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First Public
Library in Matagorda County
Organizing Members Collection began with 17 books Read a Collegeport Library Book
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Opening Day, Saturday, February 10, 1912 107 Visitors
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By Harry Austin Clapp A library? Well what of it? What is it? It is one of two things. It is either a building or a room appropriated for holding a collection of books or it is a collection of books not kept for merchandise. Just the moment books are offered for sale it ceases to be a library. And so this is what we have in
Collegeport. A real public library free to all members of the community.
It is opened every Friday and is in charge of a librarian appointed by
the Women's Club. Not knowing much about how this work was started I
called on Mrs. Burton D. Hurd, who really conceived the idea many years
ago and called the first meeting and for this reason much that follows
has been gleaned from her memory and recorded in her words. No endowment or income has ever been enjoyed by the library which was sponsored and built by the Collegeport Woman's Club, assisted principally by the Collegeport Industrial League which gave the building now in use and a free lease on the lot on which the building is located. The opening day register of the library bears 126 names as visitors, no books were issued and no donation received but almost all of those calling at that time sent books afterwards. A loan of 50 volumes was made to the Citrus Grove community as a nucleus around which that thriving little town might build a library and since its beginning the Collegeport library has constantly supplied not only the community with well selected, well kept assortment of books and magazines, but has provided for the school the reading and reference material not only required in school work but that suggested for reading by the state board of education. All books sent to the library are reviewed by the committee from the Woman's club and finally passed upon by the library committee and quietly rejected if not desired. The Woman's club has just reason for its pride in the library of about 2000 books and are planning to give a May Festival on Saturday afternoon and evening May 9 honoring its beloved child, the first public library in Matagorda county. Books are already being received, as gifts in honor of this the 20th year of faithful service to the community and as no cards are to be sent for the party, no doubt many old members of the Woman's club and former residents of the town and community will attend the festival which will be well worth the while for there will be a May pole dance on the lawn, the crowning of the May Queen, games and contests for the evening and the County Federation of Women's clubs and friends have been given special invitations, some having been carried by Mrs. H. A. Clapp to the last federation meeting in Wadsworth. The county federation president is to be the guest of honor as well as all charter members of the club. To this might be added that while the date named is the twentieth birthday of the library it is also the 21st birthday of the Woman's club. For years the library had no home. It was moved from place to place and the women in charge slaved many days moving the large number of books that had accumulated. A few years ago the Collegeport Industrial League bought a block of ground opposite the schoolhouse which contains 2 1/2 acres. This plot is for community use and about the same time the league bought for the library a building and moved it on this block. Through its efforts the building was finished inside and painted outside. A cement walk was laid and water piped to the building. Remembering that it has long been the custom to honor birthdays with a gift I suggest that each visitor to the festival bring a book and those who are not able to come send one. No need to buy a new and expensive book. Look over your own books, select one, mail it and you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have done a good turn that day. "Who hath a book hath but to read, And he may be a King indeed. His kingdom is his inglenook, All this is his who hath a book." --Nesbit. And to close I will say that "a home without books is like a room without windows."
The Daily Tribune,
April 29, 1931,
Harry Austin Clapp, Scrapbook 2 |
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The subject assigned to me is "Our Library and what it has been to the community." So I go back to the beginning and bring it up to now. As the years march by no one can know the changes that are to take place and it is well that we do not, for would view life with alarm. The women earnest in their purpose who over twenty years ago founded our Woman's Club and Library did not realize that our library would now stand as a monument to their efforts, grow into one that we may be proud of and both it and our club are real factors in the community life of our people. Five women, by name, Mrs. House, Mrs. Hansel, Mrs. Kone, Mrs. F. H. Jones and Mrs. Hurd collected seventeen books and lo, our library was a living thing, which has grown since 1912 until the books now number approximately fifteen hundred. For several years there was no settled place in which to house them and many were the moves made. But good fortune smiled on us and a permanent building was procured which is now the home of the precious books and headquarters of our civic organizations. As our library was
the first one in Of course the county fell in line and kept pace with others in the club work. Clubs came into being and it was not long until the county federation was formed, for the women interested in doing things saw clearly the good that would result. Other towns are much larger in size and the wonder of how we ever managed to have such a charming little building and the fine collection of books, is expressed in words by those who visit it. The answer is--the earnestness and loyalty of the club members during all these years, who have worked unceasingly with this end in view. An outstanding example of the club loyalty and devotion is that of the late Mrs. Minnie L. Corse and much of the good we have accomplished has been due to her efforts. Other than the loaning of books the fact of our having a library and giving its full privileges to the school has resulted in bringing hundreds of dollars of state aid money to the school treasury which is a material help to the boys and girls of our community. It goes without saying that we will always continue that help in compliance with the rules of the state educational board for our bit may do vastly more than we now realize. There is such a thing as tone in speaking of places, things or people and may we not tune in and make our club one harmonious melody? Visualize, if you will, what a blank there would be in Collegeport were it not for our library and what it represents. As a present member of the library committee I ask you earnestly to join hands with that committee who ever they may be in the future so that we as a club may carry on in an unbroken line the march of progress that began too many years ago. Visit our library, become familiar with the books, and remember that the three members of the committee are your servants and act under direction of the club with loyalty and earnestness of purpose. "Who hath a book Hath but to read, And he may be a King indeed. His kingdom is his inglenook, Who hath a book." --W. D. Nesbit. Note: the above was delivered by Mrs. Clapp at the October meeting of the Collegeport Woman's Club held at the home of Mrs. Franzen October 12 1932.
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