More on the Early History of the Pelham Public Library
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I have written before about the early history of the Pelham Public Library. See Fri., Sep. 11, 2015: Early Efforts to Create a Public Library for the Town of Pelham. In that article, I noted the dearth of information on the earliest efforts to create a public library in Pelham. The article stated, in part, as follows:
"In the early 20th century, a corner on the first floor of the Town Hall of the Town of Pelham served as a tiny lending library for the entire Town of Pelham. The space was entirely inadequate. Indeed, the library corner was little used and languished in relative obscurity for a number of years.
In about 1915, an initiative to create a public library for the Town of Pelham took root in the Village of North Pelham. On June 25, 1915, the State of New York granted a state charter for operation of the Pelham Public Library. In August of that year, Pelham's first librarian, Mary A. Dickenson, began her work in library space made available in the Hutchinson Elementary School. Ms. Dickenson continued to serve as the librarian for nearly thirty-five years until her death in 1949."
Additional research now has shed more light on the establishment of the Pelham Public Library in the Hutchinson School (today's Hutchinson Elementary School). Today's Historic Pelham article details the results of that additional research.
The initiative to establish a substantial public library for Pelham residents in the Hutchinson School began in 1914. The principal instigator and moving force behind the initiative was Jacob A. Wirth and his wife, Adella Mills Wirth, of the Village of North Pelham. Jacob and Adella Wirth were public-spirited residents involved in a host of organizations and public-spirited activities in Pelham for many decades.
Jacob Mills worked as a salesman for a Methodist book publisher located in Yonkers, though he and his family (including four sons: Frederick M., LeRoy E., Archer W., and Ernest B.) lived in the Village of North Pelham. Jacob Wirth served as Town Tax Collector and was an active member of the Winyah Lodge No. 866, F. & A. M. for many years. He served as a member of the local Board of Education. He was a member of the somewhat mysterious and light-hearted organization known as the "Bull Chasers" together with a number of his friends including Remington Schuyler, Walter Schlaefer, W. H. McIlroy, Clyde Howes, F. P. Schall, and Stacy Wood, among others. His wife, Adella, died in 1947. Jacob died on Saturday, May 10, 1952 at the Rosary Hill Home in Hawthorne, New York, at the age of eighty-six.
At intervals during a three year period from 1912 into 1914, Jacob and Adella Wirth offered a large collection of more than five hundred books to the Village of North Pelham provided that a public library would be established to accept the donation. Facing little success, in 1914, Jacob and Adella Wirth pushed a group known as the "Mothers' Circle" to establish a public library for Town residents in the Hutchinson School. The Mothers' Circle was a group of Pelham women who provided support to the Hutchinson School. Mr. and Mrs. Wirth offered to donate 500 books to the new library if the Mothers' Circle would found and oversee it.
The Mothers' Circle, together with the "Woman's Club of North Pelham," took up the challenge and embraced the initiative. Mrs. Francis Harris was appointed to lead the project and plan the new library. The enterprise began with the sponsorship of a town-wide "Book Day" where Pelham residents were asked to donate books for the new library. Hundreds of books were donated in response. In addition, Jacob and Adella Wirth donated more than 500 books to the new library.
All of Pelham supported the initiative. The School Board and the Hutchinson School made a corner of a room in the school available to serve as the library until a more permanent home could be found. In less than six weeks, more than 1,500 volumes, most brand new, were sitting on shelves in the new library, all "passed by the library censor as worthy of a place in the collection."
The first plan was to run the library as a department of the Mothers' Circle, a women's organization that supported Hutchinson School. The library charged one dollar per year for membership. As Pelhamites joined the new library and paid their dues, additional books were bought and donated. Within a very short time the Pelham Library held more than 2,000 volumes.
From the outset, Library board member Mrs. Paul Harris served as a volunteer librarian. Clearly, however, the administrative duties quickly became overwhelming as the library catalog grew and the institution became more popular. The members of the Mothers' Circle began clamoring for the services of a "regular librarian."
In short, the growing library was quickly becoming an important institution in need of more professional and more regular administration. Those involved with the venture began exploring the possibility of turning the institution over to the Village of North Pelham so that taxpayer funds would be available to support the institution. Additionally, those involved pushed to have the institution chartered by the State as a public library so that state funds might be made available for further support.
Mrs. Francis Harris, the Mothers' Circle, and the Woman's Club of North Pelham raised an additional $100 toward funding the continued operation of the proposed library and to obtain from the State of New York a matching $100 grant. Then, at some point during the Spring of 1915, Mrs. Francis communicated with the head of the library system of the schools of New York to find out how to obtain a formal charter for the library and how to seek matching State funds to help support the new institution.
At the same time, efforts were underway to turn the library over to the Village of North Pelham. Finally, on Monday, May 24, 1915, the Board of Trustees of the Village of North Pelham held a special meeting and agreed to take over the library organized by Mrs. Francis Harris, the Mothers' Circle, and the Woman's Club of North Pelham. During the same meeting, the Village Board appointed a Library Board of Trustees consisting of Jacob A. Wirth, Thomas J. James, Isaac C. Hill, Frederick Henderschoff and, significantly, Mrs. Paul Harris who soon became the first librarian of the Pelham Public Library. The Village Board also appropriated $600 to support the Pelham Public Library.
The following Friday evening, May 28, 1915, the Library Board of Trustees met. The first order of business was to create staggered terms for the board members by drawing lots for the terms of their office varying from one to five years. Thereafter the trustees organized and proceeded with the affairs of the new library.
There must have been a hum of excitement among the trustees as they met that evening. Earlier in the day, Mrs. Francis Harris had received a letter from Asa Wynkopp, head of the library system of the schools of New York State. Mrs. Harris had submitted information about the status of the Town's new library and had requested information regarding how to apply for a formal library charter and to obtain state aid for the new venture. Asa Wynkopp's letter responded, in part, as follows:
"Again let us congratulate you on the remarkable success you are achieving in your library enterprise. How could such interest and energy be kept back all these years? The state has known very few such remarkable developments in such a small community. If your application is on hand in due form by Monday of next week, I think it will receive favorable action by the regents at the June meeting."
It took some time to obtain the charter. By March, 1916, however, the Pelham Library received its charter and was off and running.
In 1916, the Board of Trustees of the Village of North Pelham appropriated another $600 to support the Library. In 1917, the Board increased the appropriation to $900. A year later, in 1918, the appropriation was raised to $1,000. In each of 1919, 1920, and 1921, the North Pelham Board appropriated $1,200. (There is some confusion in the newspaper accounts, but these numbers give a rough sense as to the appropriations provided in the Library's earliest years.)
A "regular" librarian finally was appointed in 1916 to replace the volunteer librarian, Mrs. Paul Harris. The librarian was Mrs. Mary A. Dickenson who served in the role for more than 25 years.
By 1923, The Pelham Sun reported that the Pelham Library had become so successful and important to the town that a dedicated building was needed. The paper said: "Because of the growth and increased usefulness of the library, it will soon be necessary to construct a building. The trustees are considering this and are investigating suitable sites." It would, however, be about seventy years before the objective was achieved.
Mary A. Dickenson, Pelham's First Full-Time Librarian. Source:
From in Widely Diversified Fields, The Pelham Sun, Aug. 9, 1940, Vol.
30, No. 19, p. 5, cols. 3-5. NOTE: Click Image to Enlarge.
* * * * *
"Pelham Library Now Contains Over 7,000 Books
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The Pelham Public Library in the Hutchinson School now contains 7006 volumes and has a daily circulation of 60 books. The fact that the library is of great service is shown by the large membership of 1780 persons.
Under the instigation of Jacob A. Wirth in 1914 the library was founded by the Mothers' Circle, an organization interested in the Hutchinson School. Mr. Wirth offered to donate 500 books if the Mothers' Circle would organize a library.
Mrs. Frances A. Harris was appointed to plan the organization. The first plan was to run the library as a department of the Mothers' Circle and to charge a dollar a year for membership. Under Mrs. Harris' management the library acquired 2,000 books by soliciting and by means of a book day which was a great success.
The members of the Mothers' Circle soon decided that it was necessary to secure the services of a regular librarian. At this time, June, 1915, the library was taken over by the Board of Trustees of the Village of North Pelham and was granted a charter as a public library by the University of the State of New York.
The trustees at this time were Jacob A. Wirth, Frances A. Harris, Thomas J. James, Isaac C. Hill and Frederick C. Henderschott.
In a letter received from Albany, the trustees were informed that they had broken the state record for the number of books and the rapid organization of a self-supporting village library.
When the Village Board took it over in 1915 they granted an appropriation of $600 a year. This amount was again appropriated in 1916. In 1917 it went to $900 and the year after to $1000. The amount was raised fo $1200 for the next two years and for the last three years has been $1800. Through the courtesy of the Board of Education, rent, light and heat are provided free of charge.
J. W. Crooks, president of the Board of Library Trustees, recently constructed a number of shelves so that there is now room for all the books on hand and space provided for an additional two thousand.
Mrs. Mary A. Dickenson has been the librarian for over seven years. The present Board of Trustees is comprised of J. W. Crooks, president; Isaac C. Hill, treasurer; Mrs. John T. Brook, Mrs. A. Wilbur Crane and John R. O'Donnell.
Because of the growth and increased usefulness of the library, it will soon be necessary to construct a building. The trustees are considering this and are investigating suitable sites."
Source: Pelham Library Now Contains Over 7,000 Books, The Pelham Sun, Jul. 13, 1923, p. 9, cols. 2-3.
"Pelham. Under the leadership of the Mothers Club of North Pelham, a rapidly growing new library has been established for the benefit of the village and town located in a room of the Hutchinson School. The enterprise began with the calling of a 'book day,' when hundreds of excellent books were contributed. Interest thus aroused continued to such a degree that within six weeks 1500 volumes were on the shelves, including such as were passed by the library censor as worthy of a place in the collection. A good proportion of gifts were of new books, bought specially for the library and more than one-third are nonfiction. The largest gift, including more than 500 volumes, was from Mrs. Jacob A. Wirth. The directing spirit in the movement, now acting as volunteer librarian, is Mrs. Frances A. Harris."
Source: "Help Rendered by Library Organizers" in New York Libraries: A Quarterly Devoted to the Interests of the Libraries of the State, Vol. IV (November 1913 - August 1915), p. 228 (Vol. 4, No. 7, Albany, NY: May 1915).
"STATE PRAISES THE PELHAM LIBRARY
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North Pelham, May 28. -- The following is an extract from a letter just received by Mrs. Francis Harris, of 400 Seventh avenue, this village, from Asa Wynkopp, head of the library system of the schools of New York, in reference to the Pelham library, which was taken over by the village of North Pelham at a special meeting held last Monday evening. The letter reads in part: 'Again let us congratulate you on the remarkable success you are achieving in your library enterprise. How could such interest and energy be kept back all these years? The state has known very few such remarkable developments in such a small community.
'If your application is on hand in due form by Monday of next week, I think it will receive favorable action by the regents at the June meeting.'
(The application above referred to is for the charter of the Pelham library and for the $100 of the state money to be added to the $100 of the money raised in this town for the library, to be used in purchasing books known as state aid for libraries). The board of trustees appointed last Monday evening, consisting of Jacob A. Wirth, Thomas J. James, I. C. Hill, Mrs. Paul Harris and Frederick Henderschott, will meet this evening in executive session at the library in the Hutchinson school and draw lots for the terms of their offices, which vary from one year to five years. The trustees will then organize and proceed with the affairs of the library, which was instigated by Mrs. Harris, and brought by her, with the aid of the residents of this village and the Mothers' Circle and the Woman's Club of North Pelham up to its present status."
Source: STATE PRAISES THE PELHAM LIBRARY, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], May 28, 1915, p. 3, col. 1.
"News in Nearby Towns
NORTH PELHAM
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SURPRISE AT PRIMARY.
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John Rohrs Defeats Organization Choice For Collector.
The Democratic committee of the village of North Pelham received a surprise Tuesday evening, when at the village primaries at the town hall sudden opposition developed for the office of village tax collector, and the committee's candidate was defeated. About fifty enrolled Democrats and some Republicans appeared at the town hall Tuesday evening when the nominations were in order.
For a time harmony prevailed and the nominations of Peter Ceder for village president, Charles A. Barker for village trustee, and A. P. Delcambre for village treasurer were unanimous. Then came the contest. George O'Sullivan was designated by the Democratic committee for village tax collector and John Rohrs appeared in opposition. A vote was taken, with the result that Rohrs received 25 votes against O'Sullivan's 21, carrying the nomination by four votes.
The nominations for trustees of the Pelham public library were unanimous, as follows: Jacob Wirth, Isaac C. Hill, F. C. Henderschott, Mrs. Paul Harris and Thomas J. James. The committee to fill vacancies consists of the Democratic village committee, C. L. Chapman, chairman; W. J. Griffin, secretary; Paul Harris, Michael Lynch, George Lambert, E. F. Campbell and Maurice Hayes.
The Republican primaries will be held next Monday evening at the town hall, Fifth avenue. Monday is the last day for making the nominations, which have to be filed with the commissioner of elections 15 days prior to the election. It is reported about North Pelham that the agitation of a division of the Union free school district of Pelham will be the most important issue of the campaign. Altho the matter is entirely in the hands of the district superintendent and the state commissioners, the activities of the local politicians have made it an issue, along which lines the campaign will be waged."
Source: News in Nearby Towns -- NORTH PELHAM -- SURPRISE AT PRIMARY -- John Rohrs Defeats Organization Choice For Collector, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Mar. 2, 1916, p. 7, cols. 1-2.
"HAPPENINGS IN NORTH PELHAM
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REPORT FOR LIBRARY
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Two years old and had 823 members on January 1.
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The following report of the Pelham public library has been issued:
Our library is two years old this month and the trustees believe that a statistical report will be of great interest to the patrons and taxpayers. By way of introduction, it may be in order to give a brief history of the starting of the library.
Jacob A. Wirth at intervals for three years offered a collection of books to the village provided somebody would open and conduct a library. This offer was finally accepted by the Women's club on condition that Mrs. Paul Harris would do the work necessary, without any payment. At the end of three months, the result was, a Free Public Library, one of the state chain, supported by the School District and the taxpayers of North Pelham. A letter was received from the authorities at Albany congratulating Mr. Wirth and Mrs. Harris on the fact that they had broken all state records in village library progress.
Located in Hutchinson school building, and open at 8:30 on school mornings, the library has become a haven of fairy land, folk lore, facts and fiction to every child who attends the school; their parents search its walls for their reading afternoons and evenings. The only complaint ever brought to the attention of the library trustees is that there are not enough books. The state law provides that one-third of the book money must go for non-fiction, leaving only $133 1/3 available of the present allotment for the children and for novels. Not much for a library of 822 members, is it?
January 1917, there were 608 members. During the year 117 children and 96 adults enrolled and they drew out a total of 13,070 books. This number would have been greater had it not been for the breaking of the pipes which necessitated the closing of the libraray for some weeks this winter. The trustees feel that the library is wanted, needed and will be heartily supported by the tax payers who must surely feel pride in their library which leads all village libraries in the state of New York.
Treasurer's report, Pelham Public Library, 1917, March 1917 to March 1918.
Receipts.
Balance on hand.....................$ 378.96
From village............................ 1,200.00
Fines....................................... 4.00 $1,532.96
Disbursements.
Assistant Librarians................$ 945.00
Janitor..................................... 19.50
Books..................................... 239.97
Sundries................................. 44.94
Insurance............................... 24.39 $1,273.80
Balance on hand...........................................$ 309.16
(Signed) I. C. Hill,
Treasurer Pelham public library.
Of the balance on hand, $309.16, there is $100,00 pledged to the state for books. It is estimated that $250.00 will be required to carry the library until it may expect the funds for 1918. This leaves a probable deficit of at least $40, to be carried by the trustees, unless the requested increase of $300 is permitted to stand. The trustees plan to buy more books than heretofore, they desire to purchase a suitable case for the splendid mineral collection received from Mrs. Hazen and Mrs. Tiers and they should have $100 to hold over for the 1919 appropriation for books, which becomes available in October, 1918.
Signed JACOB A. WIRTH, Pres.
FRANCES A. HARRIS, Secy."
Source: HAPPENINGS IN NORTH PELHAM -- REPORT FOR LIBRARY -- Two years old and had 823 members on January 1, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Mar. 27, 1918, p. 7, col. 2.
"Jacob A. Wirth
Retired Book Salesman
DOBBS FERRY -- Jacob A. Wirth of North Pelham, a retired salesman for the old Methodist book concern here, died Saturday at Rosary Hill Home, Hawthorne, at the age of eighty-six.
Mr. Wirth was active in New Rochelle in the Masons and the Order of the Eastern Star. He was a life member of Winyah Chapter, OES, founded by his wife, Mrs. Adella Mills Wirth, who died five years ago.
Surviving are four sons, Frederick M., LeRoy E., Archer W., and Ernest B. Wirth."
Source: Jacob A. Wirth -- Retired Book Salesman, The Herald Statesman [Yonkers, NY]. p. 2, col. 4.
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Labels: 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, Adella Mills Worth, Jacob A. Wirth, Mary A. Dickenson, Mothers' Circle, Mrs. Francis Harris, Mrs. Paul Harris, Public Library, Town of Pelham Public Library, Woman's Club of North Pelham
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