USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1912 > Part 18
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750
1908
7.
Nellie L. Quennell, 24+ Broadway
700
1912
7.
M. Edna Merrill, 228 Broadway
750
1909
6.
Mrs. Mina P. Bickford, 216 Park Street, Medford
750
1903
6.
Elizabeth F. Clement, 29 Kidder Avenue
750
1884
5.
Mary I. Bradish, 112 Magoun Avenue, Medford .
750
1899
5.
Elizabeth S. Brown, 29 Evergreen Avenue
750
1897
4.
Laura R. Cunningham, 62 Highland Avenue
750
1904
4.
Annie S. Gage, 32 Marshall Street
750
1881
3.
Mrs. Annie J. Ireland, Winchester
750
1909
2.
Martha L. Hale, 157 Highland Avenue
750
1899
3, 2. 1.
Cora J. Demond, 146 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston
750
1900
1.
Grace Shorey, 23 Forster Street
750
1892
(NORMAN W.) BINGHAM SCHOOL. Lowell Street, near Vernon Street.
9. 9.
HARRY F. HATHAWAY, Master, 495 Broadway .
$1,900
1890
9, 8. 8.
Elizabeth J. Mooney, 168 Summer Street
750
1904
7.
Mary E. Hughes, Cambridge
750
1911
7.
Mary F. Mead, 35 Kidder Avenue
750
1905
6.
Lucy K. Hatch, 103 Glenwood Road
750
1892
6.
Catherine Heagney, 32 Sewall Street
700
1912
5.
Harriet F. Ward, 202 School Street
750
1895
5, 4.
Helen L. Galvin, Braintree
750
1903
4.
Eva M. Barrows, 469 Broadway
750
1903
4.
Bessie J. Baker, Malden
750
1905
3.
Harriet M. Bell, 34 Bow Street
750
1904
3, 2.
Clara L. Griffiths, 39 Ames Street
750
1902
2.
*Nellie R. Bray, Medford Hillside
750
1897
1.
Priscilla A. Merritt, 96 Oxford Street
750
1885
1.
Mabel E. Mansir, 77 Albion Street
750
1894
Asst.
Mary L. Ennis, 785 Broadway ·
425
1911
MARTIN W. CARR SCHOOL. Beech Street.
9.
CHARLES G. HAM, Master, Watertown
$1,900
1898
9.
May E. Berry, 14 Billingham Street
825
1880
9,8. 8.
Mrs. Mary E. Soule, 39 Walnut Street
750
1901
7.
Harriet A. Hills, 14 Billingham Street .
750
1874
7.
Marie T. Smith, 15 Day Street
750
1898
6.
Susie L. Luce, 21 Francesca Avenue
750
1896
6, 5.
Mary A. Haley, 117 Summer Street
750
1867
5.
Elizabeth S. Foster, 152 Summer Street
750
1895
4,
Katherine Pike, 152 Summer Street
750
1906
4.
Mrs. Lillian M. Wentworth, 248 Highland Avenue
750
1911
2.
Annie B. Russell, 45 Russell Street
750
1901
1.
Pearl F. Dame, 1 Ellsworth Street
700
1906
Asst.
Lena Munroe, 211-A Summer Street
525
1910
Asst.
Mabel Ingham, 27-B Summer Street
275
1912
* Leave of absence.
Leila L. Rand, 87 Raymond Street, Cambridge
750
1908
5.
Grace T. Merritt, 47 Cherry Street.
750
1897
5.
Blanche L. Paine, 11 Landers Street .
750
1905
3.
Mrs. M. Florence Eustis, 9 Monmouth Street
750
1906
6.
Lynda V. Merrill, 26 Brastow Avenue
600
1912
Clara D. Eddy, 71 Central Street .
775
1902
825
1894
Jane Batson, 72 Mountain Avenue, Malden
750
1900
Carrie T. Lincoln, 79 Marshall Street
750
1893
Elizabeth J. O'Neil, 82 Benton Road .
246
ANNUAL REPORTS.
TABLE 29. - Teachers in Service January, 1913 .- Continued.
Grade.
NAME AND RESIDENCE.
Salary.
Began Service.
GIRLS' INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL. 41 Atherton Street.
Mary Henleigh Brown, Director, Everett St., Cambridge
$1,600
1911
Cornelia B. Rodman, 15 Ellery Street, Cambridge
500
1911
Helen C. French, 60 Adams Street
400
1912
Mary Donoghue, 21 St. James Avenue
800
1911
Julia Haley, 88 Prospect Street .
700
1911
Theresa Morrison, 8 Johnson Avenue, Charlestown
400
1912
Lucy Dorr, 56 Westland Avenue, Boston
700
1911
Marion P. Crawford, 124 Summer Street
800
1911
(ENOCH R.) MORSE SCHOOL. Summer and Craigie Streets.
9.
MINA J. WENDELL, Master, 211-A Summer Street
$1,900
1882
9.
Mrs. Harriette C. Hamilton, 219 Summer Street .
825
1900
8.
Mrs. Clara A. Ball, 2 St. Paul Street, Cambridge.
750
1906
7.
Lennie W. Bartlett, 152 Summer Street
750
1893
6.
Blanche E. Thompson, 33 Hudson Street
750
1906
6,5.
Mrs. Jennie E. Stevens, 9 Bradford Avenue
600
1912
5, 4.
Lizzie E. Hill, 40 Magnolia Street, Dorchester
750
1890
4.
Mrs. Elva A. Cutler, 12 Billingham Street
700
1911
4, 3.
Helen O. Locke, Everett
700
1912
3, 2.
Mrs. Agnes C. Rice, 9 Bradford Avenue
750
1900
2,1.
*Grace S. Russell, 1097 Broadway
700
1900
1.
Helen L. Tuck, Revere
700
1912
GEORGE O. PROCTOR SCHOOL. Hudson Street.
HARRY F. HATHAWAY, Master, 495 Broadway
1912
7.
NORA F. BYARD, Principal, 27 College Avenue .
$950
1884
6.
Alice G. Hosmer, 42 Boston Street
750
1966
5.
Abbie A. Gurney, 4 Ossipee Road
750
1888
4.
Ella P. McLeod, Cambridge
750
1888
3.
Edith L. Hunnewell, 23 Milton Street .
750
1894
2.
Mary S. Richardson, 13 Bartlett Street
750
1906
1.
L. Margaret Potter, 56 Norfolk Street, Cambridge
750
1905
4.
ABIGAIL P. HAZELTON, Principal, West Roxbury
$825
1902
3.
Grace E. Packard, Cambridge
700
1912
2.
Mary Winslow, 23 Hall Street
750
1887
1.
Alice M. Dicker, East Boston
600
1912
MARK F. BURNS SCHOOL. Cherry Street, near Highland Avenue.
Asst. 7.
LAURA J. BROOKS, Principal, 31 Stevens Street, Stoneham
$950
1883
Mrs. Mary C. Buck. 12 Powder House Terrace
375
1899
6.
Edith A. Maxwell, 17 Pleasant Avenue
750
1906
5.
Eva E. Perkins, 54 Benton Road
650
1911
4.
Mrs. Margaret D. Hellyar, Oak Street, Greenwood
700
1909
3.
Annie L. Brown, 283 Summer Street
750
1885
2.
Mary E. Lacy, 63 Cherry Street .
750
1890
2, 1.
Ardelle Abbott, 71 Craigie Street .
750
1896
1.
Alice E. Morang, 38 Cambria Street
750
1893
* Leave of absence.
*Cara M. Johnson, Nantucket
750
1897
Elizabeth V. Frame, 84 Lincoln Street, Melrose
600
1912
GEORGE W. DURELL SCHOOL. Beacon and Kent Streets.
247
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
TABLE 29 .- Teachers in Service January, 1913 .- Continued.
Grade.
NAME AND RESIDENCE.
Salary.
Began Service.
BENJAMIN G. BROWN SCHOOL. Willow Avenue and Josephine Avenue.
9.
GEORGE I. BOWDEN, Master, 92 Monument St., West Medford
$1,850
1908
9.
Annie G. Smith, 59 Maple Street, Malden
825
1901
8.
Mrs. Phebe E. Mathews, 159 Morrison Avenue
750
1897
7.
Frances D. Way, Roxbury
650
1911
6.
Alice R. Gould, 12 Fosket Street .
650
1911
5.
Annie Sanburn, 20 Ashburton Place, Boston
750
1906
5, 4.
Mary T. Ford, 26 Gibbens Street .
750
1911
4, 3.
Ida M. Record, 5 Westwood Road.
750
1899
3, 2.
Alice M. Dorman, 159 Morrison Avenue
750
1903
2,1.
Mrs. Grace H. Bliss, 180 Powder House Boulevard
750
1900
1.
Rena H. Wiley, 148 Boston Avenue
750
1906
HIGHLAND SCHOOL. Highland Avenue and Grove Street.
9. 9. 19. 9,8. 8.
Marguerite Burns, 15 Kidder Avenue
775
1907
8.
Mrs. Nellie G. Stewart,1105 Broadway .
750
1908
7.
Elsie M. Ross, 14 Irving Street
750
1908
7.
Elizabeth S. Smith, 58 Lowden Avenue
750
1912
6.
Lillian F. Richardson, 33 Wallace Street
750
1904
6.
Marie Clifford, 10 Mellen Street, Cambridge
750
1907
5.
Marion Allen, Danvers .
700
1911
5.
Mary H. Joyce, 76 Boston Street
750
1891
5.
Marion A. Viets, 20 Windsor Road
650
1912
WILLIAM H. HODGKINS SCHOOL. Holland Street.
9.
ARTHUR L. DOE, Master, 108 Packard Avenue
$1,900
1896
9.
Edith W. Emerson, 135 Central Street
825
1896
8.
Alice S. Hall, 135 Central Street
750
1896
7.
Mrs. Gertrude W. Leighton, 26 Gibbens Street
750
1895
6.
*Beatrice A. Randall, 14 Oxford Street, Cambridge
750
1905
5.
Flora A. Burgess, Arlington Heights
750
1894
5.
Genieve R. Barrows, 52 Westland Avenue, Boston
750
1905
4.
Katherine M. Fox, Stoneham
750
1896
3.
Inez Prentiss, 27 Hall Avenue
650
1913
2.
Jennie M. Patterson, Mattapan
750
1903
1.
May V. Powell, 47 Centre Street, Malden .
700
1913
1
Nellie F. Wright, 897 Broadway
700
1912
CUTLER SCHOOL.
Powder House Boulevard, near Raymond Avenue.
9.
HARLAN P. KNIGHT, Master, 61 Putnam Street
$1,900
1897
9.
N. Irene Ellis, 29 Newbury Street
825
1903
8, 7,
Elizabeth R. Henderson, 93 Ossipee Road
700
1912
7.
Katherine A. Breen, 471 Medford Street
700
1912
7.
Lilla E. Mann, 96 Wallace Street
750
1902
6.
Cora E. Crawford, 100 Huntington Avenue, Boston
650
1912
5.
Elinor Neilon, 14 Cambria Street
600
1912
5, 4.
Anna L. Brown, 14 Irving Street .
700
1912
4.
Olevia M. Woods, 116 Powder House Boulevard
650
1908
3.
Eliza H. Lunt, 50 Curtis Street
750
1889
2.
Almena J. Mansir, 77 Albion Street
750
1899
1.
Annie H. Hall, 97 College Avenue
750
1906
1.
Edna F. Gordon, 10 Locke Street .
700
1912
FRANK W. SEABURY, Master, 18 Winslow Avenue
$1,800
1911
Grace M. Clark, 10 Vernon Street, West Medford
825
1893
Sarah E. Pray, 126 Orchard Street
750
1877
Mary L. Bryant, 24 Hall Avenue .
750
1903
€
Isabel M. Brunton, 19 Hanson Street
600
1910
Catherine A. Burden, 28 College Avenue
750
1902
4.
*Elizabeth L. Hersey, 4 Concord Sq., Boston
750
1896
*Leave of absence.
2448
ANNUAL REPORTS.
TABLE 29. - Teachers in Service January, 1913. - Concluded.
Grade.
NAME AND RESIDENCE.
Salary.
Began Service.
MARTHA PERRY LOWE SCHOOL. Morrison Avenue, near Grove Street.
FRANK W. SEABURY, Master
1912
4.
MAY E. SMALL, Principal, 12 Day Street, Cambridge
$950
1900
4.
Stella M. Holland, 46 Chester Street .
750
1903
3.
Maude C. Valentine, 1098 Broadway
750
1901
3.
Mrs. Jane M. Taaffe, 159 Morrison Avenue
750
1888
2.
Clara G. Hegan, 100 School Street
750
1897
2,1. 1.
Martha A. Jencks, 96 Orchard Street
.
750
1898
EVENING SCHOOL PRINCIPALS.
WILLIAM D. SPRAGUE, High
$6.00
JOHN S. EMERSON, Bell
4.00
CHARLES E. BRAINARD, Highland
3.00
SPECIAL TEACHERS.
MUSIC.
13-7. 6-1.
S. Henry Hadley, 46 Pearl Street .
$1,700
1868
Charlotte D. Lawton, 11 East Newton Street, Boston
1,000
1898
9-1.
Clara M. Gale, 5 Westwood Road
1,000
1911
SEWING.
8-5.
Mary L. Boyd, 74 Heath Street
750
1888
8-5.
Emma J. Ellis, Kenneson Road
750
1900
8-5.
Bertha P. Paul, 23 Monmouth Street
750
1900
9-1.
William A. Whitehouse, 182 Highland Avenue . .
1,500
1895
MANUAL TRAINING.
*300
1911
9,8.
Kathinka Fessman, 40 Warrenton Street, Boston
800
1912
9, 8.
E. Christabel Ruggles, 268 Humboldt Avenue, Roxbury
800
1912
9, 8.
Eva G. Hardy, 64 Avon Street ·
800
1912
A TYPICAL.
Mary A. Holt, 72 Boston Street
825
1910
.
.
.
1
*Additional to salary as High School sub-master.
.
750
1892
Katherine E. Hourahan, 27 Hall Avenue
.
DRAWING.
PENMANSHIP.
Harry L. Jones, 137 Powder House Boulevard .
249
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
TABLE 30 .- OFFICERS, ETC., IN SERVICE JANUARY, 1913.
NAME AND ADDRESS.
Salary.
SUPERINTENDENT AND SECRETARY.
Charles S. Clark, 82 Munroe Street .
$3,500
CLERKS.
Justin W. Lovett, 13 Hudson Street
.
.
1,300
Mary A. Clark, 42 Highland Avenue
800
Mildred A. Merrill, 26 Cambria Street
650
TRUANT OFFICER.
Benjamin R. Jones, 25 Loring Street .
1,350
TABLE 31 .- SCHOOL JANITORS, JANUARY, 1913.
School.
Name.
Residence.
Weekly Salary.
High School, S
John H. Kelley
7 Madison St.
$25.00
High School, assistant
Joseph Young
47 Oxford St.
19.50
High School, assistant
William H. Kelley
10 Lee St.
16.00
High School, assistant
Lewis G. Keen
56 Prescott St.
20.00
High School, fireman
Edwin Adler
22 Robinson St.
16.00
Prescott, S, 12
George A. McGunnigle
50 Pearl St.
17.00
Hanscom, S, 10
Thomas C. Dame
1 Ellsworth St.
15.00
Boys' Industrial, F, 4
.
Michael Mullaney
467 Somerville Ave.
17.00
Baxter, S, 6
Israel Winterbottom
2 Bolton St.
12.00
Knapp, S, 12
John H. Lane
5-A Belmont St.
16.00
Perry, S, 6
.
John J. Kilty
662 Somerville Ave.
17.00
Bell, S, 12
.
William Meskill
53 Partridge Ave.
17.00
Cummings, F, 4
George W. Libby
215 Pearl St.
12.00
Edgerly, S, 12 .
.
Charles P. Horton
22 Everett Ave.
16.00
Glines, S, 14
Roy C. Burckes
34 Tufts St. 249 School St.
18,00
Forster, assistant
Jerry M. Brennan
9 Pembroke St.
14.00
Bingham, S, 16
John F. O'Brien
347 Lowell St.
21.00
Carr, S, 16
James W. Rich
206 Highland Ave.
23.00
Morse, F, 12
John W. Cremen
69 Oxford St.
17.00
Proctor, S, 8
George Q. Marshall
19 Wesley St.
13.50
Durell, S, 4
Ellsworth C. Lundgren
50 Harrison St.
12.00
Burns, S, 8
Charles Gallaway
160 Hudson St.
13.50
Brown, S, 10
O. M. Pote
23 Howe St.
15.00
Highland, S, 12
E. Parker Cook
398 Highland Ave.
16.00
Hodgkins, S, 14
John Shea
22 Thorndike St.
17.00
Cutler,
Daniel Campbell
85 Lexington Ave.
20.00
Lowe, S, 8
John F. Richardson
190 Morrison Ave.
13.50
Girls' Industrial
.
George H. Griffin
25 Virginia St.
15.00
Buildings heated by steam are marked "S," by furnace "F." The numbers show the number of rooms.
The high school is heated by a single plant in the East building.
.
.
George H. Clapp
35-A Franklin St.
12.00
Bennett, S, 12
Henry C. Bradford
72 Boston St.
12.00
Pope, S, 12
18.25
Forster, S, 18 .
· George W. Coombs
.
·
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS.
Trustees.
THOMAS M. DURELL, M. D.
FREDERICK W. HAMILTON, D. D.
J. FRANK WELLINGTON. CHARLES M. AMBROSE.
FREDERICK W. PARKER. GEORGE WHITING.
WILLIAM L. BARBER. WILLIAM H. DOLBEN.
CHARLES L. NOYES, D. D.
Officers.
THOMAS M. DURELL, M. D. .
.
DREW B. HALL. .
.
President Secretary
Committees.
Administration-Wellington, Parker, Noyes; the President. Books and Catalogues-Barber, Hamilton, Ambrose; the President. Buildings and Grounds-Whiting, Dolben: the President.
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES.
To the Honorable, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :-
Gentlemen,-The fortieth annual report of the trustees of the public library is herewith respectfully submitted.
The year has been marked by great activity and the attain- ment of excellent results for our entire library system.
The great need of a new and modern central plant for the successful operation of this large and ever growing educational activity is being met by the erection of the new Central Library building. This building was made possible by the generous gift of Mr. Andrew Carnegie-$80,000-together with $45,000, an allowance made by the city as the cost of the old building. The new building will be ready for occupancy in the fall of 1913.
During the year 4,700 new borrowers' cards have been issued and $11,670 spent for books. We are glad to note that there has been an increase of eight per cent. in the circulation of non-fiction, and a much greater use of the reference works in the whole system.
During the year there has been reorganization of the staff, with the addition of many valuable heads of departments, strengthening the force very appreciably. A long contemplated extension of the classification of the books of the library is in process, under the direction of an expert cataloguer, and in connection with this the selection of the forty thousand volumes to be placed in the book room of the new building is being made.
The branch at West Somerville is doing, we believe, in- creasingly effective work; its staff has been much strengthened by the employment of an experienced head and assistant. The need is such that the hallroom has been used as a quiet read- ing room. With comparatively little expense this might be made a very desirable room, dormer windows would give light and the needed ventilation, now impossible. In the near future the stack room should be extended in the rear of the building, as was provided for in the original plans.
The new branches at East Somerville and at Union Square have been most successful and useful. At East the circulation the first eleven months was 52,000, and at Union 35,000 volumes in ten months. Both of these branches are so overcrowded that it is evident more space must be provided in the near future. Union is doing especially good work in reaching the young men, and East has developed a large con-
252
ANNUAL REPORTS.
stituency in its neighborhood. Both of these branches have good executive heads.
The criticism is sometimes made that a large percentage of books taken from a public library are works of fiction. This is true, but certainly the reading of good fiction is at least a harmless amusement. Now, if this is all the reading of fiction does, the library system has furnished over $400,000 worth of amusement to the people of Somerville during the past year. or ten times the amount of money spent on the whole library system. Further than all this the reading of good fiction does much more than amuse. To see that nothing but good fiction reaches the public through the library is the constant care of the board.
We wish to express our thanks to the librarian, Mr. Hall, for the excellence of his work, and also to the other members of the staff for their hearty co-operation.
Respectfully submitted,
T. M. DURELL, President.
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Central Building, Highland Avenue.
Week days, holidays excepted, 9 a. m. to 9 p. m. Sundays, reading and reference only, 3 to 6 p. m. Children's room, school days, 3 to 8 p. m .; other week days, 9 a. m. to 8 p. m .; Sundays, 3 to 6 p. m.
Branches. Week days only, holidays excepted.
WEST SOMERVILLE, 40 College Avenue-1 to 9 p. m. Saturdays, 9 a. m. to 1 p. m., also.
EAST SOMERVILLE, 153 Perkins Street, 2 to 9 p. m.
UNION SQUARE, Washington Street and Bouner Avenue-2 to 9 p. m .; after 6 p. m. children under fourteen admitted only for exchange of books.
SOUTH AGENCY, 518 Somerville Avenue.
THE STAFF.
DREW B. HALL, Librarian. NELLIE M. WHIPPLE, Assistant Librarian.
EXECUTIVE AND DEPARTMENT HEADS.
Lucy B. Crain, Branch Librarian, West Somerville.
Edith B. Hayes, Branch Librarian, East Somerville.
Esther M. Mayhew, Cataloguer.
Gertrude F. Root, Second Assistant Librarian.
Lucinda F. Spofford, Branch Librarian, Union Square.
Mabel E. Bunker, Reference and Art Librarian.
Bessie L. Duddy, Stenographer and Bookkeeper.
Anna L. Stone, Children's Librarian.
Mabel Williams, Assistant Branch Librarian, West Somerville.
Mary S. Woodman, School Librarian.
ON SPECIAL, TEMPORARY APPOINTMENTS.
Frances Rathbone Coe, in charge of extension of classification and catalogues. Ruth B. McLean, Cataloguing.
SENIOR ASSISTANTS.
Bessie S. Cobb, West Somerville. Ethel M. Nute, Union Square. Marion Lovis, Cataloguing. Ruby G. White, East Somerville. A. Myrtle Merrill, Cataloguing.
Susan W. Curtis. Juliana Donovan. Ruth S. Fales. Zoe E. Nelson.
JUNIOR ASSISTANTS.
Myrtle Nicholson. A. Lisette Parker. Helen Spear. Anna B. Truesdale.
Edna C. Woodbury.
MESSENGERS.
Joseph K. Kelleher.
Hugh E. Maguire.
254
ANNUAL REPORTS.
HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDANTS AND PAGES ON PART TIME.
Elsie Abrams.
Ruth Alexander.
Beulah C. Church.
Edgar L. Kaula.
Arline Maxwell.
Ronald Moore.
Alice A. Meehan.
Harold Ruggles.
Marion Parker.
Frank C. Stackpole.
Marion Towle.
Robert L. Stevenson.
Velma Ziegler.
Richard J. Trum.
JANITORS.
Under the Commissioner of Public Buildings.
Charles A. Southwick, Central. Thomas F. O'Day, West Somerville Branch.
George A. McGunnigle, East Somerville Branch. James Wall, Union Square Branch.
1
Richard Barlow.
Gordon Hall.
REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN.
To the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Somer- ville :-
Gentlemen,-The fortieth annual report of the librarian is herewith submitted, being that for the year 1912.
The Ministry of Libraries.
The service rendered the people of a city by its public library is a ministry of comfort, knowledge, and inspiration. Its possibilities are yearly becoming greater as all people are increasingly accustomed to use printed matter, and as all subjects of human interest are more and more treated in books. To-day everyone must be able to read, and must read if he would succeed. To-day practical everyday interests are set forth in magazines and books, so that the mechanic and work- man who would be at the top of his trade must use them. In matters of the spirit the great thinkers of the past are continually appearing in new editions, and every modern student and investigator is immediately put into print. So numerous have become books that no individual of ordinary means can own all he needs and sometimes uses, nor does he know which hundred of the thousands in print are of value and authority.
To meet this situation the public library was created, and in the last thirty years has grown marvelously. Yet this growth and the present service rendered, great as they are, seem but beginnings to those most intimately acquainted with the work and its possibilities. For the progress of the people of a city or state is dependent upon their taking advantage of the experiences of others and learning by their failures and successes, and nowhere are successes to be found and their causes to be learned as in books.
The present generation of adults was not in its youth accustomed to this great and practical use of books, and the rising generation is not yet well instructed, still the demands upon active public libraries are greater than they can meet. As soon as suitable books and assistants capable of answering questions promptly and wisely are provided, such a room is overwhelmed. And this demand is not by any means only for the comfort and recreation to be had from good novels ; better opportunities to use serious books always result in an unexpected increase in their use. For no other institution to-day is so much concerned with the "transmission among the people of our intellectual and spiritual inheritance, which is education." The schools do nothing for adult citizens, and "to the great majority of juvenile citizens who early go to work, the best they give is the ability to read-the means to
256
ANNUAL REPORTS.
self-education." The incentives to, and the subject-matter for, self-education lie largely within the field of the people's library.
A certain shrewd Scotsman believes his native ability was stimulated during his poor youth by the reading of books in the private library of a Pittsburgh gentleman opened to him. Believing this he also believes that in no way can he serve the world so wisely as by giving buildings as public libraries wherein all people may freely read and their genius be stimu- lated by the thoughts and experiences of other minds. His gifts are bringing nearer the vision of another far-seeing Scotsman who said :-
"It depends on what we read after all manner of professors have done their best for us. The true university is a collec- tion of books."
The fully developed public library will be, for adult as well as for youth, the culmination of public education. When it is noted that it is the youngest of public institutions, and that its growth during the single generation of its wide ac- ceptance has been wonderful, it seems not unreasonable to hope for the realization of this vision within another generation.
The Somerville Public Library.
The particular library so long watched over by your honorable board is an instance of these statements. It has upon its rolls the names of 35,000 citizens, appearing in this to reach most intimately and completely the people of the city. It has in its various collections of books about 110,000 volumes, any one of which is at the service of any borrower. By these borrowers there were taken home last year half a million volumes. By these citizens thousands of questions were asked, and from these books answers were given. What the influence upon the city of all this was no one can tell, except that it was very great. That the people appreciate the greatness of this service is evidenced by their demand for it and their willingness to support it.
Its Efficiency and Economy.
For instance, the branches at East Somerville and Union Square, opened this year, have from the first been hardly able to meet all applicants in the way your board desires, and not at all able to meet all of their requests. That the $4,400 appropriated for these two branches by the city was a wise expenditure of the people's money and an instance of the value of the co-operative principle of public libraries is evident from the following facts: The people of these districts are borrowing and receiving the use of 100,000 volumes a year ; the average book costs now over one dollar. The reading of 100,000 volumes on the basis of private ownership would
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therefore have cost these citizens $100,000. But through the public library they received this service, and more, for $4,400. Or, reckoning on another basis, there are in this part of the city about 4,500 registered voters, so that the expenditure which gave their families the use of 100,000 volumes was less than a dollar per voter.
Testing the library system as a whole on the basis of a total population of 80,000 the expenditure is less than fifty cents per annum per capita; the home use is over 500,000 volumes ; the result, less than one cent per inhabitant per 10,000 volumes circulated. And beyond this there is the great mass of un- enumerated services in reference work and personal assistance.
On a commercial basis, therefore, it would seem that a public library is a city's best paying institution. For it takes a dollar and increases its effectiveness ten, or twenty, or thirty fold.
The Three Requirements.
The educational and practical necessity of the public library and its financial economy have been pointed out, and must be admitted. To attain these ends in the best and most economical manner there are required three things: First, suitable buildings and apparatus to do work efficiently. And since a library is the one institution of a city representing matters of the mind and of the spirit, which all the citizens, young and old, use continually and feel to be their own, it is universally admitted that the building should be beautiful as well as "practical."
Second, more important than buildings are the books. For centuries books have been written and published until their number is legion, the greatest libraries containing millions of volumes, and never was the output greater than to-day, approaching in a year 30,000 titles of bound books in the English language by prominent publishers alone, besides as many more in foreign languages. Of this vast number of new and old, a comparatively small number are of constant interest to the users of a public library. Selecting and preparing and making available by catalogues this smaller number has come to be an exact science and their skilful use a profession. Inaccurate books and out-of-date editions are worse than none ; duplication of matter already owned in one volume is wasteful and confusing : lack of the best book upon a subject is sure to cause delay, disappointment, and sometimes loss to both in- quirer and library. Libraries, therefore, must be chosen and arranged with such care as never before.
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