USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Littleton > History of Littleton, New Hampshire, Vol. II > Part 46
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By vote of the proprietors, the selection of the first books was left to the judgment of the librarian. Mr. Hinds purchased fifty- one volumes of twenty-eight titles.1 Others were procured from time to time, until the library contained upward of two hundred
1 This purchase contained the following titles : Watts on the Mind, History of Greece, History of England, History of Rome (Goldsmithi), Mason on Self-Knowledge, Ramsay's Life of Washington, The Life of General Putnam, Paley's Philosophy ; Ramsay's American Revolution, 2 vols. ; Bigland's View of the World, 5 vols. ; Life of Howard, Miller's Retrospect, 2 vols. ; Belknap's History of New Hampshire, 3 vols. ; Butler's Analogy, Rise and Progress, Paley's Theology ; Hamilton on Education, 2 vols. ; Paley's Evidence, Dana's Sermons, Adams' History of New England, " Appeal," Young's Centaur, Path to Happiness, Riley's Narrative ; Spec- tator, 11 vols .; Josephus' Works, 6 vols., and Robertson's America. The list is given as it appears in the Records.
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and fifty volumes. All purchased before 1828 were of an his- torical, biographical, or theological character, except Homer's Iliad and Odyssey and a two-volume edition of Shakespeare.
The advent of Henry A. Bellows brought to the corporation new blood. He began his work at the roots of the institution by amending its by-laws, reducing their cumbersome proportions from twenty-five to fifteen sections, and simplifying its machinery. His influence was soon manifest in the selection of books. There were no additions to the ancient tomes, with a wealth of theologi- cal lore, that not only graced its shelves but were read and re- read until Squire Ely, Noah Farr, Simeon Dodge, Abijah Allen, Lot Woodbury, and other sober-minded members must have known Butler, Paley, and Dana's Sermons so well that they could repeat much of the " Analogy," the " Theology," the " Evi- dence," and the sermons. These solid works were interspersed with others, new at the time, which came from the enchanted pen of the " Wizard of the North." "The Antiquary " is found nest- ling between Chalmers' " Discourses " and the works of Portus, and scattered along the shelves amidst the solemn dignitaries of letters, as if it were necessary in this way to tone their exuberant fancy, were "Rob Roy," "Ivanhoe," "Quentin Durward," and their cousin from the wilds of America, "The Last of the Mohicans." Further down these time-worn pages we find those marvellous friends of all the world, "The Vicar of Wakefield " and " Robinson Crusoe," reposing between Whelpley's " Compend " and " Mulligan's Plea."
It is interesting to note the characteristic tendencies of the " proprietors," as evinced in their selections from the library. Squire Hinds occupies the post of honor on the first page. It appears that he made a heavy draft on the religious and educa- tional department of the institution, and kept at it until it was exhausted. Squire Brackett was interested in education rather than theology, and more in history than in either. Bigland's " View of the World " seems to have been his companion for some months, when he turned to Ramsay's " American Revolution " and kindred topics in his hours of relaxation from business cares. His family were among the first patrons of Scott, and it was natural that the few works of fiction in the library first found their way into homes where there were young ladies, as in his. Old soldiers like Thornton Barrett, Thornton Crooks, and some few others gave their time to the literature of the war exclusively, and read and re-read the lives of Washington, Putnam, and Marion, and then turned to Belknap's " New Hampshire." Abijah Allen was
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evidently of a speculative turn of mind, as indicated by the works he read, for the first on his list were " Rise and Progress," Butler's " Analogy," Paley's "Theology," "Evidence and Philos- ophy," Dana's " Sermons," and works of a kindred character. Squire Bonney finished the historical works before he dipped into Paley, and Job Pingree followed his example closely. Some of the stockholders read all the books or at least took them from the library, as we find every title charged to their account. Timothy A. Edson and Joseph Robins confined their reading to history and travel, as did Josiah Kilburn. Henry A. Bellows and Brackett Gile each started his course of reading with the " Spectator," and followed it with history and fiction, which means the Waverley Novels, or two or three of the works of Cooper or Irving. Both had a liking for the good things on the library shelves, for few of the classics are wanting in their lists.
The provision of the by-laws prohibiting the location of the library at a point more than a half-mile from the Roby & Curtis store, seems to have been religiously observed. As a rule, the books were kept in the place of business of the librarian for the time being. Mr. Hinds served less than a year, and in September, 1815, was succeeded by Solomon Mann, who removed the library to the store of Henry Oakes, where the annual meeting in 1816 was held. Asa Woodbury then became librarian and the Roby & Curtis store the headquarters. The succeeding librarians were Webster B. Merrill, in 1819, when the library was at his shoe- shop, and Aaron Brackett, in 1821, when the books were kept at the store of W. C. & A. Brackett. The Major continued in office until the corporation was dissolved in 1845 or 1846. The board of directors was so made up from year to year that nearly every member was called upon to serve at some time in that capacity. The librarian was the only paid official, and one of the first acts at each annual meeting of the corporation was to pass in solemn form a vote appropriating $2 for the payment of his annual salary.
The system of fines in vogue in the organization was one of the causes of its undoing, but the main influence in bringing about its dissolution was a neglect to purchase books to meet the growing demand for modern literature, and it was finally decided to close out by dividing the books among the several proprietors. Many of the volumes finally found their way into the library gathered by Dr. Burns. It cannot be doubted that the Glynville Library wrought a great amount of good in its day, both in the cultivation of a literary taste in the community and in the wider field as an educational force.
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History of Littleton.
One of the later efforts of the people of Littleton to create a library was about 1858, when quite a number of the citizens became members of the People's Circulating Library. This library was started by Mr. A. B. Palmer, of Orford, a gentleman of lit- erary tastes, who was incapacitated from doing any hard work. Being desirous of benefiting the people of this region and at the same time furnishing himself with a light occupation, he started the library. We know but little of the system of the library. A local agent or librarian was engaged in each town whose duty it was to look after the books and make the exchanges. At regular periods Mr. Palmer drove over his circuit, exchanging books that had been read in one town for those he had collected from another town, thus furnishing fresh reading matter to each. Mar- quis L. Goold was the librarian for this town. After about three years for some reason the work was given up and the books were distributed among the members.
A lost opportunity to establish a public library occurred when the town failed to improve the opportunity presented by the will of Dr. William Burns, who was an early promoter of public libraries, having been one of the founders of the Glynville Library in 1803. He was a reader and lover of books. He was doubtless the most liberal patron of the book trade that the town could boast in his day, and he collected an extensive private library. His books were of a substantial character and represented a varied literature. He shared the use of his library with his townsmen, but required a moderate fee for the privilege. One of his patrons says the charge for the loan of a book was ten cents. He enter- tained the purpose of establishing a public library for the people of Littleton, the basis being his own collection. Accordingly his will (executed July 5, 1864) contained the following provision : " I give in money and books the sum of $300 to the Burns Library to be established in Littleton Village." He nominated Marquis L. Goold to be his executor, but that gentleman declined the trust, and James J. Barrett was appointed administrator with the will an- nexed. Dr. Burns died September 23, 1868.
It would seem that in law and in equity, in justice and in decent respect to the memory of the donor, there was but one course to pursue under such a will. The trust should have been executed in its terms and spirit according to the manifest intention of its founder. If trustees were not named, it was competent for the court to appoint in order that the trust might not fail. Municipal affairs were, however, at that time under the domination of a peculiar influence. The Burns Library soon found itself at the
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tender mercy of a regime that held that the sooner things generally were reduced to personal ownership the better it would be for all concerned. In due time the books which constituted the literary accumulations of the lifetime of Dr. Burns were sold at auction, and the principal citizens of the town " stood by while they stoned Stephen."
The administrator caused an appraisal to be made by S. B. Johnson, Josiah Kilburn, and C. H. Greene, and the books were inventoried at $300. The number of volumes found by the executor is not given. It cannot be supposed that the sale was procured in the interest of a public library for the people of Littleton on the Burns foundation. A forced sale at auction in the village of Littleton at that time meant nothing but a dispersion of the books at a nominal price and the diversion, for inconsequen- tial town uses, of the little fund resulting from the destruction of the trust. The administrator realized from the sale of the books the sum of $164. 11, which he turned into the town treasury. The Selectmen at this time (1869) were John W. English, Ben- jamin Atwood, M. P. Burnham ; 1870, John Sargent, Nelson Gile. John Foster ; 1871, George Abbott, Eliphalet Fulford, A. P. Wallace. The purchasers of books at the auction sale were James J. Barrett, John G. Sinclair, Harry Bingham, John F. Tilton, Charles W. Rand, E. Kilburn, James R. Jackson, T. E. Sanger, Nelson Parker, Jolin Smillie, Alonzo Weeks, William H. Stevens, George Farr, and C. H. Greene. Mr. Barrett bought to the amount of $56.50 ; Mr. Sinclair, $45; Mr. Tilton, $11.30. None of the others bought to the amount of $10. A few minor sales not reported probably make up the balance to the amount reported as realized.
That the policy adopted was short-sighted is made the more evident by the beneficial results occurring from the free public library established more than twenty years after Dr. Burns's death. The intervening period was subjected to an educational loss that was certainly not the fault of this sagacious and public- spirited citizen.
The women of the village in 1866 inaugurated a movement that resulted in the organization of the Littleton Village Library Associates on the sixth day of February, 1867. It was a voluntary association formed under the provisions of chapter 152 of the Com- piled Statutes of New Hampshire, its purpose being " to establish in Littleton Village a permanent Circulating Library, from which the members of said corporation and others may take books at such times, and upon such terms as the corporation may from time to time prescribe."
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History of Littleton.
At the first meeting of the corporation by-laws were adopted, and a board of directors consisting of Mrs. William J. Bellows, Mrs. C. W. Rand, Mrs. Charles Hartshorn, Mrs. John Farr, and Elizabeth Moore, elected. Mrs. Bellows was subsequently chosen president, and Mrs. Rand secretary and treasurer. The member- ship was nineteen, all of whom but Charles W. Rand and William J. Bellows were women.
The first librarian was Mrs. C. C. Bowman, who was re-elected in 1868, at which time Mrs. William Bailey became president and Mrs. E. W. Farr secretary and treasurer. The board of directors was usually changed in order to distribute the labor and responsi- bility of the gratuitous service. In 1870 Mrs. Maria Weller be- came president, and Myra E. Green was elected librarian, and it was voted to remove the library from Mrs. Clark's, where it had been since it was opened for business, with the exception of the first few months when it was in the office of C. W. Rand, to the store of Miss Green in the west end of Tilton's Block. In 1871 the officers were the same, except that Jane M. Rand succeeded to the presidency. In 1872 Caroline A. Brackett was chosen libra- rian ; the other officers remaining the same as in the previous year. The following year the only change was the election of Mrs. D. Y. Clark as librarian. In 1874 Mrs. Truman Stevens was president ; Mrs. F. G. Weller secretary and treasurer, and Mrs. John Smillie librarian, - a position she continued to hold until the corporation was merged in the Littleton Public Library in 1880. At the same time the library was moved to her store in the building now owned and occupied by Andrew W. Binghamn.
From 1875 until the extinction of the corporation its govern- ment was merely perfunctory. The institution was perishing as had its predecessor and for substantially the same cause. Its zeal had departed with the members who gave it an existence, and it failed to keep pace with the demands upon it for the quantity and quality of reading matter by the public upon whose patronage it depended for support. As a popular institution it was forced to cater to the prevailing taste of the reading public, which was not high and whose requirements were almost wholly for a class of fiction that would be ignored by any well-governed public library. It owned some works of the highest literary character in good editions ; among these, works of Prescott and Motley, and Scott, Dickens, and Cooper, and others that deserved to, and have sur- vived, the fickle demands of inconsiderate readers. When the library became town property, it had cost the corporation nearly $2,000, and the liberal valuation placed upon it at that time was
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only $600. Nothwithstanding its shortcomings it had filled a de- cided public want and rendered a large and wholesome public service.
The failure of the Village Library to keep pace with the require- ments of the public, the growth of the town, and the increasing interest generally in libraries under the ownership of the public, combined to cause the town to take action looking to the ultimate establishment of a Free Public Library. At the annual March meeting in 1876 Harry Bingham and James J. Barrett were ap- pointed a committee to consider the question of establishing a library and report their conclusions at the next annual meeting.
The matter rested here for several years, but at the March meet- ing in 1888 Edgar Aldrich, Albert S. Batchellor, and James R. Jackson were appointed a committee to further consider the ad- visability of action in regard to founding sucli an institution.
The question of founding a public library came up for consider- ation at the annual meeting in March, 1889, when the committee appointed in 1888 through A. S. Batchellor submitted a lengthy report in which the various phases of the subject were discussed. The report ended with the recommendation that a town library be established on the following basis : -
"1. A Board of Trustees of the Town Library shall be constituted by the election in the March town meeting, which shall be non-partisan and non-sectarian. The Board shall consist of nine members, who shall hold office as follows: Of those elected at the first meeting, three shall serve for three years, three for two years, and three for one year, and thereafter each person elected to the board for a full term shall hold office for three years. Such board shall have charge of the pur- chase and collection of books, the employment of a librarian, providing rooms for the library, prescribing rules to regulate the use of books and the general use of the Library.
2. " The sum of five hundred dollars shall be annually appropriated, for rent of library rooms, fuel and lights, compensation of librarian, purchase and repair of books ; but this provision is upon the following condition, viz. that within three months from the date of this meeting one thousand dollars in voluntary contributions of books and money shall be made to the acceptance of said trustees for said library."
The report was accepted and adopted, and Edgar Aldrich offered the following resolution which was passed by a unanimous vote of the meeting: -
Resolved, That a public library be established to be known as the Littleton Public Library, and the sum of five hundred dollars be, and
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the same is hereby, appropriated annually, for a period of five years, for the support and maintenance of the same, and the Selectmen are hereby directed to raise said sum annually, and the Treasurer is authorized to pay the same to the trustees of said library. Said library shall be lo- cated and controlled by a board of trustees, to consist of nine persons, to be chosen as follows: three to serve for a term of three years, three for a term of two years, and three for a term of one year, and hereafter three members of said board of trustees shall be elected annu- ally at the March meeting, all of whom shall serve without compensa- tion. This resolution not to be in force after three months, unless $1,000 in books and money to the acceptance of the trustees shall be voluntarily contributed to said library."
On motion of Elbert C. Stevens a committee of five was appointed to select a board of trustees and report to the meeting ; they rec- ommended the election of these persons: William J. Bellows, Frank C. Albee, Jane Augusta Stevens, to serve one year ; Edgar Aldrich, James W. Remick, Mandane A. Parker, to serve two years ; James R. Jackson, Albert S. Batchellor, Anna L. Brackett, to serve three years ; and they were duly elected by ballot. It was also voted that all public documents in the office of the town clerk be placed in the library.
Soon after, on March 13, the trustees met at the dwelling-house of Anna L. Brackett for organization. The temporary officers were: William J. Bellows, president ; Mandane A. Parker, secre- tary, and J. Augusta Stevens, treasurer. Edgar Aldrich, Man- dane A. Parker, Anna L. Brackett, and Frank C. Albee constituted a committee to solicit contributions to the fund made necessary by the provisions of the vote of the town conditionally establish- ing the library, and James R. Jackson, A. S. Batchellor, Edgar Aldrich, James W. Remick, and Anna L. Brackett, appointed members of a committee to prepare and report by-laws for the government of the board and the library.
The first objective point of the trustees after their temporary organization was to raise the sum of $1,000, upon which was de- pendent the future of the library. The committee made a thorough canvass of the town, giving every citizen an opportunity to con- tribute his or her mite to the fund, and were successful in their quest.1
1 The committee submitted the report of their work to the board, which was embodied in its first annual report of its transactions to the town. The names of the subscribers and their contributions is appended : The Village Library, books appraised by the trustees, $600: cash from the same, $28.50; George A. Bingham, $100; Ira Parker, $100; James R. Jackson, $100; Edgar Aldrich, $100; Henry F. Green, $75; Harry Bingham; $50; A. S. Batchellor, $50 ; Rev. Lucius Waterman,
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The question of location and whether a reading-room should be maintained in connection with the library were somewhat trouble- some propositions, and their consideration covered a period of ser- eral weeks. The first was settled by locating the library in the small building just vacated at the time by James W. Remick, where he had had his first law office. It was owned by Royal D. Rounsevel, and stood on the site of his present block at the cor- ner of Main and Jackson Streets. The proposition to establish a reading-room in connection with the library was urged by influen- tial citizens, and had several friends in the board. The legal questions involved as to the powers of the trustees under the laws and the vote of the town were such that the proposition was finally negatived by a unanimous vote.
At a meeting held on May 25, 1889, events had insured the establishment of the library by a compliance with the condition imposed in the vote of the town, and the trustees formally declared the fact by adopting the following preamble and resolution : -
" Whereas, the Trustees find upon examination that the contributions already made in money and books towards the establishment of a town library, under the vote of the town at the annual meeting holden March 12, 1889, exceed the sum of one thousand dollars; and that said con- tributions have been made for the purpose aforesaid to their satisfaction :
Therefore, be it resolved that the Littleton Public Library con- templated by said vote of said town is established and in legal opera- tion and existence."
$50; W. H. Mitchell, $50; J. E. Henry, $50; Charles Eaton, $50; R. D. Rounsevel, $50; Eureka Glove Co., $35; Wni. J. Bellows, $25; O. C. Hatch, $25; Ray T. Gile, $25; John Farr, $25; Arthur F. Dow. $25; C. D. Tarbell, $25; Mrs. Cyrus Young, $25 ; C. L. Clay, $25 ; Mrs. H. C. Redington, $25; Dr. M. F. Young, wife, and Min- nie Tilton, $25; Mrs. Henry Merrill, $25; Edson & Bailey, $20 ; Isaac Calhoun, $15 ; I. C. Richardson, $15; James W. Remick, $15; Frank Thayer, $10; George H. Til- ton, $10; John Pierce, $10; Mrs. Jane M. Rand, $10; G. E. Lane, $10; P. B. Watson, $10; Dr. G. W. McGregor, $10; Dana P. Dame, $10; Noah M. Ranlett, $10; F. B. Hatch, $10; J. Augusta Stevens, $3; Henry W. Fitch, $3. Total, $1,924.50.
In addition to the above, the following young ladies gave their services in arrang- ing the books and fitting the rooms for occupancy : Stella B. Fair, services as li- brarian for one year ; Mary E. French, Isabel M. Ranlett, Myra G. Eaton, Helen M. Farr, Mrs. C. E. Wright, Hannah F. Merrill, Minnie Williams, Addie M. Jones, Blanche Bowman, Florence M. Aldrich, and Mrs. A. W. Bingham.
Cyprian C. Twombly gave his services as janitor for a year. W. F. Andrews, Eli B. Wallace, and George C. Eurber, each $10 in printing, and D. F. Chase $5. Other contributions were the Littleton Water & Light Co., by Col. B. H. Corning, light for one year, which was continued indefinitely. George Farr, G. W. Richard- son in wood ; Henry M. Fisher, E. D. Dunn, J. D. F. Hilliker, and Henry O. Jackson in labor.
Gifts have since been made to the library, of books, furnishings, and money, amount- ing in the aggregate to a considerable sum, which are referred to in another connection.
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History of Littleton.
A meeting of the trustees was held at the residence of Ira Parker, on the 22d day of June, for the purpose of effecting a per- manent organization.
The committee appointed for that purpose reported a set of by-laws, which, after slight changes, were adopted, as were the regulations for the library reported at the same time. Officers were elected as therein directed, each by a unanimous vote of the trustees : Edgar Aldrich, president ; J. Augusta Stevens, secretary ; Mandane A. Parker, treasurer; committee on books, James R. Jackson, Anna L. Brackett, and A. S. Batchellor ; on finance, William J. Bellows, J. Augusta Stevens, Frank C. Albee ; on rooms, Edgar Aldrich, Mandane A. Parker, and James W. Remick.
At a previous meeting A. S. Batchellor had been appointed a committee to procure an act of incorporation from the Legislature then in session, which was done with despatch, and the act was accepted at a meeting held August 10, 1889.
In the month of October the committee on books visited Boston on the business of the library, and purchased about nine hundred volumes, mostly standard works, in the departments of history, biography, and science, with a fair share of juvenile publications. It was the desire of the committee especially to strengthen the library in respect to the literature covering American and English history and biography, and this it did, to the extent of the limit imposed by the amount of funds at its disposal.
The library was informally opened to the public on Friday, January 24, 1890, Stella B. Farr, librarian, and Julia A. Eaton, assistant. The number of volumes on the shelves at this time was 2,700, and the circulation during the first full month 1,600, and for the first year averaged 250 volumes a week, of which 77 per cent were fiction. The following year the number of vol- umes was increased to 3,405 and the circulation to 15,189, or a weekly average of 300. Of these, 83 per cent were fiction, which was the highest per cent in this respect during the first ten years.
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