The Ladies' Library

The 15th animal meeting of tbc Ladies' Library Aasociaüon was held in the parlorsof the Prestyterian church, on Monday aftornoon. April llth. Mrs. John Maynard, Mrs. E. B. Pond, Mra. Prof. Tyler, Mrs. Dr. Angelí and Mrs Prof. Pettce were reelected membcrs of of the board, their terms of office having 01pired. Mrs. Prof. Adams was reelected president; Mrs. A. Ten Brook, vice president ; Mra. M. L. D'Ooge, secretary, and Mrs. C. A. Jaycox, treasurer. During tlie meeting a sufficicnt amount of money was contributed lo entirely cancel the indebtedness of the association lor their lot, and to leave a small surplus for the proposed library building. The President, Mrs. Prof. Adami, delÍTered an address as follows : pbxsiscnt's address. Ladies of the Association. At the very beginning of our meetinij I dciiiro to congratúlate you on the prosperity of the association during the past year. Wo have just past our fifteenth birthday. I tliink that those whe hare watuhed the growth of our library from its small beginniiigs to the present time, and have had so many evidences of the good it is accomplishïng in our community, cannot but feel a just pride in its prosperity. We know that in the past ita strength and usefulness have been increased only through untiring efl'orts ; and we have no reason to suppose that in the future its prospority will be secured ou any easicr conditions. From the reporte of the secretary and treasurer you will hear of the present prosperity of the library. I think we must all be gratified at the showing that will be made. But we cannot fail to see that its very prosperity makes new demanda upon us. The library is in need of better accommodations and appointments. In short, to use a ñgure which ladiea will appreciate, it is in the condition of the child who has outgrown its clothea. I presume that none will deny that the library, if more accesaiblo and in quarters of its own, would be far more uaeful than it can be at present It has been wisely suggested by one of our number, that t scems very dcsirable that the association should be establishcd upon a firm basis while some of ts founders are still with ns. It should hare a home before its parents hare passod away. It is but natural that thoíe who havo nursed it in its infancy, and cared for it in its childhood, should feel for it a peculiar interest whieh those who take up the work later may uot feol. And wo are frequeBtly reminded that the founders are fast passing away. Every year, as we come together at the annual gnthering, we aro reminded of some one who was with ns the year befora but who cannot be with us on earth again. Again and again lias the summons come. We are thus painfully rominded that if the genoration of the founders of the library are to see it pormaneutly cstablishod thoy havo no time to loae. It is for those roason that the board of directors aro to submit to yon to-day the question : Shall tho board of directors be authorizcd to take such measuros as may seom to be wise in their judgment for the ultimate erection of a new library building? Tho reasons for and against this question should be fully prosonted, and I am sure that if we can seo our way clear to going forward, many will come alter us who will fiad it in thcir liearts to bless us. We have had the advice of thoso in whose judgment we have confidence. They have encouragod ug to go forward, assuring us that the public will not bc unmindful of the beneüt we arebe8towing upon tho community.; and I believo, f'urthermore, if we are seen to go forward relying upon the public spirit of the community we shall not bedisappointed in our support. If by our united and untiring efforts we can sueceod, and thus crect a monument to tlio memory of small begiunings, we shall at the name time plant eed which shall yield a perennial harvest of flowers and fruit. treasuker's report. The following is the report of the treasurcr, Mrs. C. A. Jaycoi, for the year ending April 11. RECEtl'TS. Bequeat from estáte of E. C. Seaman $ 500 00 Collections for payment of lot 551 5 Kntertainments 95 78 Annual tax 128 00 Memberships 49 00 Fines 3:! 93 Sale of Catalogues 2 60 Donation 1 00 Total 1,359 81 Cash on hand, April 10, 1880 60 38 Note 400 00 Interest on note to May 22, 1880 Jl 16 Gas bond 100 00 IntereBt on bond to May 22, 1880 4 00 Total $1,N5 65 , DI8BURSEMEXTS. May 22, 1880- paid A. Dunn, for lot on Huron street $ 700 90 June 9, 1880- paid A. Dunn, for lot on Huron street 100 00 Nov. 6, 1880- paid A. Dunn, for lot on Huron street 100 00 Jan. 17, 188', paid A. Dunn, for lot on Huron Street 150 00 Librarían' salary to April, 1880 31 SS Librarian's salary toOctober, 1880 28 00 Librarian's sal ar y tolApril, 1881 28 00 Books 86 00 Repairing and binding books 28 06 Insuranee 8 00 Taxes 10 63 Exprese. 5 60 i'ostage 2 52 Box rent 1 00 Total l,27"l4 On hand- E. C. Heaman's bequest 800 00 -Collections for lot 151 50 - Receipts from library 15 01 Total S1.94S 65 iNDEBTEDNESS. To A. Dunn- for lot $ 210 00 -interest 20 78 Total S 230 78 THE SEORBTARï'S RBPORT. To the ladies oi the Library Awociation : I have the honor to present the following report for the year cloaing April llth, 1881. As the lile of an individual passes, he is prone to notice ach penod of five yeare, and the fifth, tenth, fifteenth, twentieth anniversaries of an event are of special interest It seems therefore, peculiarly fitting that this, the fifteenth year of our eaistence as an nssociation, should have been marked by at least one transaction of great importance, the purebase of a lot. That we might own a lot, and erect thereon a tastoful and well arranged library building, lias long been desirod by many members of the association. Such a building, it was thought, would be a constant reminder to the citizens of Ann Arbor of our library and its neods; a constant testimonial to the zeal and earnest labor of those to whom it owod its inception and growth. G ron ut interest would thus be awakencd, greater immbers would conneel themselves with us, and in every way our inllucnco would both bo increasod and more fully recognized. We should also have then a hall of our own, where such entertainments could be given as are not adapted to a private parlor. This hall might occasionally be rentcd to suitable persons and thus become a source of income. It was with the hope of securing such a building, that money was long ago sst asido as a nucleus for a building fund; and when, at the beginning of the year just closed, information was recoived that the legacy of $500 bequeathed Ihe association by Mr. Seaman would, without doubt, speedily become available, it was judged that with this boquest to draw from for the purchase of new books, the usual income from membcrship feoa, entertainment, etc., miglit safely be devoted to the purchase of a very desirable lot, which just at thia time was offered the ladies at a low pnce. At a meeting of the association held on May lith, the board was authorized to purchase this lot, lying just west of Dr. Hordman's residence, and to contract for this object such debt as was neceasary. A committee was appointed to solicit contributions to be applied to the purchase. On the 22d day of May, at a special board meeting, it was resolved to purchase the lot, three and a half rods in width, for the sum of f 1,260, $100 bcing paid down, and the remainder with interest at sucli timo as should be convenient. The necessary papers wore immediately signed and thus the association bccame a land owner. Through the exertions of the soliciting committec, and the cordial response given to thora, the $1,260 has been already nearly raised, and this is certainly a cause for great rojoicing. In one matter, howevor, the board has been disappointed. Owing to an uneipected claim against the Seaman estaie, the cash assets were ezhausted and speciñe bequests could be paid only in Leavenworth Gus stock at an appraised value of fifty cents on a dollar. A thousand shares of this stock carne into thehandsof the treasurer a few weeksago, and just how much ready money can be realized for it is yet quito uncertain. Yet, through the efforts of the ladie?, without the use of this money upon which we definitely counted twelve months ago, we have nearly paid for our lot, and have bought during the year a goodly number of books. Our income has been constantly increased by the parlor entertainment, which liave been continued through the year, and, as heretofore, have been extremely enjoyable and prof] ta ble. The association is under great obligations to the gentlemen who have so generously lectured for tlieir benefit. The series of musical eveuings, when the works of the different composers will be studied, are peculiarly attractive. To arrange for them requires a great amount of labor from those who have the matter in charge, and also from the musicians, and those present never fail to wish that a much largor nuinbor would avail themselves of this opportunity to hcar delightful music and assist the library. Thelibrarian's report shows that fiince last April eighty booka havo been added to tlio library, four of which numberwere presented. Twenty-five numbera of periodicals have been bound. The Atlantic, Harper's, Scribner'a, Ecleetic, Popular Science Monthly, Littell's and two copies of St. Nicholas are taken. Thero are 2,380 booka in tho library. During the year 3,454 books and 1,048 magazines have been circulated. Forty-five new membera iiave joined the association. Would that our report might close liore, and that there were need to record only growth and prospority, but again haa death come in our midst. Many hearta were aad in thia city at thanksgiving time, wlieu vo teel that all should be bright and happy, lor on that day was to be brought here the body of one of whom Ann Arber was justly proud, who, in the full vigor of his manhood, had been cui off, before accompliahing for science the half of what he had hoped. But how greatly was the gloom occaaioned by Ais death deepened, when early on that morning, word was circulated tht another woll-kuown in oir inidst lay dead. Not her's renown in scientific circles, nor in the world at large. but she was mother, wife, friend. Her home, her chureh, the public work carried on iu the city by women, tlioro was her sphere, and there no duty was ever noglected. So quiet, ao unasauming, so retiring was she, that one must know her well, to right'y appreciate the forco of hr character, or to realize in how large a sense she was the support of her husband, and the centre of hor home. We scarcely know of her ïllness wlien sho had goue, and we were loft querying wliy she ahould be taken, how she could be spared. From the vory beginning Mrs. Douglas waa decply interosted in tho library, and was chosen a member of its tirst board. Although sbe had once or twicc sought to retire, so ofïïcicnt and wise a membcr was she conaidered, that ahe had never been penrittod to do so. Hero, as elsewhere, she was remarkably faithful in the discharge of every duty. In illustiation of thia, the regularity of her attandancc at the meetings of the board is worthy of romark. By looking over the records, I find that during tho last fitleen years up to last December, 15G meetings havo been held, and Mrs. Douglas had beon absont from only 12 of them, or onco in 13 times. To her we over looked for wise counsel, in full reliance upon lier excellent udgment. For her indeed, Tlianksgiving mom dawned bright and bcautiful in that othcr wQld, whero there are no more tcars. Mrs. Dr. Wells was ohosen by the board to fill the placo left vacant and has acccptcd the appointment. In the death of Mr. Rogers also wo have lost a most honored friend, who was ever ready to assist ua by valuablo counsel, aud who alwaya manifested hearty interest in all our undertaking. How many times have we gathered in his parlors for our entertainment and how cordial has his welcome ever been. We shall not soon l'orget the evening of December 9th, 1878, whon we agsembled at his house to listen to a paper from hirnself. Only a few had heard the secret whispered that thie was the liftieth anniversary of his married lile, and thus, though all anticipated something full of interest and sparkling with wit, not many suspected that a sketch of his own life would be read. We are grateful that the closing years ol such a life were passcd in our city, and that his generous apmpathy was givcn in so large measure to our library association. As we entor now upon our sixteentli year, it is well for ua to considor what decidod steps forward we can lake. By having some detinito aim iu view, wc shall bo far more aure ol progresa. If altor the lapse of five years, we may look upon a building of our own orocted and at least in great part paid for, we shall have reason to be aatisfied with the work of twenty years. Respectfully submitted, Mary W. D'Ooge, Secretary. The followingisthe official vote in tliis county: Baldwin, 3,258; Marston, 2,969; Shiptnan, 627; Hyde, 586; total, 7,441. Joslin, 3,779; Critchett, 3,109; Lothrop, 3,451 ; Fralick, 3,425; Joy, 3,069; Blair, 3,037; McKeever, 580; Newell, 577; Willet, 369; Piirsons, 372, Constitutional ameniliut'iits, penal fines, yes, 1,656, do, 222; for clerk of supreme court, yes, 2,423, no, 210; for circuit court, yes, 2,089, no, 225.