A Short History of Newnham College, CambridgeGardner, Alice
History
A Short History of Newnham College, Cambridge
Gardner, Alice
Newnham College
Work among both students and past students had meantime been
facilitated by the gift in 1898 of a well-designed library building,
for which the College has to thank the liberality of Mr. and Mrs.
Yates Thompson. The Library is admirably adapted to its purpose, with
section recesses divided off by bookcases and conveniently arranged
tables, while beauty of proportion, the excellence of the woodwork,
and the elaborate mouldings on the ceiling (of the principal Printers'
Arms of the sixteenth century) give it an artistic as well as academic
character. When (1907) nearly ten years after its opening, its space
proved insufficient for the books belonging to the College, the same
benefactors most generously doubled it in size, providing staircases
and a fine east window.
The supply of library books grew and prospered at least in proportion
to the general progress of the College. Many of the original promoters
were literary men and book-lovers, and their gifts and bequests,
besides the money annually spent out of the College income, made the
necessary extension just noticed necessary, and tended to make the
College a more desirable place for old students--especially such as
were engaged in educational or literary work--in which to spend part
of the summer vacation. Some friends were anxious that the Library
should have interesting books of a non-special character. Mrs. Stephen
Winkworth, already mentioned, whenever she had enjoyed some new work
of biography or general literature, used to send a copy of it for the
Newnham Library. Mr. Coutts Trotter, Miss Clough's kind adviser in
the early days, bequeathed the bulk of his books to Newnham College.
The same was done by Mary Bateson, of whom we shall have more to say
presently. There never was a time when there was not an influx of
books of various kinds. Provision was made for a steady supply by the
assignment to the Library Committee every year of a sum proportional
to the number of students. Most books, on conditions, might be taken
out for parts of the vacations. The Library Committee consists of
representatives on the Staff of all the principal subjects studied and
other lecturers, whose duty it is to submit the names of books required
by the students whom they direct. The Library has thus been kept up to
date, and has also continually been enriched by special gifts. Thus a
Dante Library was formed in memory of Miss Jane Lee, already mentioned;
a clock was given by a generation of students going down, the case
being designed by one of them; guests gave books on their departure.
The catalogues were carefully kept, and if any slackness in returning
books was observed, great vigilance was used to recall them. The care
of the Library was for many years in the hands of Miss Katharine
Stephen.
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