06/01/1915 - The Early Years
, ,
'.t~
-Il.c' "
J' ,
I,
" "
,
,)
, " c
, ,c
.' '
,
............_..._. ,.,' '. ~T,
" ,.,.
LIBRARY BOARD
DATE ....-:-%~ 6 Ii. ~/~ .
M~ .
. ~ ." '
, ",.- /
, 7ij; ~N"N ~.~ c...l,,/ttAltr
. _!~ ~ gs-
5:."'-:
'Ji~~'~;.v "'1'
'-""1
The EARLY DAYS
of
THE CLEARWATER LIBRARY
Inquiry at the library showed that it had no books of records,
minutes or cash books of The Clearwater Library Association from its
beginning to the date, - June 15th 1925t - when it was turned over to
the City, so, there 1s'no hint even of the early four years existence
of the Library. I have been asked by Mr. Bayly to write a short account
of it.
Early in March 1911 nineteen person gathered at my house in
response to my invitation to consider the question of organization of
a Public Library. After some discussion, which was entirely favorable
a committee was appointed to draft and submit a plan at a meeting called
for a week later. At this meeting the plan was,gone over thoroughly and
was generally approved. It was thought best however to have a general
meeting of citizens pass upon it and a meeting for this purpose was
called for the following week at the Pearce building. this meeting
went into the subject carefully and the plan submitted, somewhat revised,
was approved and adopted. The Clearwater Library Association was thus
formally organized at this meeting, officers were elected and were inst-
ructed to get the work started without delay and Library opened as Boon
as possible. The meeting was well attended and was a representative
gathering. Soan afterward the Library was opened in the front room over
the Peoples Bank with about 400 books. In a year it added another room
\--J
and later it moved to the second floor or the old Bank of Clearwater
(O'cA( HIST(1I:\'
t:OlUCTION
"
~ ,I' ,
~~\; ~.' "
The Early Days Page 2
n
'I.....
building, next went to the Pearce Building. Hiss Nargnret Duncan was its
Librarian.
The names of the officers during those first few years can not
be given with any accuracy. I was chosen its president in 1911, its first
year; Mrs. Aiken was chosen in 1912; I was elected again for the third
year in 1913 and as I recall Mr. DeLisle Hagadorn was elected in 19l4, and
he acted ex-officio after his term expired during the short period until
the Library was taken over by the City in June 1915. I have searched
but find no mention of the other officers or directors during that period,
except that Mrs. Aiken and Mrs. Louanna Pearce were directors in 1911.
The friend of the Library flocked to it from its start with
contribution of books; Mrs. Albert Watson of Cleveland gave about 450 books;
A. J. Williams of Cleveland about 175; Mrs. A. B. Taylor of College Hill,
Cincinnati about 150 and Mrs Culpepper and daughters 100. Then there is a
list of a dozen or more giving a ~esser number. The number of books in the
Library in Nov. 1916 was about 3100.
The finances of the Association were large enough for our wants
but not large enough to give trouble. The large part of our income came
from entertainments at the Pearce Hall in this City and at the Belleview,
and from personal donations. The entertainments were very popular and
drew full houses. In July 1914 the feeling grew that the Library should be
a Public Library; the question was put to a vote of the people in the
City and the decision was to have the City take it over and operate it.
This was affected in June 1915.
(signed) Edward H. Jones
o
lO~L HII,
COLLECTION