DOCSLIB.ORG

Frontier Schools: a Reflectiœsi of Toe Turner Hypotoesis

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Frontier Schools: a Reflectiœsi of Toe Turner Hypotoesis I Thisdisseitalloiihisbeeo , . odaoiDrawlsxaetlratracslvsd 09-Zl,9/0 ALLISON, Clinton Boyd, 1935- FRONTIER SCHOOLS: A REFLECTIŒSI OF TOE TURNER HYPOTOESIS. TTie University of Oklahoma, PhJD., 1969 • Education, history University Microfilms, Inc., Aim Arbor, Ibfichigan © CLINTON BOYD ALLISON 1970 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED THE UNIVERSITY OP OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE FRONTIER SCHOOLS: A REFLECTION OF THE TURNER HYPOTHESIS A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY CLINTON BOYD ALLISON Norman, Oklahoma 1969 FRONTIER SCHOOLS: A REFLECTION OF THE TURNER HYPOTHESIS DISSERTATION COMMITTEE For Claudia, Janice, Beth Ann, and Kathleen ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to express my gratitude to a number of persons who aided in developing this dissertation. Lloyd P. Williams, David Ross Boyd Professor of History and Philosophy of Educa­ tion, directed the study and gave encouragement, time, and numerous helpful suggestions. Professor John Pulliam of the College of Education critically read each of the preliminary drafts and suggested a number of improvements. Professor A. M. Gibson of the History Department, in spite of a leave of absence during the time that this study was being completed, gave generously of his time. Appreciation is expressed to Professor Jack Parker of the College of Education for his encouragement and his numerous courtesies. My wife, Claudia, typed each of the chapters several times, read with a critical eye, and maintained unfailingly good spirits. Particular appreciation is expressed to Beryl Hamilton of Wichita, Kansas, who helped to develop my interest in both education and in frontier history. IV PREFACE This work explores the significance of the frontier experience on the development and practices of schools in seven middle western states. To aid the reader, a short synopsis of each chapter follows. "The Frontier Hypothesis and Educational History" contains a statement of the frontier hypothesis and a discus­ sion of the controversy surrounding it. The impact of the theory on American historiography and on other spheres of American thought is reviewed, and the positions of some of the major critics and defenders are examined. The applica­ tion of the theory to frontier education, including a short review of the literature, concludes the chapter. "Intellectual and Literary Activity on the Frontier" is concerned with the cultural milieu in which the schools developed. Vaurious stereotypes of the Westerner and the heterogeneous nature of society on the middle western fron­ tier are explored. Anti-intellectualism, including the role of religious fundamentalism, is examined, and the quantity and quality of literary and intellectual activity is surveyed. "Desire and Disdain for Education" contrasts the criticisms, foreign and domestic, regarding the frontiersman's unconcern with educational opportunities with the enthusiasm and pride that many Westerners exhibited in their schools. The views and efforts of the New Englander, Southerner, and immigrant toward education on the middle western frontier are contrasted. Attention is given to the leadership role of the clergy in education. "The First Schools on the Frontier" is concerned with the forced innovations in schools established by the early settlers. The subscription schools, the makeshift buildings, the limited curriculum, the often ill prepared teachers, and school discipline are described. Educational opportunities at the secondary level on the frontier are discussed. "Tradition and Innovation in Education" explores the conflicts between the advocates of classical and more utili­ tarian curriculums. The perpetuation of the traditional clas­ sical curriculum in the middle western academies and early high schools is stressed. Attempts at reconstruction of the courses of study, including manual labor schools and Pesta- lozzian reforms, are investigated. "The Windfall of Public Lands" reviews the land grants from the national domain to education, and consideration is given to the effect of the land grauits on western educational thought. The inconsequential amount of income from and the mismanagement of school lands is discussed. Competition be­ tween schools and railroads for both land grants and the use of proceeds from the public lands is studied. vi "The Struggle for Tax Supported Schools" contains a review of the legislation leading to free common schools in each of the seven states studied. Impediments to a quick acceptance of free public schools as a result of the physical and economic burdens of the frontier are suggested. The com­ peting forces in the public school campaign are examined, and the relationship between the movement in the Middle West and the national common school revival is explored. "The Significance of the Frontier on Middle Western Schools" suggests the changes that might be anticipated if education reflected the frontier hypothesis. Attention is given to the affect of the frontier experience on innovation in curriculum and educational organization, and on the democ­ ratization of the schools. The chapter is concluded with recommendations for further study. Vil TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.................................... iv PREFACE ...................... V Chapter I. THE FRONTIER HYPOTHESIS AND EDUCATIONAL HISTORY .................................... 1 II. INTELLECTUAL AND LITERARY ACTIVITY ON THE FRONTIER........................... 35 III. DESIRE AND DISDAIN FOR EDUCATION ..... 73 IV. THE FIRST SCHOOLS ON THE FRONTIER .... 103 V. TRADITION AND INNOVATION IN EDUCATION . 138 VI. THE WINDFALL OF PUBLIC L A N D S ............. 170 VII. THE STRUGGLE FOR TAX SUPPORTED SCHOOLS . 189 VIII. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FRONTIER ON MIDDLE WESTERN SCHOOLS ................... 238 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY.............................. 249 viii FRONTIER SCHOOLS: A REFLECTION OF THE TURNER HYPOTHESIS CHAPTER I THE FRONTIER HYPOTHESIS AND EDUCATIONAL HISTORY The most productive, bitter, and sometimes humorous, debates among American historians have been conducted over the controversy surrounding the significance of the frontier experience in American history. American historians are now in the third generation of the controversy. From 1893, when Frederick Jackson Turner read the paper which -was to be of paramount importance for American historiography— "The Sig­ nificance of the Frontier in American History"— at the meet­ ing of the American Historical Association in Chicago, until his death in 1932, the frontier thesis was accepted almost without challenge as the answer to the enigma as to the cause of the distinctiveness of the American character. Following Turner's death, and for a generation there­ after, the denunciations of the thesis were as complete and devastating as had been the acceptance before. In the present decade, according to a warm supporter of the hypoth­ esis, the "attitude is still one of doubt, but scholars in 2 a variety of fields are increasingly showing a willingness to test aspects of the thesis, rather than accept or condemn it as a whole. The elements of the thesis which were important for the purposes of this study are stated below: The experience of three hundred years of people continually returning to a more primitive environment by moving into a frontier region has been one of the most important factors in producing a distinctive people in the Western World— the American. The modifications required in tools, ideas, and institutions because of the demands of the new environment; and the work and skill required to garner the fruits of the abundance which the frontier possessed, but gave grudgingly, transformed the European in the frontiersman. The characteristics of the frontiersman, not all of them attractive by any means, became the most distinctive of American traits. Among the western characteristics was a vociferous equalitarianism which had the virtues of an insistence on democracy and which allowed rapid upward social mobility, but which also resulted in rudeness, disregard or indifference for the conventions of civilization, and an abhorrence of outside control. In order to conquer the wilderness, the frontiersman was driven to hard work, and because it payed, it became a habit and a virtue, and leisure a vice. The ^Ray Allen Billington, America * s Frontier Heritage (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, l^éé), xii. 3 result was a coarsening of the Westerner; he came to honor materialism, and failed to develop an appreciation of the aesthetic. The riches of the frontier in the form of miner­ als, timber, furs, or land led to exploitive and wasteful use of the natural resources of the continent. The existence of the wealth and the lack of societal restraints on its appropriation by individuals resulted in a mobile population and a restless energy as men sought to get their share. As the frontiersman faced the challenge of new prob­ lems on new frontiers, he was forced to experimentation and innovation. The result was an inventive and pragmatic per­ sonality which habitually accepted the new when it demon- 2 strated practicality, and readily*discarded the old. The Frontier hypothesis has strongly, if not always desirably, influenced thought in America.^ For most twentieth century Americans, or at least for those who considered the sources of their culture at all, it was the explanation of 2 The statement of the hypothesis was developed from a number of sources including: Frederick Jackson Turner, "The Significance of the Frontier
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Highland City Library: Long-Range Strategic Plan 2019-2022
    Highland City Library: Long-range Strategic Plan 2019-2022 Introduction Public libraries have long been an important aspect of American life. From the early days of the Republic, libraries were valued by Americans. Benjamin Franklin founded the first subscription library in Philadelphia in 1732 with fifty members to make books more available for citizens of the young nation. From that time to the present, public libraries have been valued because they allow equal access to information and educational resources regardless of social or economic status. Library service has long been important to the residents of Highland. From 1994 to 2001, residents of Highland and Alpine were served by a joint use facility at Mountain Ridge Junior High School. That arrangement was eventually terminated and in 2001 the entire library collection was relocated to the old Highland City building for storage. In 2008, Highland City built a new city hall and dedicated a portion of the building for a city Library. In 2016 the Library received permission to convert a public meeting room into a Children’s Room for the Library. The new Children’s Room was opened in spring of 2018. The Library joined the North Utah County Library Cooperative (NUCLC) April 1, 2012 as an associate member. NUCLC is a reciprocal borrowing system that allows library card holders from participating libraries to check out materials from other participating libraries. It is not a county library system. Each participating library maintains its own policies, budget, administration, non-resident fees, etc. In 2018 the Library reached the required collection size and was accepted as a full NUCLC member.
    [Show full text]
  • Michigan Libraries
    Michigan Time Traveler Michigan Time Traveler An educational supplement produced by Lansing Newspapers In Education, Inc. and the Michigan Historical Center. Read This Summer! Until the 20th century, children under the age of 10 were not allowed to use most libraries. Other than nursery rhymes, there weren’t many books for kids. Today that has changed! Libraries have neat areas for kids with books, activities, even computers! Every summer millions of kids read for fun. By joining a summer reading program at their local library, they get free stuff and win prizes. Jim — “the Spoon Man” KIDS’KIDS’ — Cruise (photo, center) says reading is like exercising, “Whenever you read a book, I call it ‘lifting weights for your brain.’” This year many Michigan libraries are celebrating “Laugh It Up @ History Your Library.” These libraries History have lots of books good for laughing, learning and just loafing this summer. The Spoon aries Man had everybody laughing at Time Lansing’s Libraries the Capital Area District higan Libr s Lansing’s first library was a subscription library. Library Summer Reading Mic This month’ During the 1860s, the Ladies’ Library and Program kickoff. After One of the best ways to be a Literary Association started a library on West the program Traveler is to read a book. Michigan Avenue for its members. It cost $2 to Marcus and me Traveler explores the history of belong, and the library was open only on Lindsey (above left) Ti Saturdays. Then, in 1871, the Lansing Board of joined him to look places filled with books — libraries.
    [Show full text]
  • Medical Library Association MLA '18 Poster Abstracts
    Medical Library Association MLA ’18 Poster Abstracts Abstracts for the poster sessions are reviewed by members of the Medical Library Association National Program Committee (NPC), and designated NPC members make the final selection of posters to be presented at the annual meeting. 1 Poster Number: 1 Time: Tuesday, May 22, 1:00 PM – 1:55 PM Bringing Each Other into the FOLD: Shared Experiences in Start-up Osteopathic Medical School Libraries Darell Schmick, AHIP, Director of Library Services, University of the Incarnate Word, School of Osteopathic Medicine Library, San Antonio, TX; Elizabeth Wright, Director of Library Services, Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Arkansas Colleges of Health Education, Library, Fort Smith, AR; Erin Palazzolo, Library Director and Professor of Medical Informatics, Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine at New Mexico State University, BCOM Library, Las Cruces, NM; Norice Lee, Assoc. Library Director & Assoc. Prof. / Medical Informatics, Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine Health Sciences Library, Las Cruces, NM; Molly Montgomery, Director of Library Services, Proposed Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine, Library, Meridian, ID; Anna Yang, AHIP, Health Sciences Librarian, California Health Sciences University, Library, Clovis, CA Objectives: To establish a communication channel for founding library administrators of new medical schools. Methods: Library directors in founding osteopathic medical schools are faced with a unique set of challenges in this role. Depending on the establishing medical school’s structure, these can be librarians in a solo capacity. Librarians in this role share experiences and best practices over a monthly meeting for their inaugural and second academic school years, respectively. Results: Meetings enjoyed robust discussion and comparison of resources.
    [Show full text]
  • A Study of Lending Libraries in Eighteenth-Century Britain
    A STUDY OF LENDING LIBRARIES IN EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY BRITAIN ELEANOR LOCHRIE This dissertation was submitted in part fulfilment of requirements for the degree of MSc Information and Library Studies DEPT. OF COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE SEPTEMBER 2015 i DECLARATION This dissertation is submitted in part fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MSc of the University of Strathclyde. I declare that this dissertation embodies the results of my own work and that it has been composed by myself. Following normal academic conventions, I have made due acknowledgement to the work of others. I declare that I have sought, and received, ethics approval via the Departmental Ethics Committee as appropriate to my research. I give permission to the University of Strathclyde, Department of Computer and Information Sciences, to provide copies of the dissertation, at cost, to those who may in the future request a copy of the dissertation for private study or research. I give permission to the University of Strathclyde, Department of Computer and Information Sciences, to place a copy of the dissertation in a publicly available archive. (please tick) Yes [ ] No [ ] I declare that the word count for this dissertation (excluding title page, declaration, abstract, acknowledgements, table of contents, list of illustrations, references and appendices is 21,345. I confirm that I wish this to be assessed as a Type 1 2 3 4 5 Dissertation (please circle) Signature: Date: ii ABSTRACT This research questions a number of untested assumptions concerning eighteenth-century lending libraries in Britain, particularly that the membership of circulating libraries was dominated by women and that the stock primarily consisted of novels.
    [Show full text]
  • The Louisville Free Public Library1
    ONE-HUNDRED YEARS AT THE LOUISVILLE FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY1 In April 1902, Mayor Charles F. Grainger and 10 citizen volunteers sat in the Mayor’s office and set the course for a literate culture in Louisville. They decided the City would have a free public Library, owned and paid for by the people of Louisville, with a little help from Andrew Carnegie. The Library they created that day was not the first in the City but it was the one that counted, the one that would last. The Louisville Free Public Library was the 13th in a succession of libraries established in Louisville. The first was the Louisville Library Co., which opened in 1816 and was modeled on the subscription library Benjamin Franklin established in Philadelphia. The Library operated for six years but ceased operation during the yellow fever epidemic of 1822. Citizen recognition that Louisville needs a public library to provide books and information for self- improvement has existed since 1816. Each of the successive libraries was witness to citizen recognition that Louisville needed a Library to provide books and information for the self-improvement of its citizens. Lack of funding always caused their demise. In 1871, the Public Library of Kentucky was founded and took another approach to funding. It was to be free, with funds to be raised by means of five nationwide lotteries. These lotteries grossed $6,250,000; the Library's share was only $424,396. 1 Adapted from an article by William Garner in The Encyclopedia of Louisville, edited by John Kleber and published by the University Press of Kentucky.
    [Show full text]
  • The Community Library in Scottish History
    68th IFLA Council and General Conference August 18-24, 2002 Code Number: 063-111-E Division Number: VII Professional Group: Library History RT Joint Meeting with: Meeting Number: 111. Simultaneous Interpretation: - The community library in Scottish history John Crawford Introduction Historically Scotland has supported all the major forms of library activity, both for the general public and for privileged user groups. However the form of library activity which has proved to most important in an international comparative context are the libraries of local communities, the origins of which date back to the late 17th century and whose inspiration and rationale are deeply imbedded in Scottish cultural and intellectual values. The administrative model of the community library took a variety of forms but the predominant one was the subscription library. These were run like clubs or societies and members paid an entry fee to join and an annual subscription which was used to buy books and pay administrative costs. The library society (as they were often called) was governed by an annual general meeting at which a committee was elected which ran the library on a day to day basis. The model was therefore essentially democratic. This was the predominant model in the 18th century. In the 19th century new administrative models appeared influenced by secular utilitarianism and religious evangelicalism. They were less directly democratic in character but retained the model of management by committees which were usually composed of leading figures in the local community. The seventeenth century background The origins of modern Scottish library activity lie in the seventeenth century at a time when the prevailing religious ideology was Episcopalianism.
    [Show full text]
  • A Timeline of Important Events in Georgia Public Library History
    The Georgia Public Library Service and Georgia’s Public Libraries: A Timeline of Important Events in Georgia Public Library History Compiled by J. Elaine Hardy, PINES & Collaborative Projects Manager, GPLS Peggy Chambliss, Library Services Manager, GPLS 2008; rev. 2016 “IT IS DECLARED TO BE THE POLICY OF THE STATE, AS A PART OF THE PROVISIONS FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, TO PROMOTE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE STATE.” (O.C.G.A. §20-5-1) This timeline chronicles the diligent work that Georgia’s libraries and librarians do to improve the lives of all Georgians. It is a compilation of historical data on Georgia’s public libraries and a history of the Georgia Public Library Service from its inception in 1897. It begins with the first known subscription library created in Savannah in 1809 and ends with our current status of 403 service outlets for public library service in the state. Congruent with the development of public library service in Georgia was the development of the State Library, which was proposed by the General Assembly in 1831. The State Library was initially a department within the Executive Branch until it was made a division of the Department of Law in 1972. A specialized library, it collected material on law and Georgia history for the benefit of her citizens and to support government officials and members of the bench and bar. It was a depository of official publications of the state and state agencies and departments and also distributed copies of some of those publications to counties and other states.
    [Show full text]
  • Oklahoma Library Commission
    REPORTS OF THE OKLAHOMA LIBRARY COMMISSION July 1, 1924 - June 30, 1925 July 1; 1925 - June 30, 1926 and Survey of Libraries of Oklahoma of the^ Oklahoma Library Commission July lit, 1924 <- June 30th., 1925 and ^uri^ of Libraries of Oklahoma 1926 KLAHOMA PRINTING CO., QUTHRIE, QKL.A. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL To His Excellency, Hon. M. E. Trapp, Governor of Oklahoma: The Oklahoma Library Commission has the honor to submit its sixth annual report, covering the fiscal year, July 1, 1924 to June 30, 1925. Respectfully submitted, M. A. NASH, President. OKLAHOMA LIBRARY COMMISSION M. A. NASH, President. State Superintendent of Public Instruction. R. T. BLACKBURN, Ada. MRS. TOM C. WALDREP, Shawnee. JESSE L. RADER, Norman. MRS. RAYMOND TOLBERT, Oklahoma City. MRS. J. R. DALE, Secretary. MISS H. ELAINE BOYLAN, Assistant Secretary. MRS. J. R. JACKSON, Traveling Library Director. MISS MARGURETTE McGUIRE, Reference Librarian. MISS FRANCES BLACKMER, Stenographer. Office: Room 331 State Capitol Oklahoma City C ON T E N T S Section I. Report and Library Survey for year 1924-25. Section II. Report and Library Survey for year 1925-26. SECTION I. Page Letter of Transmittal - r- 2 Commission Members and Staff 3 General Report, 1924-25 7-17 What the Commission Has Been Doing — - 7 Legislation, Certification of Librarians 9 Children's Book Week 13 State Penitentiary Library Survey 15 Library Conferences .... 16 Summer Library School 17 Traveling Libraries -- 18-26 Statistics 19 Survey of Stations by Counties 20 Traveling Art Exhibit 26 Individual Loan and Reference Department 26-29 Publications, 1925 30 News of Oklahoma Libraries ...
    [Show full text]
  • EDITORIAL Back to Our Roots
    EDITORIAL Back To Our Roots Ross Shimmon the singing of ‘Happy Birthday’ in the future. Diversity was ably during the opening ceremony, the tackled by another plenary speaker, IFLA is, as those of us involved in cutting of several cakes, and the Martin Nakata, whose ‘Indigenous its organization for 52 weeks a lecture of reminiscences by former Knowledge and the Cultural Inter- year know only two well, is much IFLA President Herman Liebaers), face: underlying issues at the inter- more than a conference. Neverthe- but also for a series of innovations section of knowledge and infor- less it is our flagship event. This and special features. The first of mation systems’ drew conclusions year the 68th IFLA conference was these was the Mobilemeet, which for the information profession of held in Glasgow, in order to cele- attracted 39 mobile libraries from the complexities arising from the brate, in the land of its birth, its Sweden, Holland, Ireland, England interface between the indigenous 75th anniversary. Everyone con- and Scotland. A Fun Run was held and academic domains. The texts cerned with the planning of this to raise funds for the IFLA/ of the papers by Seamus Heaney conference was determined that it UNESCO project ‘Books for All’. and Martin Nakata are reproduced would be a memorable occasion, The opening ceremony took place in this issue of IFLA Journal; the and so it proved. on Monday morning, closer than paper by Anne Fine will appear in usual to the beginning of the event. the next issue. More than 4,300 people attended.
    [Show full text]
  • Beacher 040308-A.Indd
    THE TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 24, Number 13 Thursday, April 3, 2008 Carnegie Libraries Enrich State of Indiana by William F. Keefe The La Porte County Public Library became a brilliant gleam in the philanthropic eye of industrialist Andrew Carnegie on March 31, 1916. On that date Carnegie formally approved a grant of $27,500 for the library’s construction. La Porte was on the way to joining a virtual forest of Carnegie-funded libraries that were springing up in all parts of the state. Before Carnegie’s death in 1919 the forest would see 164 separate libraries operating in 155 Indiana communities. Because of their size and demonstrated need, four Indiana communities received grants for the construction of more than one “temple of wisdom.” The four included East Chicago, Evansville, Gary and Indianapolis. Among the applicant towns in northwest Indiana that benefi ted from Carnegie’s munifi cence were Gary, Mishawaka, North Judson and Westville. With its 164 Carnegie libraries, Indiana led all its sister states in the to- tal number of such buildings. Michigan City had no gift library – probably because the city did not, for whatever reasons, apply for a Carnegie library grant. The La Porte library succeeded an earlier structure that had been built in 1876. Located at 805 Maple Avenue, that institution operated partly or mainly as a kind of adjunct to a local business college. A camera-shy Andrew Carnegie had his The city school board, according to the current library’s own history bro- picture taken on an unspecifi ed date.
    [Show full text]
  • MLA '18 Poster Abstracts
    Medical Library Association MLA ’18 Poster Abstracts Abstracts for the poster sessions are reviewed by members of the Medical Library Association National Program Committee (NPC), and designated NPC members make the final selection of posters to be presented at the annual meeting. 1 of 174 Poster Number: 1 Time: Tuesday, May 22, 1:00 PM – 1:55 PM Bringing Each Other into the FOLD: Shared Experiences in Start-up Osteopathic Medical School Libraries Darell Schmick, AHIP, Director of Library Services, University of the Incarnate Word, School of Osteopathic Medicine Library, San Antonio, TX; Elizabeth Wright, Director of Library Services, Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Arkansas Colleges of Health Education, Library, Fort Smith, AR; Erin Palazzolo, Library Director and Professor of Medical Informatics, Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine at New Mexico State University, BCOM Library, Las Cruces, NM; Norice Lee, Assoc. Library Director & Assoc. Prof. / Medical Informatics, Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine Health Sciences Library, Las Cruces, NM; Molly Montgomery, Director of Library Services, Proposed Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine, Library, Meridian, ID; Anna Yang, AHIP, Health Sciences Librarian, California Health Sciences University, Library, Clovis, CA Objectives: To establish a communication channel for founding library administrators of new medical schools. Methods: Library directors in founding osteopathic medical schools are faced with a unique set of challenges in this role. Depending on the establishing medical school’s structure, these can be librarians in a solo capacity. Librarians in this role share experiences and best practices over a monthly meeting for their inaugural and second academic school years, respectively.
    [Show full text]
  • Historical Facts About Buncombe County Public Libraries Compiled by Ann Wright
    Historical Facts about Buncombe County Public Libraries Compiled by Ann Wright Library Established 1879 Notable Librarians Ann Talbot Erwin was Buncombe County’s first librarian. She started working for the library in 1905 when it was still a subscription library. She had formal library training and oversaw the transition to a free public library in 1919. First Bookmobile The original bookmobile service in Buncombe County was started in June, 1939 through an arrangement with the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The first bookmobile was a Chevrolet truck. When the WPA withdrew after a few months, the service was continued through the gift of a new vehicle by R. Lee Ellis of the Asheville Coca-Cola Bottling Company. Important Facts 1879 - The Asheville Library Association was incorporated. 1899 - George Willis Pack donated a building on the main city square to the Asheville Library Association. 1919 - After 40 years as a subscription library, the library opened its doors as a free public library. 1926 - A new library building, designed by architect Edward L. Tilton, replaced the building donated by George W. Pack, occupying the same site on Pack Square. 1931 - Dr. Forster A. Sondley bequeathed his private library of over 30,000 volumes to the city of Asheville. His books became the basis of the Sondley Reference Library. 1939 - The WPA remodeled the Colored Public Library on South Market Street in Asheville. Notable Stories Famous patrons include Thomas Wolfe, Carl Sandburg and Wilma Dykeman. Special Collections The collection’s focus is the history of Asheville and Buncombe County, and to a lesser extent, Western North Carolina.
    [Show full text]