so much to them in later life.
Respectfully submitted,
MURIEL ALMON, Assistant Librarian.
249
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
STATISTICS Size and Growth by Classes.
No. of Vols. in Library Dec. 31,1918
Added by Purchase 1918
Added by Gift 1918
Added by binding Periodicals 1918
General Works.
252
9
8
Philosophy and Religion .
1,444
60
15
Sociology
1,934
104
39
Science .
1,376
42
4
Useful and Fine Arts. .
2,318
274
16
Literature and Philology.
3,377
95
30
History
3,154
225
50
Travel
1,854
40
13
Biography
2,933
50
32
Fiction .
8,123
653
7
144
Unclassified bound periodicals
4,875
8
Reference . .
1,626
42
8
Document Room.
2,857
22
Children's Room: Fiction
3,788
292
24
Non-fiction .
5,022
586
29
8
West Quincy Reading Room
911
52
2
3
Atlantic Reading Room
601
27
2
Total .
46,445
2,551 501
309
155
Vols. replaced, 1918.
Circulation by Classes, 1918
Main Hall
Children's Room
West Quincy Reading Room
Atlantic Reading Room
Total
General Works.
267
635
107
575
1,584
Philosophy and Religion ..
1,013
207
203
208
1,631
Sociology
1,402
210
195
354
2,161
Science
883
704
302
431
2,320
Useful and Fine Arts
5,025
1,576
1,120
1,344
9,065
Literature and Philology .
2,499
8,971
6,066
3,499
21,035
History
3,034
1,648
1,403
683
6,768
Travel.
1,080
1,599
1,066
749
4,494
Biography
1,292
791
557
499
3,139
Fiction ..
39,883
18,239
18,185
21,591
97,898
Periodicals (unbound)
10,224
1,677
1,851
3,250
17,002
Total
66,602
36,257
31,055
33,183
167,097
250
CITY OF QUINCY
Quincy Donors to the Thomas Crane Public Library During the Year 1918
Addison, Mrs. Thomas A. " Universalist Leader."
Branscheid & Martens. Free delivery of local papers to Atlantic reading room.
Christian Science Publishing Society. Periodicals.
Cockayne, Mrs. Frances M. " Daily Mail. Over-seas ed."
Corthell, Mrs. W. G. Books.
Ellsworth, Mrs. Samuel W. Books.
Fore River Plant. "Fore River Log."
Freeman, Elizabeth E. Book.
Freeman, E. M. Books.
Groce, Jos. B. Book.
Hageman, N. F. Books.
Hersey, Ethel G. Books.
Mackendrick, Alex. Books.
Marsh, Mrs. E. B. Bust of Abraham Lincoln.
Mendoza, F. B. Books.
Prescott Publishing Co. " Quincy Patriot-Leader " to the Branch reading rooms.
Quincy, City of. Annual report.
Quincy Branch National Alliance. "Christian Register."
Roche, Wm. J. "Extension Magazine."
Sheppard, Mrs. Eben W. Book.
Spargo Print. " Quincy Telegram " to the Branch reading rooms.
Taber, James R. Book.
Underwood, Julia E. Book.
W. C. T. U. of Quincy. " Young Crusader."
Warshaw, J. Books.
Waterhouse, George S. " Ambition."
Y. M. C. A. of Quincy. "Association Men."
Statistics Arranged According to the Form Adopted by the American Library Association
Population served (Mass. Census, 1915), 40,674
Terms of use - Free for lending. Free for reference.
Total number of agencies,
Consisting of :
Central Library
2
Other agencies, Schools (buildings)
8
Industrial corporations .
1
Number of days open during year: For lending . For reading
303
315
Hours open each week for lending.
72
Hours open each week for reading .
72
Total number of staff. 13
Total valuation of library property
$200,000
Branches .
Stations (delivery) 2
251
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
Increase
Adult 35,281
Juvenile 9,231
Total 44,512
Number of volumes at beginning of year. . . . Number of volumes added during year by purchase ..
1,801
1,251
3,052
Number of volumes added during year by gift.
256
53
309
Number of volumes added during year by binding material not otherwise counted. Number of volumes lost or withdrawn dur- ing year .
144
11
155
Total number at end of year .
743 36,739
840
1,583
Pamphlets: Classified and cataloged but not counted.
Maps: No statistics kept.
Use
Adult 91,520
Juvenile 75,577
167,097
Number of volumes of fiction lent for home use .
60,171
37,727
97,898
Registration
Adult
Juvenile
Total
Number of new borrowers registered during year .
1,436
961
2,397
Total number of registered borrowers .
5,480
3,022
8,502
Number of publications issued. .
4
Number of periodicals and newspapers currently received, 170 titles; 258 copies.
Number of persons using library for reading and study: Record not kept.
Finance Receipts from
Unexpended balance, Jan. 1, 1918.
$1,130.86
City appropriation .
22,072.95
Endowment funds, net
1,117.50
Fines .
651.32
Other sources
19.87
Total.
$24,992.50
Payments for
Maintenance:
Books. .
$3,501.93
Periodicals
701.71
Binding
783.77
Salaries, library service .
11,610.87
Salaries, other service (janitor's helper)
1,912.04
Rent
600.00
Heat .
558.30
Light .
569.99
Other maintenance.
2,030.78
Total
$22,269.39
9,706
46,445
Total
Total number of volumes lent for home use.
Annual Report
OF THE
Board of Directors and Superintendent
,
OF THE
Woodward Institute
1918
City of Quincy
Massachusetts
WOODWARD INSTITUTE
ORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR 1918
Chairman REV. ADELBERT L. HUDSON
Vice-Chairman REV. FREDERICK H. STEENSTRA
Secretary REV. GEORGE M. BAILEY
Superintendent ALBERT L. BARBOUR
THE FACULTY
Principal
HORACE W. RICE Latin
Teachers
CHARLOTTE J. BURGESS. Commercial Subjects
GEORGIANA C. LANE Art
JOHN D. BUCKINGHAM Music
GRACE L. BURKE Mathematics
MRS. LILLIAN M. PALMER Science
LOUINE FORD. Physical Training
ALCINA B. HOUGHTON
Modern Languages
KATHERINE S. MCCAFFERTY.
History
LEILA W. STRATTON
English
Sewing
JULIA A. LEAMY Cooking
Engineer and Janitor ALLAN W. WALKER
At a meeting of the Board of Directors held January 7 the report of the Superintendent was accepted, adopted and ordered printed as the report of the Board.
255
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF WOODWARD INSTITUTE
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen: I present, herewith, my tenth annual report as Superintendent of Woodward Institute.
In a school whose policy is well defined and settled, and whose aims are perfectly understood, there is little new to report from year to year, and a few words will suffice to record the features of the school year which has just passed.
Woodward Institute has not escaped the setbacks and bur- dens which the war has occasioned in all lines of business, or indeed, in all human endeavor. The year has on the whole been a most difficult one. Fuel shortage, influenza epidemic, decreased attend- ance, changes in teachers, - all these have been factors affecting our year's work, arising from the world war conditions.
The fuel shortage was felt only to a slight degree; contracts for fuel placed some time ahead enabled us to avoid loss of time, and made only a minor change in our school terms. Our attend- ance decreased to some extent, but far less than has been the case in public schools.
Nearly a month has been lost, however, as the result of the influenza epidemic, one of our teachers was taken by death, and the general health of the school materially affected. Finally, there have been more changes in the teaching force during the year than for many years. Here, too, we have shared in the general lot of all educational institutions.
Miss Martha Maccarthy, for several years the instructor in physical training, resigned in the summer to take up Red Cross work, and was succeeded by Miss Louine Ford of Melrose, who came to Woodward from the New Britian public school system. Miss Minnie Shedd, instructor in French and German, resigned to accept a position elsewhere, and was succeeded by Miss Elizabeth Sherman of Dorchester. At Christmas, Miss Sherman was forced by home conditions to give up teaching, and Miss Alcina B. Hough-
256
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REPORT OF WOODWARD INSTITUTE
ton of Whitman has taken her place. Miss Houghton comes to Woodward Institute from the Nutting, N. J., High School. Miss Marguerite Mathews, teacher of English and history, also resigned during the summer to accept public school work, and her place was taken by Miss Hazel Edgerly. Miss Edgerly's death, after a service of only three months, as an outcome of the epidemic, is most regrettable. She had but just started on her teaching career, was of brilliant mind, genial disposition, and unusual fitness for her work. She would have been a highly successful teacher. Miss Edgerly's place in the school has been taken by Miss Miriam Thomas of Brockton, who was previously engaged in public school work.
The enrollment of the school, while considerably less than in former years because of general business conditions, is not likely to decrease further. If it were possible for the enrollment to remain stationary at about the present figures it would be desirable.
For the last few years, Woodward Institute has been sending many of its graduates to the Normal Schools of the State, such pupils entering normal school on certificate without examination. The State Board of Education has made a recent ruling, withdraw- ing from all private schools the certificate privilege. This ruling may tend to decrease the number of our girls fitting for normal school, unless an exception is made by the State Board in the case of this school. A request for such exception has been made, and is now held under advisement.
The Alumnae prize for the best essay written by a member of the Senior Class upon an assigned subject has been awarded to Esther I. Gibson.
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