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Address of Thomas F. Blue at the Fiftieth Anniversary of the founding of Wayland Institute, Washington D.C. and Richmond Theological Seminary, Richmond, VA, June 2, 1915 American Liberty League. 400dpi TIFF G4 page images Digital Library Services, University of Kentucky Libraries Lexington, Kentucky LFP_rblue_2_02_02_02 These pages may freely searched and displayed. Permission must be received for subsequent distribution in print or electronically. Address of Thomas F. Blue at the Fiftieth Anniversary of the founding of Wayland Institute, Washington D.C. and Richmond Theological Seminary, Richmond, VA, June 2, 1915 American Liberty League. unknown unknown 1915-06-02 Is Part of the Reverend Thomas F. Blue Papers, ca. 1905-1935 housed at the Louisville Free Public Library, Louisville, KY. This electronic text file was created by Optical Character Recognition (OCR). No corrections have been made to the OCR-ed text and no editing has been done to the content of the original document. Encoding has been done through an automated process using the recommendations for Level 1 of the TEI in Libraries Guidelines. Digital page images are linked to the text file. I ADDRESS OP THOMAS »* BLUB it the FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THJ3 FOUHDING OF WAYLAHD INSTITUTE, WASHIHGTOH, D.O. and RICHMOND THEOLOG* ICAL SEMINARY, RICHF'OKD, VA. June 2, 1915 "PUBLIC LIBRARY WORK AH03TQ COLORED EEOPIB« Hy first work after /graduating from tym Richmond Theo logical Seminary in 1898, was among soldiers* Incidentally, I "became Y.M*C.A. Secretary of the Sixth Virginia Regiment Volun- teers, during experience the Spanish American War* This proved a valuable s. Here, I had an opportunity to study men, men of all classes, men from all walk men at first hand Btfele ven to each soldier, readin ; mat 0or and stationary were furnished free, postage was kept for the convenience of the men, and we ship was encouraged. Shortly after the war, I was called to Louisville, Ky* take charge- of the Colored Branch of the Louisville Young Men Christian Association, and was secretary from 1899-1905. Por the past ten years I have been a member o€ the Committee of Management, and treasurer of the Association. During my connection with the Y.L.C.A. it has acquired a well equipped building at a 60at of $50 #000• and is doing an excellent work under our efficient secretary, Mr* C# H» Bullock. When the Colored Branch of the Louisville Free Publio Library was established in 190?, I was appointed branch librarian, and have since held that position. As this was the first free, publio library esfccluaively for colored people it was an esperi-ment, and like so many new, untried things its future was uncer- tain* Recognizing the need of special preparation for the work before taking charge, 1 was given instructions by Heads of Departments at the Main library. At first as assistants were required for the work, they were trained by the Heads of Departments at the &ain library and myself* The library was opened in temporary quarters, and imediately became popular and soon outgrew its surroundings. The trustees spoke of it as being a suesess from the beginning. The first year the circulation was 17#838 volumes, the second year 30,2^9 and the seventh, the banner year, the circulation was 73,462 volumes. The new building, the gift of Andrew Carnegie, was opened October 28, 1908. On that occasion W. Q* Head, the mayor of IiOuisville, and president of the Board of Trustees, presided. The opening of its doors was regarded as an epoch in the development of the race, for it was the first institution of its kind in existence. Louisville no# has two colored branches The build- ing occupied by the Western Colored Branoh is 77 *y *5 f®&t with main ?nd basement built and W 9 * with tile roof* The cost including grounds* building and equipment was $4J, 568.74. The library oontains 10,774 volumes, and receives 91 monthly, wee lay and daily periodicals and newspapers Attendance The attendance in nine years has been 382,467, and since the opening 7,814 persons have registered as borrowers of books for home use Circulation library Bhelf every one the greatest freedom in is the record of books circulated: Jlrst year Second * Third * Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Hinth * Total Work with Schools following ft 476,069 The library serve0 as a reference library for teacher and students of the high schools, ward schools and other educa- tional institutions in the city* It is in close touch with th* grade schools through the collections of books which are placed in the class rooms. These books are drawn by the children for home use under the supervision of the teachers* Reference Work A large amount of reference work is done with the pupils of the eohools. Information is looked up on all subjects and all kinds of topics, and all sorte of practical questions are answered. Since the opening of the library 2?,248 persons have been assisted in reference work,by. the^jj-tesyy'* The Library as an Educational and Social Center Aside from circulating books, and furnishing facts in reference work, the library encourages and assists all efforts to an educational end, and the advancement of our people in the city* The people feel that the library belongs to them, said that it may be used for anything that makes for their welfare. During a single month forty meetings have been held at the li* brary. The following clubs and reading circles meet regularly in the building! Banneker Reading Circle yisk Club Normal Alumni Sunday School Training class Girls1 Reading Club Douglass Debating Club *7ilberforoe Club Big Sisters1 Committee Y. W. C A. Story Hour Of the meetings that are held under the direction of the library staff, the Story Hour and the Douglass Debating Club deserve special mention. The Story Hour is the children's delight and is held weekly under the direction of a trained story teller. Aside from the pleasure that the stories give, now experiences are brou^it to the child ra}, their imagination is enlarged, and an interest Is oreated in books and reading. A story telling contest is held annually, and prize* are given to the children who can best reproduce a story told during the year. The Douglass Debating Club is composed of High School boys and is under the direction of the branch librarian. The purpose of the club is to acquaint its members with parliamentary usages, to keep before them the creat current questions, and to train them to speak in public. The club meets weekly, and a prepared program is rendered. Occasionally, a public debate is given and a prize contest is held annually. Following is a program of one of the public debates: Semi-Annual Public Debate and Literary Entertainment DOUGLASS DEBATING CLUB Western Colored Branch Library Monday, Feb. 22, at 8 P* M. Program Invocation Dr. J. &* Harvey Hfusio - Soldier18 Chorus Gounod Quotations from American Authors The Club Recent Noted Happenings Stanford Redd Items of Racial Progress Edgar Houser Humorous Selection Clarence Marshall Piano Solo B. 0. Wilkerson, Jr Declamation-The Character of Washington W. Keen Recitation from Dunbar Aaron Payne HUAlO - Barefoot Boy Clayton Johns Resolved, "That Germany was Justified in Taking up Arms against the Allies* Affi rmat i ve Hegat i ve William Kayfield Alonzo I*alone Bugene Roland Rupert Bartell Perry Music - Pilgrim*s Chorus Wagner Decision of the Judges Benediction / h Apprentice Class The library conducts an apprentice class for those who desire to enter library service. An examination is held in June and the class, which begins about September 1 each year, does three months actual work in all departments, preparing for service. This course has been taken by ten persons. Pour of this number came from other cities, Houston Texas, Bvansville Indiana, Memphis Tennessee and Cincinnati Ohio, preparing for service in colored branches in these cities. Arrangements are unci young cities. These apprentices had been elected to take charge of colored branches and were sent to Louisville to take training, with their expenses paid by the Library Boards of these oities. Eastern Colored Branch Library Tho work at the Western Colored Branch has been so successful and is held in i.uch high favor, that the Library Trustees have established a second colored branch in the eastern part of the city. This is known as the Eastern Colored Branch Library, and was opened vdth appropriate exercises January 28, 1914. John H» BuscheiAeyer, K&yor of tho city and President of the Board of Trustees, presided© Louisville long enjoyed the distinction of having th* ✓-only free, publio library exclusively for colored readers in the country. It now has the distinction of being the only city having two colored branches. The Eastern Colored Branch building is 60 by 80 fefet on a site 75 by 150 feet, and is especially adapted for library aad social center use3. The building, site, equipfcifcnt and volumes on opening day represented an expenditure of $27»735»43* The report for the first year of the Eastern Colored Branch shows an attendance of 42,70? with'a circulation of 26,664 volumes. It is a note worthy fact that the opening of the Eastern Colored Branch Library has not affected the circulation at the Hafetern Colored, as the circulation at the latter a- shows This means that the new "branch found new readers. The following expressions are selected from letters written by patrons of the colored branches: "The Eastern Colored Branoh Library, as an uplifting agency, is the one best hope of our people in that section of the city". A. B. Meyzeek "The library will be a potent factor in the religious civic, and home life of our people*. Bobt. B. Scott "Its influenoe will be far reaching in the betterment of the race". W« T. Merchant "The opening of the second colored library is a realization of our fondest hope". A* C* Kclntyre "Among the many blessings that have come to our race there is none greater than the opening of the Eastern Colored Branch". JT» H« Ross "We feel sure that it will be of great benefit to our people in all walks of life". W» H. Sheppard The colored branches are a part of the Louisville Pre* JPublic Library system of which George librarian The system consists of a Vain library, eight branches including the two colored branches, 213 class room collections in 35 school buildings, including the colored class room collections, and 54 deposit stations including the colored, a total of 276 centers for the circulation of books. The circulation last fiscal year was 945, 9^6 volumes and will go considerably over this The colored branches are doing their part in this great work. I have charge of the two colored branches with the assistance of Misses Elizabeth X« Finney and Jane J. Simpson at the Western Colored Branch and lira. P.achftl D. Harris and Mrs. Iillie S. Edwards at the Eastern Colored.