Laicus; Or, the Experiences of a Layman in a Country Parish.Abbott, Lyman
Religion
Laicus; Or, the Experiences of a Layman in a Country Parish.
Abbott, Lyman
Christian fiction; New York (State) -- Fiction; Parishes -- Fiction
"I don't care so much about the young men," said Mr. Korley, "as I
do about the middle-aged ones: My Jennie pesters me almost to death
every time I go down, to buy her something to read. Of course I
always forget it. Besides, I would like a place where I could see
the papers and periodicals myself. I would give fifty dollars to see
a good library and reading-room in Wheathedge."
"Very good," said I, "I will put you down for that amount." So I
took out my pocket-book and made a memorandum.
"What! are you taking subscriptions?" asked Mr. Korley.
"Have taken one," said I.
That was the beginning. That night I took a blank book and drew up a
subscription paper. It was very simple. It read as follows:
"We, the undersigned, for the purpose of establishing a library and
reading-room in Wheathedge, subscribe the sums set opposite our
names, and agree that when $500 is subscribed the first subscribers
shall call a meeting of the others to form an organization."
I put Mr. Korley's name down for $50, which started it well. Mr.
Jowett could do no less than Mr. Korley, and Mr. Wheaton no less
than Mr. Jowett; and so, the subscription once started, grew very
rapidly, like a boy's snowball, to adequate proportions. The second
Tuesday in July I was enabled to give notice to all the subcribers
to meet at my house. My parlors were well filled. I had taken pains
to get some lady subscribers, and they were there as well as the
gentlemen. I read to the company the law of the State providing for
the organization of a library association. Resolutions were drawn up
and adopted. Stock was fixed at $5, that everybody might be a
stockholder. The annual dues were made $2, imposed alike on
stockholders and on outsiders. A Board of trustees was elected. And
so our little boat was fairly launched.
We began in a very humble way. The school trustees loaned us during
the summer vacation a couple of recitation-rooms which we converted
into a library and conversation-room. The former we furnished in the
first instance with the popular magazines and two or three of the
daily newspapers. We forthwith began also to accumulate something of
a library. Mr. Wheaton presented us with a full assortment of Patent
Office reports, which will be very valuable for reference if any
body should ever want to refer to them. We also have two shelves
full chiefly of old school-books, which a committee on donations
succeeded in raising in the neighborhood.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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