tingent expenses of the court, the appropriation shall be reduced." Section three provides that the contingent expenses of the library shall be paid by the treasurer when duly certified to by a majority of the trustees. The fourth section of the act provides for an annual report to the Legislature informing it how the money is expended, together with "a true and perfect catalogue of all the books, maps and charts then remaining within and belonging to said library." The remaining sections of the act provide for the repeal of the second section of the Act of April 21, 1818, and in its place there is substituted a provision permitting members of Legislature during sessions of the Legislature, of Senate only, or of the Court of Errors, under proper rules, etc., to take to their boarding houses or private rooms any books belonging to said. library except such books as trustees believe shall be always kept at the library for reference. It provides, further, that no more than two volumes may be taken at once, and that the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the Assembly shall not give a member his certificate of attendance unless he has returned all books he has borrowed from the library and settled all accounts in the way of fines and otherwise. The last act passed during Clinton's administration was an act providing for an appropriation of one thousand dollars, to be expended by the trustees for books, maps, and charts. Section two provides for an annual appropriation of one thousand dollars for the gradual enlargement of such library 21 The history of the State Library may be viewed also from the standpoint of the Reports of the Trustees. The first report follows:22 THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY established in the Capitol respectfully report: That in pursuance of the act passed at the last session entitled "An act for the establishment of a public library at the seat of government," the Board of Trustees constituted by that act have caused to be fitted up a room in the Capitol for the reception of a library and have selected and purchased upwards of six hundred volumes of books proper for such an establishment.23 They have Chap. 293, Laws of 1827. A. J., 1819, p. 148. Mr. Tolman, Reference Librarian of the State Library, says in a private letter: "The first books purchased by the library were selected largely by endeavored to make such selections within the means provided as in their judgment would best meet the views of the Legislature and correspond with the character of the State. The catalogue of the books and maps together with the sums expended for the same and for the requisite preparations and accommodations in the Library Room will appear in the annexed schedules. All of which is respectfully submitted. DE WITT CLINTON, The final paragraph of the report for 1825-also signed by De Witt Clinton, is: "It gives the trustees great pleasure to state that this infant institution, under the fostering care of the Legislature, promises to realize the expectations of the founders and to extend its usefulness throughout the State." The last report signed by Clinton, was the report for the year ending December 31, 1827. In this report we find this summary of the possessions of the library: The report of 1828-signed by Mr. Van Buren, as chairmanincludes in the possessions of the library "1 Monumental Engraving (De Witt Clinton)."25 Other Libraries. Herbert Adams, in his "Public Libraries and Popular Education," says:26 "The school district library of the State of New York is a good historic starting point for American popular education in connection with libraries." On the following page we find this statement: "In the report of the Department 24S. J., 1828. 25A. J., 1829. of Public Instruction for 1889, it is said that New York State was the first to undertake to establish libraries as factors in educational work. De Witt Clinton was the father of the idea." Clinton, after commenting on the fact that he is deeply impressed with the momentous relation of this department of our social policy (i.e., education) to the cardinal interests of the State, in his message to the Legislature in 1825, goes on to say: "In furtherance of this invaluable system, I recommend the introduction and the distribution of useful books." This last idea is made more definite in his 1827 message, where he recommends "small and suitable collections of books and maps attached to our common schools are worthy of attention when it is remembered that objects of this description, enter into the very formation of our characters, control our destinies through life, and protect the freedom and advance the glory of countries." These recommendations had no immediate effect, but reinforced by the efforts of Dix, Flagg and others, they were embodied in the law of 1835-the first law authorizing a community to tax itself to establish and maintain public libraries. It may be stated in the words of Mr. Dix, "the object was not so much for children attending schools, as for those who have completed their common school education. Its main design was to throw into school districts and places within reach of all their inhabitants, a collection of good works on subjects calculated to enlarge their understanding and store their minds with useful knowledge."27 However, school libraries intended for the pupils had long before been established by the Free School Society. In the fourteenth annual report, April 30, 1819, is this statement; "Libraries have been recently annexed to each of our schools, consisting of books of Voyages, Travels, Histories, etc., which are to be circulated among those scholars who, for their progress in learning, are deserving of reward." The remainder of the paragraph is taken up in soliciting donations of books. One other important phase of library work is the organization Cf. p. 100. "Though the free public library is now the prevailing type in the United States, the school district type is worthy of commemoration because it marks pioneer influence in many individual American commonwealths and the recognized principles that the library is a feature of public education and deserves to be supported like common schools by public taxation. It is not enough for a community to educate its children; it should educate of mechanics' libraries. Clinton's attitude toward these institutions is indicated in the following letter, dated from Albany, Dec. 11, 1826, and addressed to W. Wood, Esq., Canandaigua: "SIR: "I hear with no common gratification that it is in contemplation to establish a library in the flourishing village of Canandaigua for the benefit of young men engaged in mercantile and other business or who are desirous of devoting a portion of their time to the acquisition of useful information. Fully impressed with the benefit of such institutions; also believing that they have derived their impulse in a great measure from your benevolent exertions, in behalf of Mrs. Clinton and myself I ask from you the favor to present to that library the books accompanying this communication as a testimonial of our high respects for the principles and of our own best wishes for its success. "Blair's Lectures, 3 vols. for myself, "Blair's Sermons, 2 vols. for Mrs. C."28 28L. B., v. 8, p. 53. CHAPTER VII INFLUENCE ON FORMAL EDUCATION COMMON SCHOOL EDUCATION The Public School Society Great as was Clinton's influence in connection with the establishment and progress of learned societies, lyceums of natural history, and libraries, it is almost entirely overshadowed by the far-reaching consequences of his connection with the Public School Society and the various minor school societies. One relying mainly on Bourne's "History of the Public School Society," would come away from a careful perusal of that work with something like the following as a statement of De Witt Clinton's relation to the society: Clinton was not present at the first meeting of the twelve founders of the Free School Society at John Murray's house on Pearl Street, on February 19, 1805. However, Clinton and thirty-five others were, by the act of April 9, 1805,1 constituted a body corporate under the title of "A Society for establishing a Free School in the City of New York, for the education of such poor children as do not belong to or are not provided for by any religious society." The second section of the act constituted Clinton and the original twelve a Board of Trustees, until the regular election. At the regular election May 6, 1805, Clinton was elected president, to which office he was annually re-elected until his death in 1828. An address to the public, dated May 18, 1805, soliciting aid, was issued in the name of the trustees.2 Chap. 108, Laws of 1805. "Bourne's History of the Public School Society, pp. 6-8. |