42

Says Curtailment of Circulating
Library Means Discouragement to
Aspiration and a Loss to Culture

Mrs. Peattie Who Helped Organize First Circulating Library, Informed
by Club Women That Its Scope Is Threatened--
Makes Appeal for Its Maintenance by State.

Mrs. Elia W. Peattie, writer and
critic, who spent several days in
Omaha last week, expressed concern
over the fact that there is a threatened
curtailment of the activity of
the state circulating library. At the
request of Mrs. F.H. Cole and other
members of the Woman's club, which
Mrs. Peattie helped to organize, she
addressed a plea to the Omaha
Chamber of Commerce asking that
efforts be made to maintain the circulating
library on its present basis.

In calling attention to the fact
that a necessity for economy seems
to prompt the contemplated steps
at curtailment, Mrs. Peattie writes:

"I sympathize with over-taxed
people and with judicious economists.
But I would like to ask if
it is not the excessive development
of material things which has brought
about these conditions?"

Men Most Important.

She goes on to say that material
things are important only as they
serve or benefit men.

Her letter is as follows:
February 20, 1923.
To the Omaha Chamber of Commerce:

Dear Sirs:
May I, who was once an enthusiastic
citizen of Nebraska, take the
liberty of again thinking of myself
as one of you and protesting against
the disposition which has been made
of the circulating library of the
state?

Twenty-nine years ago when the
Omaha Woman's club came into existence
almost its first disinterested
act was to start a state circulating
library. It had but $50 to spare
for this purpose but with this it
trustingly purchased some good
books, which it placed in the charge
of Mary Sherwood Lamberston of
Lincoln, who unselfishly offered to
undertake their circulation.

We gave our young enterprise all
the publicity possible, with the results
that books and money began
to come in to us. Our desire was
to make it possible for every man,
woman, and child in Nebraska to
have the benefit of this library. We
wanted to think that in time the
loneliest farm house in the state
would have contemporary literature
upon its table. To a great degree
this extravagant aspiration was
realized eventually. So admirable
was our scheme and so eagerly did
the people respond to it that in
course of time the legislature of Nebraska
took charge of it. I understand
that the library swelled to
35,000 copies, and I have heard that
several other states followed our example
and created state circulating
libraries.

I am told that three-fifths of the
people of this state relied upon this
library for their reading material.

Blow at Culture.

Now, it appears that this library
has been added to that of the University
of Nebraska, where it will be
accessible only to those who can
visit its shelves. All those many
thousand who relied upon the traveling
boxes of books, receiving from
them inestimable delight and cultivation,
will be deprived of this
source of culture and of happiness.

The regime of economy instituted
at Lincoln as a relief to over-burdened
tax-payers, is the cause I understand,
of the lack of the usual
appropriation for the sustainment of
the traveling library. I sympathize
with over-taxed people and with
judicious economists. But I would
like to ask if it is not the excessive
development of material things
which has brought about these conditions?
Good roads, superb state
houses and other fine public buildings
are excellent things: but they
are made truly significant only when
many admirable and some superlative
citizens follow the roads of
their commonwealth and climb the
steps of their public buildings. It
was not the architectural beauty of
the Roman Forum which made it a
building to be revered. It was the
men who stood in it and who enunciated
their convictions there.

So, I beg you to forgive me for
what may seem to be an intrusion
and to permit me to protest against.

(IMAGE)

Mrs. Crofoot heads goes over the top.
The Ten Dollar club will be the
interesting club of the woman's division
of the drive. It is within the
means of every Omaha woman and
has been received by the public with
enthusiasm.

Says Curtailment of Circulating Library Means Discouragement to Aspiration and a Loss to Culture

Mrs. Peattie Who Helped Organize First Circulating Library, Informed by Club Women That Its Scope Is Threatened Makes Appeal for Its Maintenance by State.

Mrs. Elia W. Peattie, writer and critic, who spent several days in Omaha last week, expressed concern over the fact that there is a threatened curtailment of the activity of the state circulating library. At the request of Mrs. F.H. Cole and other members of the Woman's club, which Mrs. Peattie helped to organize, she addressed a plea to the Omaha Chamber of Commerce asking that efforts be made to maintain the circulating library on its present basis.

In calling attention to the fact that a necessity for economy seems to prompt the contemplated steps at curtailment, Mrs. Peattie writes:

"I sympathize with over-taxed people and with judicious economists. But I would like to ask if it is not the excessive development of material things which has brought about these conditions?"

Men Most Important.

She goes on to say that material things are important only as they serve or benefit men.

Her letter is as follows:
February 20, 1923. To the Omaha Chamber of Commerce:

Dear Sirs:
May I, who was once an enthusiastic citizen of Nebraska, take the liberty of again thinking of myself as one of you and protesting against the disposition which has been made of the circulating library of the state?

Twenty-nine years ago when the Omaha Woman's club came into existence almost its first disinterested act was to start a state circulating library. It had but $50 to spare for this purpose but with this it trustingly purchased some good books, which it placed in the charge of Mary Sherwood Lamberston of Lincoln, who unselfishly offered to undertake their circulation.

We gave our young enterprise all the publicity possible, with the results that books and money began to come in to us. Our desire was to make it possible for every man, woman, and child in Nebraska to have the benefit of this library. We wanted to think that in time the loneliest farm house in the state would have contemporary literature upon its table. To a great degree this extravagant aspiration was realized eventually. So admirable was our scheme and so eagerly did the people respond to it that in course of time the legislature of Nebraska took charge of it. I understand that the library swelled to 35,000 copies, and I have heard that several other states followed our example and created state circulating libraries.

I am told that three-fifths of the people of this state relied upon this library for their reading material.

Blow at Culture.

Now, it appears that this library has been added to that of the University of Nebraska, where it will be accessible only to those who can visit its shelves. All those many thousand who relied upon the traveling boxes of books, receiving from them inestimable delight and cultivation, will be deprived of this source of culture and of happiness.

The regime of economy instituted at Lincoln as a relief to over-burdened tax-payers, is the cause I understand, of the lack of the usual appropriation for the sustainment of the traveling library. I sympathize with over-taxed people and with judicious economists. But I would like to ask if it is not the excessive development of material things which has brought about these conditions? Good roads, superb state houses and other fine public buildings are excellent things: but they are made truly significant only when many admirable and some superlative citizens follow the roads of their commonwealth and climb the steps of their public buildings. It was not the architectural beauty of the Roman Forum which made it a building to be revered. It was the men who stood in it and who enunciated their convictions there.

So, I beg you to forgive me for what may seem to be an intrusion and to permit me to protest against.

Mrs. Crofoot heads goes over the top. The Ten Dollar club will be the interesting club of the woman's division of the drive. It is within the means of every Omaha woman and has been received by the public with enthusiasm.