“Lyceum and dime debates gave library start” and “Library goes from no talking to talking books” from the 1964 Door County Advocate
[April 16, 1964]
Lyceum and dime debates gave library start
By FRANCES BADTKE
April 12-18 is National Library Week and it is also close to the date of the 52nd anniversary of the opening of the Sturgeon Bay library.
The history of the local library is most interesting and the following article has been compiled from facts contained in the Advocate files of 1913 and prior years. This is part one of a series of two articles on the Sturgeon Bay library, its beginnings and its growth, from 1865 to the present day.
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May 1, 1913 there was a dedication of the new Carnegie library in Sturgeon Bay. Andrew Carnegie, noted philanthropist of the day had donated $12,500 for the building’s construction.
The total cost of the fixtures, steam and water connections and electric lights was “expected to exceed the $150 which had been donated.”
According to Mayor Wolter it was gratifying to see such a “splendid turnout on the occasion and congratulations are to be given the city on the securing of so magnificent a structure . . . it is one of the best institutions of which the city can boast.”
District Attorney Henry Graass gave a history of the efforts that had been made to procure the library and had made an exhaustive study of all records available at the time dating back 50 years to 1865. Most of the information he gave was taken from old files of the Advocate.
About a dozen business and professional men of Sturgeon Bay met Dec. 19, 1865 at the old courthouse and formed a group to be known as the Lyceum. Ten cents admission was charged for meetings, ladies were admitted free, and the proceeds were to go into a fund to start a library for the city. The Lyceum had debates at these meetings, some of the subjects being Negro suffrage, woman’s suffrage, etc. One meeting, a debate on “Civilization not being the consequence of Christianity” became rather heated and newspaper accounts relate that “debate waxed so warm it was not concluded at this meeting but they adjourned some time after midnight and carried it over to the next week.”
The Lyceum set every Monday evening as the time of their meetings and the ten cent admission was to be applied to the library fund. In March, 1866 the Sturgeon Bay Association was incorporated by an act of the legislature.
At times when they did not debate such questions as abolishment of capital punishment, impeaching the president of the United States or other such subjects, an interesting article was read from one of the numerous patent office reports. There were also recitations, essays and songs, but the report added that there was “no prayer.”
Along about 1872 interest fell off but by this time the group had accumulated over 300 volumes for the library shelves, many from members of Congress and Madison, books of session laws, blue books, patent office reports and “other valuable reading material.”
In 1879 interest in the project was revived and 80 volumes by such authors as Irving, Hawthorne, Scott, George Elliott and other standard authors were added. At that time you could become a permanent member by paying your dues of $3, either in cash or by donating that value in books. If you were only interested in membership on a temporary basis then a smaller sum was accepted, the amount not being designated.
From 1880 to 1902 the status of the library was inactive and the books were kept in various places, several local attorneys taking their turn at having them in their offices. In 1892 the library was revived and the books were kept for a while at the telephone office, the switchboard operator doubling as librarian.
When the telephone and telegraph offices were discontinued in 1897 part of the books were stored over Washburn’s old feed store and the balance taken to the high school, where they stayed until 1901.
About 1901 the WCTU members and newspapers again revived the project and a literary society was formed by 27 ladies. Their goal was to “establish and maintain a reading room and sitting room for boys and men, together with a coffee room.” The ladies made up a list of essential items for the start of such a project and “do hereby agree to give such articles as are set forth opposite our names—one plate and cup and saucer or one chair, or some other article toward the furnishing of the rooms.”
The ladies called themselves the Women’s Association. Opening day was March 2, 1901 in the old Schuyler building on Cedar st. According to old records the lunch room was discontinued in August, 1901, the reason not being given.
Books were moved to several locations from that time until July, 1903 when old records and books were burned in a fire, with the exception of the portion of the books in LaPlant’s store. This was the library until 1906 when the women turned it over to the city of Sturgeon Bay.
In June, 1902 Mrs. Y. V. Dreutzer began corresponding with Andrew Carnegie’s secretary, telling the need for a library in the city and the efforts of the women toward this end. No answer was received from Mr. Carnegie and in 1905 the city voted $100 to help maintain the library.
From September, 1906 until April, 1913 books were stored at the Pinney building and from 1910 a Sawyer branch was maintained at Woerfel drug store.
In 1910 correspondence was still being kept up with Mr. Carnegie and after certain necessary formalities, and after the city council passed an ordinance to give $1,250 a year for the maintenance of a library, Mr. Carnegie generously consented to donate the sum of $12,500 for construction of a library in Sturgeon Bay. Negotiations were completed May 2, 1911.
THIS IS ONE of the many signs on display in the “new” library back in 1913. The rule of silence was strictly enforced and girls and boys were not permitted to sit at the same table with each other.
THIS WAS A VIEW of the interior of the Sturgeon Bay library shortly after it was dedicated in 1913. The shelves were still rather empty at this time. The electric light fixtures and furnishings were the latest thing and this library was considered a model for others in the future.
[April 21, 1964]
Library goes from no talking to talking books
This is the concluding portion of the two part history of the Sturgeon Bay library, soon to celebrate its 52nd anniversary.
When the library was dedicated May 1, 1913 there was rejoicing on the part of the many citizens who had devoted much time and effort to this project.
Andrew Carnegie had donated $12,500 for the building, the city council had agreed to donate $1,250 a year for its upkeep and the people were looking forward to the use of the books and periodicals at the library.
The insurance company that handled the insurance on the new building split the insurance policy between ten different companies that he represented and total premium in 1913 was $121.70.
The approximate size of the lot was 100' x 150' and the building contained 2,975 square feet. Total cost of the building, ready for occupancy was listed at $12,666.85 in old library records.
When it came to pay the final bills there was a little discussion as to what was to be included in the original cost and what were to be considered extras.
June 7, 1913 the Library Board wrote the Contractor as follows:
“Your favor of 1st inst. to hand Your items of payment are as we have them. Note your extras for cement floor, we understood that, the change made in that would be no more than to have followed the contract. We also note that you have made no allowance for the failure to have building completed according to contract, we had an additional rent of 4 months at 35.00 per month $140.00 and Mr. Gabert claims that you alone were responsible for the delay. Before paying any more of the accounts we would like to have this matter settled.”
The contractor had different ideas and Fred Wulf wrote back to the Library Board on July 3, 1913 as follows: “In regards to the Library building our agreement in article 7 reads that time lost shall be extended. Now I havent brought in no claim in writing but why should you take advantage of same. I was delayed on account of rain and also I couldn’t get Bedford stone you know the roof was on when our front wall was way down. Also the change of the cement floor took some time but I dont believe I am being used right. Had I made any money I wouldn’t mind it, besides you were to furnish heat which was very poor while we plastered and it was not any better after I finished plastering it was certainly late before Gabert could start finishing. I couldn’t ask him to help pay tordst this as he told me he started as soon as the building was dry enough. I asked Wiest to put in more radiators but he said he hadn’t any at the time I plastered.
“I wish you would think this over, I am yours as ever, Fred Wulf”
A notation at the bottom of the letter stated that Wulf called three days later and offered to settle for $100.
After the final bills were settled the Library Board made a number of rules concerning the use of the Library.
“Children under 14 years of age may draw books only on Wednesdays and Saturdays before 6 p.m.; there must be no loud talking in the library; No one may draw books on another’s card unless members of the same family; no book shall be drawn on a card when a fine remains unpaid, nor shall a book be drawn on any other card until said fine is paid.
They also set up a system of fines: “pocket torn out, 5 cents; leaves cut or torn, 15 cents; cover torn off, so it can be mended, 15 cents; cover torn off so as to make it necessary to send it to the bindery, 30 cents.
“These rules will be strictly enforced, /s/ Library Board.”
Boys and girls were not permitted to sit together at the same table in the library, nor was anyone permitted to even whisper, even in connection with the studying they were doing at the time. The rule of silence was strictly enforced and persons not observing it were asked to leave the building.
The new library was considered to be one of the finest in the state. The architectural beauty was greatly admired and the floor plan and picture of the building appeared in periodicals of the state commission and the building used as a model for other libraries built in the state after 1913.
The original library board consisted of Jno. B. Davis, president; Mrs. C. B. Packard, secretary; Mrs. C. L. Nelson, E. W. Long, H. R. Isherwood, Henry Fetzer and Rudolph Soukup. Also serving on the board during the construction of library were Frank Long, Mrs. Ed Reynolds, August Reiboldt and C. G. Stangel.
The Library Board was most grateful to Andrew Carnegie for his generous gift to the city and sent him a card on his birthday each year. A printed thank you note was received from Mr. Carnegie’s secretary in November, 1915 for their remembering his birthday.
They apparently kept him informed as to the growth and activities of the library for in June, 1917 Miss Grace Lown, librarian, received this letter from the Carnegie Corp.:
“We hav the report which you hav been good enuf to send shoing the activities of the Sturgeon Bay Public Library for the last three years. We rite to ask whether the cost figures as reported by you, $800 being added to the Carnegie grant, making the total $13,330 ar correct.”
The value of the contents of the library increased constantly and in 1923 they received advice from the Wisconsin Free Library Commission at Madison as to the correct procedure to follow in valuing the books and contents and how to go about getting full insurance coverage on same. Records of June 1, 1923 show that the inventory gave a value of $6,295 on the books and furnishings.
In the early years of the library it was also used as a meeting place for various civic organizations and the Women’s club was permitted to use the assembly room biweekly from September to May of each school year. All associations for civic improvement and charitable purposes were also granted the same privileges.
Through the years the library patronage has grown and grown until it seems as though on some evenings when the students are doing school assignments that the walls must be bulging outward.
In 1913 Sturgeon Bay had a population of 4,262, abort half of the present 7,353 inhabitants. That first year there were 2,673 books on the shelves with 249 added during the year and circulation reached 17,194.
In 1963 the number of books totaled 15,736 and 1,188 were added during the year, bringing total circulation to 73,256. In March, 1964 a total of 5,902 books were checked out at the Sturgeon Bay unit.
In 1945 free library service was voted to the entire Door county. County residents could borrow books from the city library without a charge.
In the fall of 1949 it was voted to extend service to the county and a Bookmobile was purchased in February, 1950 for about $5,600. This was in conjunction with Kewaunee county and the state paid half of the expenses in connection with the State Demonstration Library system. In the 1952 fall elections Kewaunee chose to sever relations with this set up and Door county continued on alone. A new Bookmobile was authorized recently by the county board and this one will cost about $13,000 because of the rise in prices of such vehicles.
Other services have been added through the years by the library as the demands grew and 16 mm. movie films and over 750 film strips (together with equipment from county to show them) are available now. The films are changed each month through a special service and are available to groups at a nominal charge.
Persons who have limited sight or are blind may obtain “Talking Books” through the assistance of the library. These records and a machine to play them may be obtained without charge to those who qualify. Contact the library for full details.
Librarians will obtain special books for patrons from the library at Madison and if there is any subject in which you are interested and the local library has no books on that subject, they will obtain them for you from the Traveling library service.
The librarians also answer all sorts of questions. They help out with school work for students, help find information for themes and reports, look up answers to questions of all kinds and tell where to find any books you might want. They also conduct a summer reading program for youngsters.
A very young library patron the other day wanted to know, “Where are your books on goldfinches and foxes?” He was directed to two separate volumes and finding what he wanted went away happy.
SUZANNE SMEJKAL, 8 years old, enjoys reading a book at the Sturgeon Bay library while her sister Barbara, 6, fills out a withdrawal card. They are the children of the Roland Smejkbls, "Sturgeon Bay. —Advocate
Both courtesy of the Door County Library Newspaper Archive
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