from Gulliver and Shakespeare's comedies, through Paradise Lost,' Dante's Inferno' and all of Bryant's translation of Homer. Many other books of value were read, in whole or in part, meanwhile. Only an hour and a half a week was given to it. They listened while they were read to, with occasional explanatory comment. They came eagerly and regularly, and, I have reason to believe, acquired a taste for good literature they will never lose. "NOTE.-Since this article was written the following incidents have come to my knowledge. The class in English history, in the high school, when on the subject of India, spent a week on Macaulay's Essay on Warren Hastings. One of the boys, not a scholar and of narrow views, stopped, after school, one day, to say to his teacher, 'If boys could be shown what interesting books there are, they would never care to read bad books." The same class was led to buy for themselves copies of 'Henry Esmond,' preparatory to the study of the reign of Queen Anne. They pronounced it too dry' at first, but after their historical study said that it was better than "Ivanhoe.' WINCHESTER, G. F., librarian. Public support of the Free Public Library. A report made to the trustees of the Russell Library. Middletown, Conn., July, 1884. 8 p. 1. O. The report is prefaced by an address of the Trustees to the people of Middletown in which they say: "As there is some misapprehension about the resources of the library it is proper to say that in addition to the library building and the books, Mrs. Russell gave $40,000 in money. This sum has been safely invested and yields annually about $2000. With the strictest economy this sum meets the running expenses of the library, such as fuel, gas, insurance, repairs, salary of a janitor for the care of a large building and grounds, salary of the librarian, (which has always been very much smaller than what is paid for the same work in other places), and a limited number of periodicals for the reading-room. Nothing is left for the purchase of books, and consequently the library has but little growth. "... Of the 36 libraries in my list, which includes several of the largest and most successful in the country, only nine, have endowment funds as large as the Russell Library. But on the other hand, only eight report regular annual incomes as small. Of these eight libraries, five are in towns smaller than Middletown; one town having a population of 8000, two between 5000 and 6000 each, one 4000 and one 2000. The three other towns, each only a very little larger than Middletown, whose libraries report regular incomes smaller than ours, are Fitchburg, Malden, and Pittsfield, Mass. Fitchburg has a library established many years ago and now numbering about 15,000 volumes. It has no endowment and receives its support from the people. The library at Malden has been established only a few years-not so long as the Russell Library. About four years ago it received a legacy of $5000, the most of which has been spent for books, the city in the mean time paying about $1900 a year toward current expenses. A very fine library building is about to be erected at a cost, including the land, of about $140,000. This is a gift from a citizen of the town. There seems to be little doubt that this library, when it is established in its new quarters, will be well supported by the people of the town where such enlightened public spirit has already been displayed. "The Berkshire Athenæum at Pittsfield has no available endowment fund, and reports its regular annual income as $2000. This amount the town is pledged to pay toward its support, but it has done much more than this during the last eight or ten years, since the library was made a free public institution. During that time the town of Pittsfield has paid not less than $50,000 toward building up its library, and the library has received gifts from individuals to the amount of about $70,000* more. The value of the property of this institution is estimated at not less than $200,000. In addition to this an estate valued at about $50,000 will come into the possession of the library on the expiration of the term of certain annuities to individuals. "Of the whole 36 libraries on my list, there are only three which receive no support from the towns in which they are located. These three are: the Ames Free Library, at Easton, Mass., Peabody Institute and the Sutton Reference Library, Peabody, Mass., and the Silas Bronson Library, Waterbury, Conn. "After excluding the six largest cities on the list, the libraries of the remaining thirty cities and towns have an average annual income of over $4000. That is, about double the income of the Russell Library, notwithstanding the fact that thirteen of the towns are smaller than Middletown. "The way some small towns in Massachusetts support their free libraries is well worthy of notice. Concord, with a population of less than 4000, pays about $2000 a year for the support of its library, which has a total income of about $3000. Lancaster with a population of 2000, pays about $1300. The Watertown library is one of the eight I have counted as having a smaller income than ours, but the town pays from $1500 to $2500 a year for its support, and the total income is reported as varying from $1800 to $3000, and the average income is probably higher than ours. But this is not all that Watertown has done for its library-Mr. S. F. Whitney, the librarian, writes me: 'Our people have contributed for land and a new building the last year about $20,000, and the town has expended, raised by taxation, $20,000 more, in all over $40,000. A new building is now about completed into which we hope to move soon.' The population of Watertown at the time of the last census was 5426. "The town of Woburn adds about $2000 a year to the $3000 income its library has from endowment funds. Waltham, with a population which *Details are given in a pamphlet entitled "Free Education in Pittsfield, Mass., 1761-1880.' numbered in 1880 just twenty less than that of Middletown, paid last year $4482 for the sudport of a free library. The librarian at Brookline, Mass., in reporting the amount received annually from tax, says, usually $4000, but more if we need or ask for it.' But I should like to call attention to two or three points in the history of the Public Library at Northampton. Some years ago this library received a bequest of $40,000, which was so invested that it now yields an income equivalent to seven per cent on $50,000; but notwithstanding this, the town has annually appropriated from one to three thousand dollars to the library, and last year the appropriation was $4200. This appreciation and support of the public library by the people seems to have been noticed and appreciated in turn by Judge C. E. Forbes, who, at his death three years ago, left the sum of $300,000 for a Free Public Library in Northampton. When this library is established it will probably be, I am informed, under the same general management, if not in the same building, as the present one, and then Northampton will have one of the most richly endowed free libraries in the world. So far as I know, Bridgeport is the only city or town in Connecticut that supports a free public library. That library is supported by a half-mill tax, the income being between six and seven thousand dollars a year. It has been established as a free library only about two years, and although it has no endowment, it has already received a gift of a building valued at $75,000. Concerning the success of this library, the librarian writes: The public use of it is daily increasing. The present indications are that our circulation will be much larger this year than it was last. The circulation of works of reference in the reading-room has more than doubled since last July.' "Of course the important point in all these cases is that the people of the towns are supporting and building up the libraries. "I do not know the amount paid out by Mrs. Russell, but I suppose the money value of her gift to Middletown in the Russell Library cannot fairly be estimated at less than $80,000. During the years I have been in charge of the library, strangers who have visited it have frequently expressed their astonishment learning that such an institution receives no support or aid from the people of the town. on "On the other hand, I have sometimes heard it said in Middletown that the town should not be expected to contribute to the support of a library which bears the name of its founder. I do not believe that such an absurd idea prevails very extensively in Middletown; if so, it must be peculiar to this place. The Thomas Crane Public Library of Quincy, Mass., bears the name of a man whose children gave $40,000 for a library building* as a memorial of their father, who was * Engravings of this library may be found in the CENTURY magazine for May, 1884, pp. 53-54. a native of Quincy. The gift included no endowment, and the amount was probably not more than half that of Mrs. Russell's gift to Middletown. The library is liberally supported by the people and is hardly less famous than the schools of that historic town. "The Fletcher Free Library of Burlington, Vt., bears the name of its founder, who gave $20,000 - about one quarter of the amount of Mrs. Russell's gift, I suppose. Burlington is a smaller town than Middletown, but it pays from $2400 to $3000 annually for the support of this library. The Fletcher Library is managed by trustees appointed by its founder. "The name of the Bigelow Free Public Library of the Town of Clinton' was adopted in honor of Erastus B. Bigelow, a distinguished inventor, an author, and one of the founders of the town of Clinton, Mass. This library is supported entirely by public taxation. 'At Malden, the library, after the completion of the new building to which I have already referred, will be known as the 'Converse Memorial Library.' And so I might go on mentioning similar instances in almost all parts of the country. "I have spoken mostly of small towns, about the size of Middletown, or smaller, but the reports from the larger towns and great cities are quite as interesting. It will be seen that Boston pays at the rate of about $120,000 a year for the support of the public library, and within the last year the Boston city government has appropriated the sum of $600,000 for a new library building. It is the people of Boston who have made their great library what it is among free public libraries to-day the foremost in the whole world. "It is not difficult to find instances of town support of libraries that are not free in the full sense of the word. The city of Portland, Me., pays about $1000 a year and furnishes rooms, fuel and light to a subscription library which is made free for reference only, in consideration of this payment. The country town of Dedham, Mass., pays about $1100 to a library association, and the library is opened free to the public four days in the week. Our neighboring city of New Britain pays $500 a year to a library about the size of ours, which is free for reference only. The city of Springfield has for years been liberally supporting and building up a fine 'City Library, which is free as a reference library only, and which is not controlled by the city government; last year the amount appropriated by the city to the support of this library was about $8000; very recently, however, a movement has been started to make this a free public library. In order to meet a part of the increased expense which will be involved in carrying out this plan, it is thought necessary to raise an endowment fund of $60,000, and already about one third ($17,500) of this amount has been pledged." STATISTICS OF THIRTY-SIX FREE PUBLIC LIBRARIES. NOTE.-In a few cases the amounts given below were reported as estimated or "approximate figures," but they may be taken as substantially correct in every case. The figures given in the column of population are from the census of 1880. I. BOSTON.-CHICAGO.-SAN FRANCISCO. Boston (Public Li M'rch 1, Yr. ending In 1883, 1884, Ap.30,'83. brary and branches), 362,839 $117,100 $7,000 $120,000 $127,000 $14.80 441,251 1,045,902 $17,000 Chicago, No. of Volumes No. of Volumes Am't Paid Annually Am't Paid for Annually in Library. Annually Circulated. Books and Periodic'ls for Salaries. Is there a Is there a Card Catalogue? For Bates About 103,000 400,000 13,000 From to } of a Estim'te About 53,000 million. 10,000 10,000 logues and Lists. Yes. $1,500 $930 Yes. No. By City Government. Yes. brarian About 9,500 About only. 39,151 [Note 2] $1,000 8,500 to 10,000 16.80 24,912 120,000 2,500 3,200 Yes. Yes. By City Council. 38,274 $12,000 680 [Note 3] 5,730 6,661 19.60 32,006 75.452 1,942 2,500 Yes. Yes. About In 1883, By City Council; the Mayor and President of Council are members ex-officio. New Bedford, Mass. 26,845 54,500 3,270 4,000 7,500 18.00 46,000 72,222 4,000 3,405 Yes. No. Mayor, Pres. of Coun- Mayor and President tees chosen by Council. City Election. Two every yr. to serve Yes. 6yrs., ap. by City Council in joint convention. (1882-3) (1882-3) Brookline, Mass., 8,057 $15,500 $1,081 $5,200 $7,059 $12.30 28,000 50,000 $2,500 $2,800 Yes. Yes.* Town Meeting. 800 Fund, 1,700 ? 8,300 20,000 500 I. BRIDGEPORT.-"Town and city taxes for the coming year (1884) 2. LAWRENCE.-There is no regular library fund, but the "White 3. NEW BEDFORD.-Mr. R. C. Ingraham, Librarian, writes: "In 4. WORCESTER.-Amounts given are for 1883-"unusually small 5. " NEWTON. In addition to the endowment funds mentioned in NOTES. the table, there is the "Read Legacy," which "consists of a bequest of 6. WOBURN.-Quite a large part of the $225,000 was spent in 7. CONCORD.-The Library Committee, which is elected by the 8. LANCASTER.-This library is open 15 hours a week. By short 9. PEABODY.-The amounts given are for the Peabody Institute |