USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Waterville > The centennial history of Waterville, Kennebec County, Maine, including the oration, the historical address and the poem presented at the celebration of the centennial anniversary of the incorporation of the town, June 23d, 1902 > Part 34
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"A special attraction to this room shall be a library enlarged and replenished from time to time as funds may warrant. Books may be taken from this library for home reading, on payment of one dollar yearly or one cent a day."
After varying experiences, some discouragement, but no fail- ure, a free reading room, well warmed, well lighted, bright and cheery was opened a portion of each week day and on Sunday afternoon from three to five. Mrs. Ware was the first president and became responsible for the rent the first year. Mrs. Eliza- beth D. Bates was the second president and brought to the work the serenity of character, helpfulness and courage that were so much needed at the time. Mrs. L. T. Boothby was vice-presi- dent and from that time to the present has been an earnest, sym- pathetic, generous helper.
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Mrs. S. G. Crosby, secretary for several years, was actively engaged in the duties of her office, and afterward became a valuable contributor to the literary work of the club connected with the association.
Miss Elizabeth S. Blaisdell, the first treasurer, was a constant, reliable worker, ever hopeful and helpful, and a faithful cus- todian of her trust.
Miss L. E. McLain, the present librarian, has given her Sat- urday evenings to the library from its very small beginning to the present time with cheerful, untiring devotion. The money for the first book purchased for the library was given by Miss McLain.
On the tables of the rooms are found the best magazines of the day and several daily and weekly newspapers. Encyclo- pedias and other valuable books of reference are conveniently placed for school girls and for others who often come to them to settle unanswered questions or to seek information not readily found elsewhere.
Games are provided for those who do not care to read or study, and an easy-running sewing machine stands near a window where the girl from college, factory, school or place of employ- ment can stitch whenever she wishes to do so. For a time Mrs. Elizabeth B. Foster had an interesting Bible class one evening in the week and Mrs. Jessie Smith Hubbard gave valuable instruction in vocal culture on another evening.
At first, four evenings a week were devoted to classes for study. For several years, on Sunday afternoon, the hour from four to five was occupied by a meeting which opened with a brief service of song, then a Scripture lesson and prayer, followed by a talk given by some member of the association or an invited guest who gave a review of some instructive book, a personal experience, a biographical sketch, or spoke upon a topic of immediate and general interest.
From one of these services came the impulse to establish a sewing school on The Plains.
To the young girl coming here in search of work-an entire stranger-new to everything, and through loneliness liable to fall into temptations abounding in a city, the association offers a pleasant place presided over, for the last seven years by Miss
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Frances F. Dunbar, who has never failed to extend a hearty welcome and a hopeful word to each and all who need sympathy and genuine kindness.
After a few years the sewing and evening classes became so large that it was found necessary to add to the accommodations. A large front room was rented in eighteen ninety-nine.
Additional expenses were incurred and though generous gifts were received from interested, sympathizing citizens who are not included in the membership, the question of financial support became increasingly difficult. Much money has been raised from entertainments and from lectures and readings, by members of our college faculty and interested friends from other places. The Woman's Exchange is a source of income, and it gives to many the opportunity to make things and bring them to the rooms for sale. A small commission goes into the treasury of the association. At this exchange department may be found fine photographs, calendars and needle work from the finest Batten- berg lace to a kitchen holder.
The observance of the birthday of the association brings in a larger sum of money than any other entertainment. It was inaugurated and carried to success by the skillful management and the persistent, earnest efforts of Mrs. Annie G. Pepper.
One advantage that the association enjoys is, that old and young work together harmoniously. The young bring to it their youth, their helpfulness, their enthusiasm and their valuable assistance. The successful doll sales and May-basket sales are largely due to the labor and skill of these young ladies. They are also indispensable in the work of the schools.
There are schools for study two evenings in the week. The average attendance about thirty-five. One sewing school for the younger children is held Saturday afternoon and one for the older girls in the evening. The number of the younger is thirty- five and of the older from fifteen to twenty.
There is a self-constituted, self-conducted, free employment bureau at the rooms. Women in search of work and women who need service go almost instinctively to Miss Dunbar.
There is also a lunch room for those who live too far from home to go there for a dinner. Here they as well as shoppers can find quiet and rest.
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Many a family has been made comfortable from second-hand clothing obtained from the rooms as a center of distribution. This is given where evidently needed, or sold at a very low price.
The library, from its small beginning, has been gradually enlarged, by individual gifts, by library fees, by contributions from other organizations and by the addition of the well-selected Bank Library, till it now numbers three thousand volumes and has a card catalogue prepared entirely by the generous labor of Mrs. Mary Smith Philbrick.
An interesting feature of the last year's work has been the Mother's Meeting held in the rooms from four to five, on Sun- day where talks of great value have been given by some of the ablest members of the association. The present number of the association is two hundred sixty-three.
In the winter of eighteen ninety-two the Women's Literary Club was organized as a branch of the Woman's Association and under the same officers. It now has officers of its own, but remains closely affiliated to the association. The membership is not limited and those who join are interested in both. The number of members for the last year was one hundred forty- nine. The different objects of the association are closely in touch with each other. Each has its individuality but in all there is unanimity of purpose.
The fifteenth milestone marks a somewhat uneventful year, but steady, quiet work goes on under the excellent leadership of Mrs. Clara E. Bessey, who has held the office of president of the association for ten years. She accepts and performs the duties of the place with ability, courage and untiring service.
Mrs. J. W. Black has been the capable vice-president and valuable helper for five years.
Miss Florence Plaisted is the successor to Miss Blaisdell as treasurer and brings to the association all that is implied in the words, an interested worker.
Miss Frances F. Dunbar, the general secretary, is eminently fitted not for the place but for the places she fills. She is often weary but never disheartened or discouraged. Her genial good temper, her cheerfulness, her sincere interest in the unfortunate, her tireless industry, her ready sympathy, her tactful skill in dealing with women and girls, and her love for the work make
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her services invaluable. Miss Arra Pike is the careful, com- petent recording secretary, who does not limit her duty to this work alone.
There are scores of others equally loyal and devoted to the wel- fare of the association, who hold up the hands of the officers and help make the Waterville Woman's Association a growing and important feature of the city's influence in carrying on the legiti- mate work of the times.
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CHAPTER XVIII.
THE WATERVILLE FREE LIBRARY.
By ESTELLE FOSTER EATON.
The library history of Waterville antedates even that of the town. Some eight months before Waterville was set off from Winslow, Mr. Reuben Kidder bought of Caleb Bingham of Bos- ton, a large bill of books for the "Winslow Library." The pur- chase included one hundred and seventeen volumes. Among the authors represented were Hunter, Blair, Shakespeare, Hume, Smollett, Robertson, Goldsmith, Franklin and others. Fiction had small place although a certain "Beggar Girl" occupied three volumes and "A Fool of Quality," three volumes more. The books cost $162.25 with a discount of ten per cent. Sixty-five dollars were paid in cash and Abijah Smith, Elnathan Sherwin, William Phillips and James McKim gave their note of hand in behalf of the proprietors of said library (they being a committee chosen for that purpose) for the sum of eighty-one dollars and three cents. The books were received November 28, 1801 and put into circulation marked "The Waterville Social Library." How long the circulation continued is not known, but the books were finally left in Mr. Smith's hands, possibly in payment for the note which he had signed. When the "Ticonic Division, Sons of Temperance" started a library here they were allowed the use of the books, but with the downfall of that institution the books reverted to the Smith family. Mr. Wallace B. Smith has in his possession the original bill and receipt for the books above referred to as a large part of the library.1 It is his suggestion
1. See chapter of documents.
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that when the Free Library Building is completed, "The Water- ville Social Library," the first of Waterville's many libraries find fitting home within its walls.
The history of the library movement in Waterville would be signally incomplete without full mention of the Waterville Library Association, which was organized in March, 1873
Prior to this time, there had been circulating libraries in the bookstores; one of the earliest being that of William Hastings, bookseller, printer and publisher of the Waterville Intelligencer, who opened a circulating library of well-selected books in 1826, and continued the same for two years. Of still later date was the one kept by Edward Mathews, in the Mathews bookstore; nearly sixty years ago, and sold by him to Charles K. Mathews, who carried it on until 1874.
It was March, 1873, that, the Waterville Library Association was formed, with Solyman Heath as president. The call for the first meeting was signed by A. A. Plaisted, Henry S. Burrage, F. E. Heath, R. Foster, G. S. Palmer, P. S. Heald, A. Crosby, C. H. Redington, I. S. Bangs, Jr., J. O. Skinner, S. Heath, Nath. Meader, Edward W. Hall, Edw. G. Meader, J. H. Plaisted, W. B. Arnold, N. R. Boutelle, F. C. Thayer, S. C. Marston, E. R. Drummond.
. Payment of the annual fee of three dollars, constituted one a member of the association, and the money thus raised was expended for books.
Through the courtesy of the directors, the library found its home in the Ticonic Bank, where it remained for twenty-six years, during which time Mr. A. A. Plaisted acted as librarian and secretary, assisted within the last few years by the Misses Helen and Emily Plaisted, Miss Helen Meader and Miss Elden, now Mrs. Mathews. The friends of the association were loyal to it, and all the services were freely rendered.
After the opening of the Free Public Library, the list of sub- scribers was very small, and in February, 1900, this library of fifteen hundred volumes passed into the hands of the Woman's Association.
In 1883 there was left to the city by the will of William H. Arnold, a former resident of Waterville, the sum of five thousand dollars for a public library ; provided that the city should, within
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the year, raise an equal sum. The condition was not fulfilled and the money reverted to the heirs.
Early in 1896, the women of Waterville, whose attention had been called to the matter by Mrs. Lillian Hallock Campbell, began to interest themselves in a movement to secure a free pub- lic library for Waterville. While the library of the Woman's Association, and the Bank Library, so called, supplied many, there were a great number of people who were not reached by them, and it was hoped that the agitation would result in some- thing both permanent and adequate.
During the two weeks preceding the first meeting, Mrs. Camp- bell called personally upon over fifty women, asking their co-operation. From Mrs. G. D. B. Pepper was received the first offer of assistance ; while of the men, Mr. Simon S. Brown was the first to become interested.
On the evening of February 13, some of the representative women of the city met in the Ware Parlors and organized the Waterville Library Association, with the following officers :
President, Mrs. Willard B. Arnold; vice-presidents, Mrs. T. J. Volentine, Miss Lovering, Mrs. F. C. Thayer, Miss McLain, Mrs. Berry; secretary, Mrs. M. D. Johnson; treasurer, Miss Bessie Stevens; committee on ways and means, Mrs. Pulsifer, Mrs. H. D. Bates, Mrs. F. B. Hubbard ; executive committee, Mrs. F. A. Lovejoy, Mrs. G. D. B. Pepper, Mrs. George A. Alden ; school committee, Miss Hortense Low, Miss Mary Abbott ; press committee, Mrs. R. W. Dunn, Mrs. G. A. Camp- bell, Mrs. J. D. Taylor ; information committee, Mrs. S. S. Brown, Mrs. J. F. Percival, Mrs. Edward Ware.
Public interest was aroused. Among the first to express this interest in a substantial form were Redington and Company, M. C. Foster, W. M. Lincoln and W. B. Arnold. As these con- tributions were unsolicited, it was very gratifying to those who had the matter in hand. Other gifts followed which showed that the movement met with approval.
The women now called to their aid the citizens of Waterville. The incorporators met in the Ware Parlors on the evening of March 25, S. S. Brown presiding. S. S. Brown, Annie G. Pep- per and T. J. Volentine reported a code of by-laws which in an
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amended form was adopted. The Waterville Free Library Asso- ciation was then organized, with the following officers :
President, The Mayor, Edmund F. Webb, ex-officio; vice- president, Charles F. Johnson ; secretary, Frank B. Hubbard, treasurer, Horatio D. Bates; trustees for one year, Simon S. Brown, Harvey D. Eaton ; two years, Annie G. Pepper, Prof. A. L. Lane; three years, Lillian Hallock Campbell, Rev. N. Char- land; four years, Mrs. Willard B. Arnold, Frank Redington ; elected by the Board of Trade, Elwood T. Wyman; by the city, Arthur J. Roberts, W. M. Lincoln, Horatio D. Bates.
Mass meetings were held in City Hall, at which speeches were made in favor of the movement.
As a direct result of the first meeting, shelves were set up in the law office of Harvey D. Eaton, and contributions of books called for. Mr. Eaton gave from his own library about forty volumes, and to these were added others, while Redington and Company kindly donated a table. These books were free to all; and until the library was opened in August, were publicly cir- culated.
The public was informed on April 7, 1896, that the Waterville Free Library was organized and ready to receive contributions. Pledge cards were placed in the banks, drug stores and leading grocery stores ; the city was assigned by wards to members of the association, and every effort made to raise funds for the purchase of books.
By May 12, eleven hundred dollars had been raised by personal solicitation and by pledge cards. This, with the five hundred dollars appropriated by the city, constituted the first working fund of the library. The book purchasing committee, composed of Prof. Lane, Mrs. Campbell, Elwood T. Wyman, Harvey D. Eaton and Horatio D. Bates, proceeded at once to select the "foundation books" of the library, a task of no small importance. Lists were carefully prepared from various catalogues ; the wis- dom of the committee being demonstrated by the librarian's report of the first year, which showed, that the library opened with 433 books; increased, during the year, to 1,250; while the out put for the year had been 15,504.
A room in Plaisted Block was secured, and the library was opened to the public August 22, 1896, with Mrs. Agnes M. John-
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son as librarian. Much credit is due to Mrs. Johnson for her untiring devotion to the interests of the library.
In 1898 it was moved to its present quarters in the Haines Building.
The librarian's report for May, 1902 shows that the number of volumes accessioned is 3,088; the circulation for the year ending May 16, 1902, being 20,692. There has been a gradual decrease in the circulation of fiction ; while the reference work in connec- tion with the schools, is constantly and rapidly increasing.
The history of the library is very largely one of ways and means. It has received from the city each year an appropriation of five hundred dollars, increased for the year 1902, to one thousand dollars, and from the State, fifty dollars, an amount supposed to cover the running expenses ; although as a matter of fact it has not. Beyond this, it is dependent for its support upon vol- untary contributions.
Various entertainments have been given to raise money for the purchase of books. The concert given in August, 1898. by friends of the library, resulted in a gift of two hundred forty-two dollars and fifty cents, two hundred dollars being set aside as a nucleus for a building fund. This concert was made possible through the efforts of Mrs. Frederic E. Boothby of Portland, who has shown her interest in Waterville in many ways. No expense whatever was incurred ; the artists, Mrs. Antonia Saw- yer, Miss Harriet Shaw, harpist, Miss Alice Philbrook, pianist, and Miss Blanche Smith, accompanist, giving their services at the request of Mrs. Boothby. All other arrangements were made by Mrs. Willard B. Arnold who was equally successful in securing assistance.
Mrs. Arnold has been identified with the library from the very first, and whenever its interests are involved is an indefatigable worker.
Aside from Redington and Company, M. C. Foster, W. M. Lincoln and W. B. Arnold, who were the first to offer aid, gifts of over fifty dollars have been received from Geo. K. Boutelle, Carrol W. Abbott, Hollingsworth & Whitney Co., Lockwood Com- pany, L. H. Soper and Company, and William T. Haines. These, increased by the smaller sums contributed at various times, have maintained the library for six years. No one, per-
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haps, has shown greater interest than Mr. Haines, who has given freely both time and money.
Among those who have given largely of books are Mrs. F. E. Boothby, J. D. Danielson, Cyrus W. Davis, Charles H. Alden, George Maxham, L. Dunbar, Mrs. Pulsifer, F. A. Davies, and Miss Alice Getchell.
They have been ably seconded by the clubs of the city; the Saturday Club being the first to respond to the need.
The Salmagundi Club, a whist club of thirty-two women, imposes upon its members a small sum at each meeting. The money thus raised, is expended in books which are given to the library. Two hundred and twenty-five books have been received from this club during the last three winters. A gift of fourteen books was received from the Catholic Sodality Society, a relig- ious society made up of English-speaking young women from the church of St. Francis de Sales, whose pastor, Rev. Charland, has shown great interest in the doings of the library.
In 1902 the members of the Woman's Literary Club raised by a personal canvas of the citizens, three hundred and eighty dol- lars for the purchase of books.
Miss Fryatt and Miss Dunbar, during that same year, received from the sale of a doll forty-six and a half dollars which was given for the purchase of current fiction.
In December, 1901, Mr. Elwood T. Wyman, superintendent of schools for Waterville, recognizing the value of the library as an aid to the school system, wrote to Mr. Andrew Carnegie, in an attempt to interest him in a public library building. Nearly a year before this, Mrs. Annie G. Pepper had written Mr. Car- negie upon the same subject. In February, 1902, Mrs. Willard B. Arnold was instructed by the trustees of the library to write to Mr. Charles Haviland; to see if he could secure from Mr. Carnegie a gift, upon the same terms granted by him to other towns.
After making inquiries of Mr. Wyman as to the need of the town, which he satisfactorily answered, Mr. Carnegie, through his secretary, notified Martin E. Blaisdell, Mayor, that he would give to the city of Waterville twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) for a library building, if a site be provided and two thousand
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dollars ($2,000) appropriated for each year, for the support of the library.
The offer was accepted, and thus, through the generosity of Mr. Carnegie, will be realized the dream of those, who for six years have had the interests of the library most at heart.
The Waterville Free Library has passed through the stage of experiment, to become an established factor in the life of the city. With the completion of the City Hall, the thought of the people will naturally turn towards the library and the building in which it is to be housed. It should be kept well in mind that "nothing is more deadly to institutional life than the complacent theory that a library such as this has achieved its ends and has nothing reserved for its future but a strict observance of economy and maintenance of established routine."
The growth of the library from the city appropriation alone must of necessity be slow. With so great a need as an incentive to individual giving it can be confidently expected, that the growth will not be merely commensurate with the appropriation, but with the public spirit of the citizens of Waterville, whose city is their pride.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE PRESS OF WATERVILLE.
By HENRY C. PRINCE, Editor of the Waterville Mail.
The history of the press of Waterville is a very important part of the history of the city ; in fact, from the files of the papers that have been published here, a very respectable history of the city could be obtained.
The growth of the publishing business of Waterville since the establishment of the first paper in 1823, was rather slow until the founding of what is now the Waterville Mail in 1847, but since that time it has kept pace with the other industries of the town. One curious fact to the newspaper reader of to-day who examines the files of the earlier papers, is that there was no local news whatever in them. They were all of a literary char- acter, their articles being principally selections from those books "which everybody talks about but which nobody reads," and outside of the advertising columns the name of a resident of Waterville was hard to find. It was well along in the sixties before even the Mail began to pay much attention to local affairs.
In the space allotted to this chapter, only the briefest sketch possible can be given. The writer is indebted to Professor William Mathews of Boston for some of the information con- cerning the papers with which he was connected, and to Libra- rian E. W. Hall of Colby College for access to the library.
WATERVILLE INTELLIGENCER.
The Waterville Intelligencer, a five-column, four page paper, was the first newspaper printed in Waterville. The first num- ber was issued May 23, 1823, William Hastings being the editor and publisher. Mr. Hastings also had a book store and a circu-
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lating library which was a great boon to the people of the village at that time.
The office was first opened in the building afterward occupied by a Mr. Baker as a barber shop. The first sheet was struck off by John Burleigh, a trader in the village, who had learned the printer's trade in New Hampshire, and Asa Dalton, who volun- teered for that occasion to beat the type form with the old fash- ioned ink balls, for Mr. Burleigh to pull. The office was after- ward moved to a building occupying the site covered by that now occupied by Mrs. Bonne as a store.
The Intelligencer was published in the interests of the Baptist denomination, under the patronage of the college, whose officers had been instrumental in establishing a printing office in the town. The paper contained no local news whatever.
The last number of the paper was issued November 6, 1828, the subscription list having been sold to Rev. Adam Wilson, proprietor of Zion's Advocate, the first number of which was to be issued in Portland, Tuesday, November 11, 1828.
That newspaper accounts were as difficult to collect then as now is evidenced by the fact that Mr. Hastings closed an earnest appeal to subscribers in arrears with, "I am persuaded that all who have any bowels of compassion will attend to the above rea- sonable request."
THE WATCHMAN.
In the last few issues of the Intelligencer there appeared in the advertising columns "Proposals for publishing in Waterville a weekly newspaper entitled The Watchman." This, according to the prospectus, was to be a "political paper."
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