History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 6

Author: Aaron R. Van Cleaf
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 923

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The two cannons on the lawn were used on the U. S. gunboat "General Sherman," on the Mississippi River in the Vicksburg cam- paign. One of these guns fired the shot that destroyed the last supplies of the besieged and caused their speedy surrender.

CIRCLEVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

That the library spirit was eary manifest in Circleville is evident from the fact that as far back as February 28, 1834, the Ohio Legis- lature incorporated the "Circleville Atheneum," an institution for the dissemination of knowl- edge through the channels of reading, discus- sions and lectures.

On April roth, those interested in the move- ment met at the Court House and elected of- ficers, among them being Sylvester Dana, librarian. Mr. Dana had been, for several years, a law partner of Guy W. Doane, and, a number of years later, this firm being dis- solved, conducted a school.

In June, 1831, the Herald contained the following notice :

S. S. DEPOSITORY.

The books belonging to the S. S. Depository of Pick. Co. will be received on the 29th inst., and ready for distribution, on application to the subscriber in Circleville. JAS. BELL.

June 24. 1831.

This probably referred to books belonging in common to the various Sunday-schools of the county, and could not b. considered as a forerunner of our present library.

As early as December 25. 1830. a call was issued for a meeting of the citizens of

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Bloomfield, then a thriving town, to establish a "social library" at that place, but as no further notice in regard to it ever appeared, it is probable that nothing was done there, and that the Circleville Atheneum Library was the first in the county.

Our first librarian had under his charge "one thousand volumes embracing a great variety of subjects" and also "the select reviews and periodicals of the day."

The first regular meeting of the Atheneum was held at the Methodist Meeting-House, on May 7,.1834, an inaugural address-"tasteful, appropriate and impressive"-being delivered to "the members of the association and a large assemblage of citizens" by the president, Will- iam B. Thrall, editor of the Herald.

.During the entire existence of the Athe- neum, a regular feature of the semi-monthly meetings was a debate, the question for the first meeting being "Is a republican or monarchical form of government the best adapted to the development of mind ?" The hour of meeting was sometimes named, but more often the time designated was that which comes to our ears with a rather vague sound, known as "early candle lighting." At first the meetings were usually called for the Court House, although the basement story of St. Philip's Church was once named, and quite often the "library room." As no definite place was assigned to this room until a later date, it is probable that the room referred to was merely that set apart in the Court House for the use of the associa- tion. But the next year they evidently acquired their own room, for the meeting of October 19, 1835, was called to be held at "the Athe- neum room, in the front chamber of Dr. Olds' new building on the circle, south corner of East Main street."

On April 6, 1835. new officers of the asso- ciation had been elected, among them being R. D. Atwater, secretary, and Edwin F. Olds, librarian. The third set of officers was chosen on April 5, 1836, at which time Dr. James N. Fitch became librarian.

The next year the Atheneum was discon- tinued; a notice was inserted in the Herald asking that all persons having books belonging

to the Atheneum would return them and that depositors and owners of books ( who had evi- dently loaned them for the use of the patrons of the institution ) would withdraw them.

Two weeks later the following advertise- ment was inserted :

All persons having books or reviews belonging to the Atheneum are requested to return the same to the office of G. W. Doane; as a sale of the same is con- templated, to pay the debts of the Institution, unless soon provided for otherwisc.

G. W. DOANE E. EVERTS N. FRANKLIN

Committee.

Cir., Aug. 2, 1839.

The same committee requested the stock- holders of the Atheneum to meet on October 26, 1839. for the purpose of deciding upon the sale of the property belonging thereto, and added that, the members failing to meet, they would consider themselves authorized to transact this business. No further notice ap- peared, and the supposition is, of course, that the books were sold, though who acquired them will probably never be known.

But there is no doubt that the Atheneum had ended at this time, for Mrs. Foster gave notice that she would begin the second quarter of her school on October 2nd, in the room formerly occupied by the Atheneum, imme- diately over the Circleville Drug Store.

About the time the older association was discontinued, a call was issued for those in- terested in organizing a lyceum to meet in the room over the Circleville Drug Store, on Saturday evening, June 16, 1838.

This first meeting must have proved suc- cessful, for, although no report can be found, a call was issued, the next week, signed by H. W. Smith, secretary, for a meeting to be held at the room formerly occupied by the Atheneum, to discuss the question "Has nature done more for the happiness of man than art?"

B. S. Olds was president of the Lyceum, while the secretary, Mr. Smith, kept a school in the room over Dr. Olds' drug-store, which was used for the evening meetings of the Lyceum, as it had been formerly, for those of the Athe- neum.

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HISTORY OF PICKAWAY COUNTY

The Lyceum meetings were held regularly every week, at first on Saturday night, at 6 o'clock, but later, on Tuesday, at 7 o'clock.

To the call for meeting, date of September 1, 1838, is added : "Clergymen are particularly invited. The ladies are most respectfully yet with all true deference also invited."

In the beginning only discussions were held, but we find a lecture announced for October 2nd, "on a scientific subject, which will be both entertaining and instructive."

On February 23, 1839, we find a call for a meeting, at which, beside the usual discussion, would be given a lecture on physiology. This is the last notice we find of the Lyceum, which was, very probably, continued as La Societe des Debats, a call for meeting of which, at the Circleville Academy, was issued June 28, 1839, by James M. Bean, secretary. Later J. H. Tyler was secretary.

In the paper preceding that which contained the notice for the sale of the old Atheneum effects, appeared the last call we have been able to find for a meeting of this French debating society.

It is doubtful if either it or its predecessor, the Lyceum, had in connection a library, for no mention has been found of either books or librarian. But the Circleville Lyceum was revived, though nothing definite as to how or when is found, except that on June 16, 1840, a call for meeting was issued by J. Cradle- baugh, secretary.

The Pickaway Lyceum was, without doubt, either the same association, with a slight change of name, or its immediate successor. It flourished from 1845 and ran along the same general lines as the earlier institutions. A most interesting description of one of the meet- ings of the Lyceum was given, verbally, by G. F. Wittich, who remembers very distinctly having attended meetings of both the earlier and later lyceum associations, the first held, as before stated, in the former Atheneum room, over the Circleville Drug Store and the latter in the old Academy building.

The meeting in question, Mr. Wittich said, was of particular interest to him because the subject for debate was "Resolved, that immi-

gration is beneficial to this country." As he had recently arrived here from Germany, he listened with great pleasure to Matthew Mc- Crea's handling of the affirmative and awaited with anxiety the verdict which, we are glad to record, upheld Mr. McCrea, as against the debaters on the negative, the names of whom Mr. Wittich does not remember.

Although there is no reference in the news- papers of the time either to library or librarian in connection with this later Lyceum, it is certain that they existed, for after a search through the books of Everts School Library, which at first seemed likely to prove fruitless. as the books had been relabeled, one was found at length, containing the Pickaway Lyceum label.

There is a tradition that in 1851 the build- ing containing the Lyceum room was burned and that, upon the completion of the school- house, the books were taken there for safe keep- ing, where they formed the nucleus for a school library. But that these books were perhaps regarded more as a public than as a school pos- session seems obvious from the fact that in the Public Library collection, to-day, is a set of Dugald Stewart's works, in seven volumes, bearing the same label and the imprint "Cam- bridge, Hilliard and Brown, 1829." Whether or not the books of earlier publication, many of which we have, belonged to the Atheneum or Lyceum collections, there is no way to de- termine.

There seems to be a feeling among some of our citizens, that the Pickaway Lyceum and the old Lyceum room at Everts school building had a direct connection; but I am sure this idea is erroneous, and that its only foundation is the similarity of names and the fact that in this room, where the pupils collected to "speak their pieces," were arranged in cases the books of the Ohio School Library.

But none of these latter books ever be- came the property of the public, except as they may have been acquired gradually by indi- viduals.

So whether the Pickaway Lyceum may or may not have continued to hold their debates after the burning of their room is to us of no

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particular interest, in this connection, as that event determined the disposal of the books.

Now, for almost 20 years, the library spirit in Circleville lay dormant, and one might have thought it entirely dead. But not so; for it re- vived when several women, among them Mrs. N. E. Jones, Mrs. Amos Beach, Mrs. Samuel A. Moore and Mrs. Kingsley Ray instituted a magazine club. They also collected quite a number of books, which became a circulating library among the club members. When a movement to create a public library was agi- tated, the ladies turned these books over to the city.

At the time of establishing this club, several other ladies, prominent among whom were Mrs. Aaron R. VanCleaf, Mrs. Sophia Crouse and Mrs. E. Z. Hays, were invited to join; but they declined as they wished to devote their efforts in this line to the establishing of a read- ing room, that the young men of the town might be benefited. They therefore, in 1869, in connection with several public-spirited men, established a Young Men's Christian Associa- tion, with a magazine reading room and some books. Among these gentlemen were George Gregg and William B. Drum, the latter of whom from this time until his death, in 1885, was connected with the Circleville Library.

In December of this year, they leased Wittich's Hall, for a period of 10 years, at $300 a year.

This hall was, at that time, fitted up with a stage and gallerv. and had been, since 1855, used for musical and theatrical entertainments.

But the opening of Peck's Hall had to some extent divicled the profits from these sources and Mr. Wittich, upon renting to the Y. M. C. A., had the stage and gallery taken out and a partition put in, making the front part an audience room and the back part a reading room. Dr. Kingsley Ray had charge of the books at this time. In January, 1871, the ladies, in order to add more books gave a two-days' entertainment, features of which were a dinner, and the voting of a gold-headed cane to the most popular clergyman and a cross of "skeleton leaves" to the most beautiful girl. The sum of $500 was cleared.

Soon after this, the Y. M. C. A. failing to receive proper support from the public, and it becoming evident that the class of young men which this movement was designed to reach did not care to read, the Y. M. C. A. was given up, the managers offering Mr. Wit- tich a bonus to release them from their con- tract.

A joint stock company or subscription library was then formed, each member paying an annual fee of $2. This was early in 1872.

The same quarters were occupied in Mr. Wittich's building; but the subscription plan seems to have proved unsatisfactory, for on January 17, 1873, the City Council met to consider a proposition of the trustees of the Library Association to donate the library to the city.

The proposal was accepted and the Circle- ville Public Library became an established fact.

The first board of directors was elected on May Ist, with W. Marshall Anderson as presi- dent, and William B. Marfield, secretary and treasurer. A. J. Bennett was the first librarian under city management.

On July 1, 1873, the effects of the library were moved, under the superintendence of D. P. Barks, a member of the board, to the room in Odd Fellows' Hall, leased by the City Coun- cil for library purposes. In consideration of the use of an office room, fuel and light, E. B. Bauder undertook to look after the library, those wishing a book going to him for the key. But as this plan was calculated to inter- fere with his business, besides being incon- venient for the patrons of the library, it was soon given up, and Miss Ella Barks was elected librarian. Her first report ( for two months) showed 974 volumes on the shelves, besides 51 volumes of unbound magazines; 935 books were issued for this period.

An interesting and perhaps unique feature of the library during the time it was kept up by subscription, as well as for a year or more after it became a public institution, was the series of public readings and entertainments given under the auspices of the board of man- agers. These readings, which were free, were held every Tuesday evening, at the library

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HISTORY OF PICKAWAY COUNTY

room, and were participated in by nearly all the literary and musical people of the town. A lecture would occasionally be given-and once even, a comedy was enacted-at Peck's Hall, for which a small admission fee was charged. Almost the last of these entertain- ments advertised was a lecture on his travels in Mexico, to be delivered by Col. W. Marshall Anderson, "the proceeds to be applied to the purchase of an organ for the use of the library room." Unfortunately, for those who might have heard him, Colonel Anderson was ill, and the lecture was never given.

The first president of the Library Board was a man of learning and culture and an en- thusiastic student of American Archaeology. For several years a cabinet of Indian curiosi- ties, collected by him, had a place in the Pub- lic Library, but upon his death this collection, which was considered by those versed in an- tiquities as an unusually rich one, was removed.

Colonel Anderson took a deep and active interest in all movements tending to the wel- fare of the little town built in a circle, and in none of these enterprises was his support more hearty and enthusiastic than in the affairs of the library.

At first, no regular appropriation was made by the city government for the support of their new protege; the City Council merely made an allowance (I believe $250) for the purpose of adding to the stock of books turned over by the stock company and the ladies. But as such support for a public educational institu- tion was too uncertain, the board of managers in their first annual report to the City Council, recommended that a tax be levied for the sup- port of the Library, it being estimated that the expenses for the next year would be $1,000.

Pending this report, Colonel Anderson wrote an open letter which goes to prove that it is no new thing for City Councils to con- sider the Public Library of small importance compared with other enterprises, for he says, "the managers have been crossed by a false economy. *

* * We demand a fair, liberal and prompt advancement of the cor- poration taxes. * * * A crochet has en- tered the minds of certain members of our

Council that they have drawn an elephant and that it will cost too much to feed him. * * * A gravel bank or a gutter is the height of their ambition!" We are glad to know that the appropriation was granted, and from that time to this, though the advance- ment has not been exactly fair and never lib- eral, it has always been prompt.

On May 25, 1875, Messrs. Ely and Leuth- strom bestowed upon the library a valuable gift-files of the Olive Branch and the old Circleville Herald from February, 1821, to February, 1837, inclusive. The library has from time to time, especially during the '80's, received the gift of valuable books both in separate volumes and in sets. These include some rare government publications.

Dr. Marcus Brown, who died in 1881, and who had through his life felt a deep interest in the library, bequeathed to the institution the sum of $10,000, subject to the life estate of his niece.

The next summer the directors, in conjunc- tion with the City Council, ordered a portrait of Dr. Brown to be painted; L. E. Johnson performed the work and accomplished a strik- ing likeness to his subject. The picture now hangs above the mantel in one of the reading rooms. It is one of the most treasured pos- sessions of the library.

During the summer of 1892 the library was closed in order to move, catalogue and re- arrange the books, new quarters having been secured in Memorial Hall, the City Council having a 99 years' lease of the lower floor. It was again opened to the public on September 12, 1892.

"Mr. M. B. Radcliffe was elected an honorary member of the Library as a slight remembrance of his untiring efforts to pro- cure for the Public Library the splendid suite of rooms they now occupy." (Extract from Secretary's report, May 25, 1894.)

After becoming a public institution, the library was managed as provided by ordinance passed by the City Council, until May, 1892, when, the General Assembly of Ohio having. on March 15, 1892, passed "an act providing for the creation of library boards for certain

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cities and villages, and prescribing the duties of such boards," the library was reorganized, the City Council electing a board of six directors as follows : Hon. Aaron R. Van Cleaf, Gustavus A. Schleyer, Fred L. Fickardt, Prof. M. H. Lewis, Rev. J. H. Schneider and Samuel Morris.

With the enactment of the new municipal code, which took effect May 4, 1903, the power to appoint directors of city libraries was given to the mayor, with the direction that not more than three of the six directors shall be of the same political party.

Besides the board appointed in 1892, the following gentlemen have, since, served in that capacity : Dr. Thomas Blackstone, D. H. Lewis, F. M. Reiche, L. R. Drescher, Jacob Merz, I. N. Abernethy, Dr. Charles Naumann, Prof. C. L. Boyer, Dr. G. W. Heffner, C. C. Chappelear, B. F. Benford and Prof. T. O. Williams.

Since coming into its present commodious quarters, the library has grown from 5,000 to 15,000 volumes ; new methods approved by advanced library workers have been adopted and many improvements made. Among these may be mentioned the classification of the whole library under the Dewey decimal sys- tem, and the making of a card catalogue based .upon the Cutter rules; and the adding of the books of the "Ohio Pupils' Reading Course," together with supplementary reading for school children to the number of about 1,000 volumes. tative periodicals are sub- scribed for, to be read at the tables. Each year these are bound and added to the shelves.

- A fairly good reference collection is kept up, and an unusually large amount of work done with the general public and particularly with school children and clubs.

`In short as our Public Library stands to- day, it maintains the position which it took several years back-"considering the size of the town, it is the best library in the State." : Appended is a complete list of librarians, with time of service, since the library became a public institution : A. J. Bennett, May I to July 1, 1873; Ed. B. Bauder, July I to Decem- ber 1, 1873; Miss Ella Parks, December 1,

1873, to June 1, 1874; Miss Emma R. Hedges, June 1, 1874, to March 16, 1875; Mrs. Mary Carper, March 16, 1875, to April 1, 1882; Miss Eva Wentworth, April 1, 1882, to June I. 1888; Miss Anna G. Wolfley, June I to August 24, 1888; Mrs. Leila Fitzpatrick, August 24, 1888, to April 1, 1902; and Miss May Lowe, April 1, 1902, to date.

THE CIRCLEVILLE HOME AND HOSPITAL

Dates from the incorporation of the institu- tion, April 11, 1894, the incorporators being Mrs. Elizabeth S. Renick, Mrs. Dorothy R. Turney, Mrs. Sarah A. Heffner, Mrs. Annie S. Sears and Mrs. Rose L. Morris. To Mrs. Sarah A. Heffner is given the credit of con- ceiving the idea of establishing an institution in Circleville, which should combine under one management the two features of a home for aged people and a hospital. Her inde- fatigable efforts brought about favorable action on the part of the benevolent women of Circle- ville, which resulted in the splendid institu- tion of to-day, which is a credit to Circleville and Pickaway County. It is non-sectarian and can never be controlled or managed by any one church or denomination.

At the time the institution was incorporated the Ohio street school building for colored pupils had been vacant for eight years, ever since the passage of the act by the General Assembly, making it no longer possible to con- duct separate schools for the colored youth. The ladies of the organization applied to the Board of Education and were granted the use- of this building so long as the purposes of the institution should be maintained. The building, which had been erected as early as- 1871, was greatly in need of repair, and was also of an inadequate size for the two depart- ments of the institution; so it was remodeled throughout and an addition built before the institution was formally opened. It was dedi- cated May 9, 1895. Some three or four years. later another addition was built. The cost of the two additions, with all the other im- provements that have been made, is estimated to have exceeded $8,000.

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The whole structure, including the addi- tions, is what might be termed a two-and-a-half story building. The hospital department, con- tained in the two additions, consists of six private rooms, one ward with six beds, a well- equipped operating room, a nurse's room and a doctor's room. At the present time there are 15 inmates of the home-14 women and one man-which is as many as the home can accommodate. All persons admitted to the home as members must be 50 years old, the admission fee being graded according to the age of the applicant. While the home and the hospital are treated as two separate de- partments, they a're managed as one,' both having the same kitchen, laundry, etc., and both being heated by the same furnace. The furnace and laundry are located in a building in the rear. There is also a stable and a chicken house.

The institution is now entirely free from debt, the large indebtedness that was incurred when the home and hospital was put in opera- tion having been cleared. Ever since the in- stitution was started, a Home and Hospital Fair has been held annually in October, in the County Commissioners' room in the Court House; donations from friends throughout the county and city are received here and meals are also served. This is the grand event of the year.

The first officers were: Mrs. Sarah A. Heffner, president; Mrs. Huldah A. Lewis, vice-president ; and Mrs. Annie S. Sears, secre- tary and treasurer. Mrs. Heffner has con- tinned to hold the office of president from that time to this, and Mrs. Sears has been secre- tary for the same period. This past year, Mrs. Heffner also assumed the duties of treasurer, which office had been held by Mrs. Sears up to this time, while the latter took upon herself the duties of vice-president. Mrs. Sears shares with Mrs. Heffner the credit for the success of the institution. The executive committee is constituted as follows : Mrs. Sarah A. Heff- ner, Mrs. Annie S. Sears, Mrs. Hannah A. Row, Mrs. Rose L. Morris and Mrs. Eliza H. Grant. The members of the advisory com- mittee are as follows: Mrs. Elizabeth S.

Renick, Mrs. Dorothy R. Turney, Mrs. Susan F. Harper, Mrs. Jennie R. Courtright and Mrs. Mary H. Dunlap. The members of the executive and advisory committees with the following-named ladies constitute the board of managers : Mrs. Nancy J. Evans, Mrs. Mar- garet E. Henry, Mrs. Elizabeth Moeller, Mrs. Sallie E. Crow, Mrs. Elizabeth D. Sweetman, Mrs. Ida H. Rife, Miss Flora Dunlap, Mrs. Missouri C. Bell, Mrs. Fannie D. Swearingen and Mrs. Sarah E. List. Mrs. Sarah A. Fulkerson was the first matron. Mrs. Sarah F. List now fills the position.

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History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 6

Author: Aaron R. Van Cleaf Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Number of Pages: 923

Author: Aaron R. Van Cleaf
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 923