Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/218

 180

COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

that has now grown to some five thousand volumes. There w as donated by the Jackson & Woodin M anufacturing Company a very choice selection o f over one thousand books* considered by good authority to be one of the most complete in the possession o f any of the smaller libraries of the country* and chosen lai^ely through the a d v k c and supcn'ision of Albert G. Kimberley* who had been connected with the public library of the city o f Birm ing­ ham, England, and who at that time had taken up his residence in Berwick. T his w as about 1080. In 1879 M r. C. H. Zehnder w as elected secretaiy of the Association and served fo r some considerable time, until the /ssociation got well started in its w'ork. T he Association thus very early became fixed on a firm founilation. T he question o f a building fo r Association purposes w as agitated about 1883. The A s­ sociation was incorporated in that year* the board o f trustees being: V. H. W < ^ in * M. W. Jackson* C. R. Woodin, B. F. Crispin* F. K. Jackson. S. V. H anly. L. F. Bower* S. C. Jayn e. C. H. Zehnder. T he following year* 18&4, C. R. Woodin deeded to the trustees three lots on the com er o f M arket and Second streets, part of the homestead of the late Jesse Bowman* and also gave the sum o f Sti.ooo. M rs. Elizabeth S. Jackson, whose husband* the late Col. C. G. Jackson* w as the first president of the Association, donated a dwelling house on Market street, and also made cash sub­ scriptions o f over $2*000. Steps were at once taken to utilize these donations* and the State secretary* Sam uel W. T aggart, came to Berwick and solicited subscriptions fo r (his purpose. S o welt did the pub­ lic respond that in the spring of 1885 a new' building w as completed and the associa­ tion took up its quarters therein. T h is building w as dedicated A pril 7, 1885. From this period the .Association grew steadily in numbers and power fo r gCH^ in the community. T he library w as a special feature, while baths and reading rooms, to­ gether with the halt on the third fioor* were all agencies used to make pleasant and useful quarters fo r the Association work. F o r a number o f years Rev. H enry S. Mendenhall was the employed librarian and did much to direct the reading of the youth of the town who patronized the library. The following persons have filled the office o f president: C. H. Zehnder* 18 8 5; S . W. Dickson, 1886-87; Jam es E . Smith* 1888-90; S. W. Dickson, 1890-93; J . S. Hicks, 1893-95;

John A. Kepner, 1 8 9 5 - ^; S. W. Dickson* i £ ^ - 190 0; Jo h n A. Kepner, 1900-05; S. W. Dickson. 1 9 0 5 - 11; W. S. Johnson* 1 9 1 1 - 1 3; Leslie £. Hess* 19 13 -14. T he employed secretaries: S. T. Dimmick, 1884-86; W. N. Multer* 1886-89; H. A. Lord. 1889-93; H orace Breeee, 18 9 4 -19 0 ); Jo h n R . Ricbc* 1903-06; E . A . Jcsson* 1 9 0 ^ ^; R. E . Bomboy* 19 0 7 -13 : W. B . VanScoter* 19 13 -14 . From the opening o f (he building in 1886 to 1907 the Association performed a very e x ­ cellent work fo r young men and boys. The increase in the population o f Berwick by rea­ son of the chief industry of the town having made large additions to its mills and car shops, made it very apparent that the A ssocia­ tion needed increased facilities and larger quarters fo r the carrying on o f its work* and in the period between 190 7-14 the Association therefore has received its greatest impetus. The membership was increased to over one thousand and subsequently the building was remodeled and refurnished, a third story add­ ed* and an addition o f 50 by 86 feet built in the rear, together with a gymnasium 47 by 69 feet, equipped w'ith modem apparatus. T h e third story is furnished with dormitories, while a swimming pool and howling alleys complete the equipment in the basement. 'Fhe Association has other property from which a small revenue is derived. Besides the L ibrary features* that is* the library and reading rooms* the Association has from the begin ning-extending now over a period o f thirty-five years— conducted a series o f lectures given by the best talent on the American lecture platform, every winter* and their courses arc looked foiavard to by the public and patronized very substantially and liberally. The Association maintains classes in com­ mercial and technical w ork fo r boys and men who arc employed during the day. Free lec­ tures arc also given, and in numerous other ways it seeks to exercise a leading part in (he community in the moral and spiritual up­ lift o f its members. In 1 9 11 there w as a reorganization of the board o f managers with the following re su lt: V. S. Johnson* president; J . H . Sm ethcrs. treasurer; G . B. Vance, recording secretary; directors, S . V. Dickson, J . A . Kepner* J . S . Hicks* E . M. Kochcr* L . E . Hess, F . W . Bush* W. C . Garrison* J . H. Catterall* R . L . Kline* C. E . Ferris* E . A, Glenn* M. D.* J . W. S h c ffer, j . B. Landis. The demands of the Association were such that this board was selected with more than