A library anniversary & a first for Chariton women

For what it's worth, today (April 23) is the 115th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of the Chariton Free Public Library. The date "1903" is carved into the stone itself, since construction had begun the preceding fall, but this official bit of ceremony had been postponed until spring of the following year.

And here's another bit of trivia for you --- one of those footnotes to Chariton history that can be pulled out and flaunted at will. This was the first time that a woman, Victoria J. Dewey, had laid the cornerstone  of a public building in Chariton --- a privilege generally reserved for some august male. Mrs. Dewey had chaired the building committee.

"It has always been done by a man," The Chariton Leader reported, "though we don't see why a woman who knows nothing about building a stone wall can't lay a corner stone as well as a man who knows nothing about building a stone wall ...."

Designed by the Chicago architectural firm Patton & Miller, the building --- funded in large part by a grant from Andrew Carnegie --- was completed within the next few months and dedicated on Oct. 28, 1904. Chariton contractors, Johnson & Best, did the building. Tradition has it that the interior design, dubbed the "Chariton plan," was recycled in many other Carnegie libraries large and small across the land after that. Patton & Miller are credited with the design of more than 100 Carnegie libraries.

The building has held up remarkably well and was nearly doubled in size according to a 1993 design by Mason City architects Bergland & Cram. Design and building of the addition were handled so skillfully that it's difficult to tell where the original building ends and the addition begins.

Here's The Leader's report of the cornerstone ceremony, published on April 28, 1904:

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The corner stone of the Carnegie Library building was laid last Saturday afternoon at five o'clock. The rain kept a great many away, but a very good sized crowd, considering the weather, was present. Just at five it began to rain so hard that the people were compelled to go into the Presbyterian church just across the street where the program was carried out.

The Rev. F.W. Henry offered prayer. Mrs. Victoria Dewey, chairman of the committee, presided and presented Mr. Thomas Gay, president of the board, who made a brief address congratulating the people upon the new building, and reviewing the library work of the past five years in Chariton. Mr. F.R. Crocker, member of the board, was called upon and made some most appropriate remarks. He spoke of the first library started in Chariton over twenty years ago and reviewed the library movement down to 1898 when the present Free Library Association was organized. Mr. Crocker paid a warm tribute to Miss Margaret Brown, who, he said, had kept the library alive during its darkest days, and he complimented Miss Bartholomew and Miss Stella Cook upon their good work for the library.

Senator Hasselquist and Colonel Dungan were called for and both eulogized the library and its workers. Colonel Dungan assured his hearers that a good library was one of the best of companions and said that while we would have to do the listening and not the talking, we would all profit by frequenting the library. He said a nation's strength lay in the intellectual, not the physical ability of its people, and that good books would make a nation stronger than would armies and navies.

The audience then returned to the building site, and the box having been placed in the stone, Mrs. Dewey proceeded to formally lay the stone, which consisted, as is usual in all corner stone layings, of pounding it three times with the maul and declaring it to be properly laid after the workmen had placed it, the only remarkable part of it being that, so far as the Leader has been able to discover, this is the first time that a woman has formally laid the corner stone of a public building. It has always been done by a man, though we don't see why a woman who knows nothing about building a stone wall can't lay a corner stone as well as a man who knows nothing about building a stone wall can lay it.

At the conclusion Mr. Henry pronounced the benediction.

The box, which was presented to the board by G.W. Ensley and made by his foreman, W.N. Dawson, contained the following:

A history of the Chariton Free Public Library to the present time, including the minutes of the more important meetings; copy of the correspondence with Mr. Carnegie, etc., written by Miss Brown.

Copy of the address delivered by Mr. Gay at the laying of the stone.

Deed to the library lot.

List of the city officials, members of the library board, the Chariton teacheers and ministers.

Photograph of Miss Margaret Wright Brown.

Copies of the Chariton Leader, the Chariton Herald and the Chariton Patriot for Thursday, April 21, 1904.

Card of the First National Bank.

Coin presented by F.R. Crocker.

Names of architects and contractors of the building.