The Abbott Memorial Building. n C'? The Pomfret Library Vermont In the Abbott Memorial Library Building An attractive Library Building full of the Best Books, this may be a cheering and helpful Possession for any Community ; but to become such, and thereby to become also a helpful factor in Public Education, it must rest in the hands of a Sympathetic and Wise Librarian. Such a Librarian, binding together her Community, its Schools and its Books, and thus, as her Library's Emblem suggests, completing the Ancient Highway of Educational Opportunity, Pomfret has in Abba Doton Chamberlin. The Elm Tree Press : Woodstock Vermont 1911 Front Board of Library Commissioners, Montpelier, Vt* CONTENTS Trustees: 1911 6 Note of Explanation 7 The Broken Bridge : the Emblem of the Library 8 The Pomfret Library: The Library Building 9 The Library, its work and its methods | 2 Letter from Judge Abbott 40 Historical Sketch of Pomfret 4 1 Pomfret Statistics 46 Libraries and Books in Pomfret 46 Hosea Doton 50 Abba Doton Chamberlin 5 1 ILLUSTRATIONS The Abbott Memorial Building Frontispiece Abba Doton Chamberlin, Librarian Facing 9 Abbott Memorial Library, Main Floor 1 Abbott Memorial Library, Basement 1 3 Pomfret Center School Facbg 1 6 North Pomfret School Facing 20 Book Plates Facing 24 Barber School Facing 28 Barber School, at Work Facing 32 Judge Ira A. Abbott Facing 40 Map of Pomfret Facing 42 A Pomfret Hillside Facing 44 TRUSTEES: 1911. Judge Ira A. Abbott Mrs. Frank S. Mackenzie Mrs. Estelle G. Perkins Mr. Henry Brockway Mr. Fred L. Davis Mr. Walter H. Harrington Judge Charles H. Maxham Mr. Elbridge Perry Mr. Harold Seaver Mr. Allen W. Thompson Librarian Mrs. Abba Doton Chamberlin NOTE OF EXPLANATION This pamphlet has been prepared and published because the Board of Library Commissioners of Vermont believe that the story of what the Pomfret library is doing for its community will be interesting and helpful to those who, in other towns of Vermont, are trying to make more efficient the libraries in their charge. The Commissioners also hope that the pamphlet will be of value to library workers in other States, and that both in and out of Vermont it may encourage the friends of books and reading in towns and villages which have no libraries to take steps to establish them. The map and the historical and biographical notes are included because it seemed that a statement of the conditions under which Mrs. Chamberlin's methods have been applied and proved successful should accompany the statement of the methods themselves. One who reads the whole pamphlet will surely feel that what has been done in this small, widely scattered community can be done in others ; and that the methods successful here will be even more successful if tried in larger and more compact communities. Mrs. Frank S. Mackenzie of Woodstock, a trustee and a friend of the library, has by a generous contribution made it possible to publish this pamphlet, and Mr. John Cotton Dana, a native of Woodstock, in his boyhood a pupil of Mrs. Chamberlin, and now librarian of the Free Public Library of Newark, N. J., has compiled it. To both of them the Commissioners here express their thanks. March M. Wilson, Chairman, Board of Library Commissioners. Randolph, Vt., July, 1911 The Broken Bridge : the Emblem of the Library. The following letter explains the Pomfret Library Emblem, the Broken Bridge : Mrs. F. S. Mackenzie, Woodstock, Vermont. Dear Mrs. Mackenzie : You say in your recent note that you wish to present to the Pomfret Library a sign, seal or emblem something which may be used as its mark. You say you do not wish a book plate though you think the " mark " may be used on book plates. You add that if the right thing is found you wish to pay the cost of the drawing, the cut and the printing. Well, here it is, drawn by a friend of mine who knows how to use a pen. I hope it is what you wish. I found it in this way. After long and vain searching for a sugges- tion for an original library symbol or trade-mark, I turned at last to the history of the old English town of Pomfret, after which all American Pomfrets are named. I found that the word is often spelled " Ponte- fract " in England, though pronounced " Pomfret ". A reason given for this curious spelling is this : In the days when the Romans were in Britain, a stone bridge was built over the stream which runs through the present Pomfret. The bridge in time was broken down ; and the hamlet which was near it gradually came to be called " Broken- bridge ", in Latin, " Pons fractus ". This Latin phrase was gradually changed to Pontefract. This came at length to be shortened to Pomfret in pronunciation ; and finally came to be spelled as pronounced. I suggest that in using this symbol, for a time at least, perhaps until its history and significance come to be generally understood in Pomfret, it be printed with a brief explanatory note below it, and above it the words, " The Public Library completes the Bridge on the old Highway of Public Education." Sincerely yours, J. C. DANA. Free Public Library Newark, N. J. Mis. Abba Doton Chamberlin, Librarian The Pomfret Library The Library Building The character of the building is set forth quite fully by the two floor plans and the exterior view. It was given to the town by Judge Ira A. Abbott as a memorial to his parents, in March, 1 903, The gift was turned over to the trustees at a meeting held at the library August 12, 1905. On the same day the Farmer's Club of Pomfret arranged for the observation of Old Home Day. Between four and five hundred people gathered at the library at that time. The usual ceremonies were observed. Judge Abbott, who is now Justice of the Supreme Court of New Mexico and has his home in Albuquerque in that state, spoke of his gift and the purposes he had in mind in making this memorial to his parents. He said in part, " My real purpose, therefore, looks forward and not back, and asks ' How can this building be made most useful to those for whose benefit it is intended ? ' I will tell you briefly my hopes for it. Its first and most obvious use is one which formerly would not have been highly regarded in a town such as this was. But there can be no doubt that merely because the building and grounds will be attractive and pleasing to everyone who passes this way, they will be of value not only to the town but to all this region. Every resident of the town will, I trust, feel a certain satisfaction and pride in being a part owner of them, and be led to question whether he cannot, in some way suggested by what he sees here in and about the building, make his own home more attractive for his family and so for himself. Then, too, the existence of a good library here should serve to strengthen the attachment of young and old in the town. It should help to keep the young people from leaving and attract those who have gone away, but 10 THE POMFRET LIBRARY The Abbott Memorial Library. Main floor. POMFRET VERMONT // would like to pass the evening of life where its morning was spent. There will soon be, I believe, a respectable collection here of objects interesting from their connection with the past of the town, and that canot fail to be of interest to you all. Among them should be portraits of those who were the strong ones in their times. I hope, too, that here will be inscribed the names of all Pomfret's soldiers. Thus far they have not been commemorated, by tablet or monument. It is fitting that the supreme proof of patriotism, which they gave in jeopardizing their lives in their country's service, should be thus recognized, not for their glory, but as an inspiration and incentive to the Pomfret boys of the future. Finally, and chiefly, this building will be useful, I trust, as a repository of books for the free use of the people of the town. It should be borne in mind, however, that there may be excess even in reading books not in themselves harmful, and that many books should be treated as deadly drugs and plainly marked ' Poison '. It will be the high duty, therefore, of the trustees to see that only suitable books are provided and to that I am confident they will carefully attend. In conclusion I wish to invoke the aid of those who have gone out from Pomfret as boys and met with a degree of success which will warrant them in doing something for those who have remained here, and so well maintained the standing of Pomfret as a fanner's town. I believe a better future is near at hand for the New England, farmer, that already those who till the fertile soil of this town are better rewarded for their toil than has been the case for many years. It is only fair that Pomfret boys who have in other fields of effort acquired perhaps more money, but very likely less content than those who remained here, should help to maintain this and other towns as nur- series of the stock which must, from time to time, be transplanted to the great centers of activity in our country to make good the tremendous loss at those points." 12 THE POMFRET LIBRARY The Library, Its Work and Its Methods By the Librarian Mooing Into the Library : Furniture When I moved into the library I divided the attic by curtains into a sitting room and bedroom. On the floor of the sitting room I spread a 1 3 by 16 1-2 ft. English velvet carpel that was bought by Otis Chamberiin in Boston about 1845, and was said then and is still said to be the best carpet that ever came into the town. On the other floor, an art square and smaller rugs do duty. Curtains covered with the stars and stripes hang at each window. The sleeping room contains two good three-quarter size enameled beds with brass trimmings, and all necessary appurtenances for comfortable sleep. The attic further contains a fine chiffonier, writing-desk, stands, sofa, easy chairs, etc. When my good friend Miss Frances Hobart is my guest, the rafters manage to hear us talking into the small hours, and sometimes even after the hours have begun to lengthen. The furnace room, where we always burn good clean Vermont wood, is divided into the " wood-pile " and the " kitchen." The kitchen contains small tables, the ironing-board ( the Library Commissioners always prefer to have their meals served on this board ), a cupboard filled with rare china, chairs, boxes, etc. A blue-flame oil stove manages to do all necessary duty in that line, so long as a well-filled 5 gallon tank stands in the corner. An outside door from the entry leads directly to the lawn on the west side of the building. Hours when the building is open The building is open each week day at all reasonable hours, just as is every farmhouse. On Sundays it is open from 2 to 6 p. m. POMFRET VERMONT 13 The Abbott Memorial Library. Basement 14_ THE POMFRET LIBRARY All books except a few rare volumes that are now out of print are lent to any one who wishes them, whether a resident of Pomfret or of some other town. Records are carefully kept, but no fines are taken for overdue books. We put our patrons on their honor, and they are loyal to us. Friends of the Library Ever since the opening of the library building gifts of money and books have been received by friends of Pomfret and its library. The more notable gifts of books have come from the following persons : Judge Ira A. Abbott Dr. and Mrs. F. Thos. Kidder Miss Etta S. Adams Mrs. Isaac King Miss Alanette Bartlett Mr. and Mrs. Frank S. Mackenzie Col. and Mrs. Franklin S. Billings Mrs. Calista W. Merrill Mrs. Henry Boynton and daughter Mr. Melvin H. Miller Mrs. Oscar Burke Mr. Roderic M. Olzendam Miss Hattie L. Chandler Miss Annie F. Perry Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Gushing Mrs. Mary A. Tinkham Mr. John Cotton Dana Dr. Henry H. Vail Mrs. Jennie Hewitt French The American Unitarian Associa- Mrs. S. A. Goldschmidt tion Mrs. Mary A. Grosvenor The Board of Library Commission- Mrs. Geo. W. Harding ers of Vermont Gen. R. C. Hawkins The Pomfret Y. P. S. C. E. Miss Bertha E. Hewitt and others < Gifts of money have come from the following : Judge Ira A. Abbott Mrs. Frank S. Mackenzie Mr. Redfield Proctor Mr. Henry Brockway Judge Duane J. Carnes Dr. George B. Carnes Mrs. Abba D. Chamberlin POMFRET VERMONT 75 The Resources of the Library The library has now about 4000 volumes. Of these about 600 are books for children. It has also a collection of portraits of citizens of Pomfret including : Samuel Bailey Harvey Melendy John Brockway Crosby Miller Harvey N. Bruce Albro Perkins Alonzo Chamberlin Norman Perkins and wife David Chandler Dr. Kimball Russ Daniel DeWolf Nathan Snow and wife Hosea Doton Martin Tribou and wife Lewis Hawkins Hannibal Totman William Hutchinson Joshua Vail Edwin Jackman Horace Ware Henry Maxham Thomas Ware Judson Maxham Washington White Conditions in 1906 , Our library was first opened to the public, Jan. 1 , 1 906, and was kept open on Saturdays only for 1 6 months thereafter. On May 1, 1907, I became, at Judge Abbott's request, librarian. Since then the library has always been open, for I live in the building. I know everybody, old and young in the town and so need no system of registering borrowers. Books are lent to all who ask for them and charged on slips in the simplest possible way. When I moved in we had about a thousand books on the shelves ; part of these belonged to the public library started in town some years ago, and the others had been given by old-time Pomfret boys who come back to Vermont for the summer. The books were classified, but incorrectly, and this work had to be done again. For furniture we had two tables that came from the Library Bureau in Boston ; an old desk that a good friend had found somewhere, and a dozen cane-seated chairs. 76 THE POMFRET LIBRARY Making the Library Home-like It struck me that the first thing to do was to try to make the rooms look a little more social. I had a mahogany parlor set of furniture ; a good musical instrument in a rosewood case ; an old mahogany dining table ; some dainty stands and various other things. These I moved in. City people coming in would say, " I'll give you $1 00 for that table ! " But the reply always was, " It answers very well where it is for the present." Portraits of Pomfret Worthies When Judge Abbott gave us the building, he said he would like to have portraits of old-time residents of the town hanging on the walls, and mentioned six or eight. Among those he mentioned were my father and my husband's father. Not long after this I sent to a New York artist, John N. Marble, and asked him to make two crayons exactly alike in size, workmanship and material used. This artist, besides much other good work known to me, had made a painting of Phillips Brooks for the Groton School in Massachusetts, and a crayon portrait of Mrs. Frederick Billings for the Moody School at Northfield. In due time my portraits came and were placed on the walls. Not long after one of our trustees, Henry Brockway, came in bringing a portrait of his father ; soon another trustee followed his example, and now we have portraits of twenty-eight former residents. In the meantime .1 found three old letters written by my great, great grandfather. The first was dated "Albany, June the 16, 1726"; then followed " Half Moone, June ye 25, 1 756" and "Camp Fort Edward, August ye 31, 1756." I had these framed between two plates of glass and placed on the walls. Then I found an old program of a Fourth of July celebration and a friend gave me one of an Antiquarian Supper. These were written in the quaintest language and gave any amount of advice to the young people as to their behavior ; what they might do and what they must not do. These were also framed and placed on the walls. About this rime one of the Pomfret boys, Judge Duane J. Carnes The School at Pomfret Center. Branch No. 1 of the Public Library. POMFRET VERMONT /7 of Sycamore, Illinois, came home, and while looking at one picture and then another, suddenly stopped, and said, "Your walls are full, but we must have more pictures of the old people, and if you will think how to make a substantial album, I will pay for it." He wanted one to hold 1 00 or more pictures. I thought it over and enlisted two friends to think with me, and the album was finally pro- duced. It has six leaves, each being 29 inches long and 1 3 inches wide. Each leaf consists of an eighth of an inch board, stained black and placed between two plates of glass ; the whole being framed with mahogany like a school slate. This frame is left sufficiently open at the top to admit of drawing out the stained board. On this board are tacked the pictures. The leaves are each fastened to a mahogany back in such a way that they turn like the leaves of a book, and this board is fastened upright to the wall in the reading room, between windows, so that both sides of all the leaves are well lighted as they are turned. Each photograph put in is numbered, and in a book that goes with the album you will find on the page numbered to correspond to the number on the picture, a sketch of the person. Visitors usually look at the portraits first ; then open the album for further information. This album was given to us by Miss Bertha E. Hewitt of Milton Hill, Mass., and was made by Hooper, Lewis & Co. of Boston, to match a "Visitors' Register ", the gift of Mr. Frank S. Mackenzie of Woodstock, that this firm had made by his request for us, a short time before. I obtained pictures of all the libraries I could and mounted them on card-board ; Vermont libraries by themselves ; New Hampshire ones by themselves ; Massachusetts ones by themselves, and so on. Visitors coming in from different states would say, " I wonder if you have our library. If you have not, I will send it." In this way we are getting quite a large collection. Historical Relics If you are to have relics in your library, you must make a beginning ; so I talked with an old aunt who had passed her 85th milestone, and asked her if she didn't think it would be a satisfaction to her to give 18 THE POMFRET LIBRARY .4 us some of her heirlooms. She concluded it would, and let me have her grandmother's tea-set, that was brought into town in 1 786 ; also a candle-stick and snuffers, a rocking chair, and several other things that came at the same time. These made the beginning. Our town was settled in 1 770 and in I 773 a tavern was built. We have that tavern's sign and the old tin chandelier that hung in its bar room. In I 784 another tavern was built, and we have its sign also. In September, 1 774, Rev. Aaron Hutchinson, who graduated from Yale in 1 747, was engaged to preach in Woodstock, Pomfret and Hartford for the period of five years. We have the table on which he wrote his sermons and also his wife's foot stove and needle case. There now lies on his table a 1 795 Edinburgh Bible that belonged to another old townsman, Dr. Newton. One of our early day schoolmasters, Marcus Peake, used to go on crutches and when the youngsters didn't conduct themselves to suit him, a crutch was fired at them. We have those crutches in the relic room. There are many stories that the sight of them brings up ; and some of the old-time boys who come back here summers can remem- ber just how he used to circulate about, and delight to take him off, much to the amusement of those who witness the performance. We have an old flaxbrake, made by Judge Abbott's father, with the swingle-knife, hatchel, cards, wheel and other implements that follow in its train. An old spinning-jenny bought in Boston in 1812, attracts consid- erable attention. This was an improvement on the wheel ; of which we have a number, together with white wool rolls, swifts, reels, an old loom all ready for use, and various other things along that line. Old barrels made in 1 800 are not denied a place with us, and can- dlesticks, candle moulds, lamps, and lanterns made about the same time adorn one of our tables. Jack-knives and tongs that came into town in 1 770 must not be omitted, together with a revolutionary gun, and also a British bayonet that was plowed up on the Harvey Bruce farm. A primitive copying press is something not seen every day. One thing came to us that I couldn't name. A gentleman from Providence was visiting the library one day, and I said, " For what POMFRET VERMONT 79 was this iron used ? " "Why ", he replied, " They ran it into the live coals in the fire-place till it was hot and then stirred their flip with it." We have the saddle-bags and the medicines in them, left by a good old worthy, Stephen Raymond, who was always called in to alleviate the ills of all the cattle and horses in Pomfret and neighboring towns. Another set of saddle-bags that belonged to a graduate physician, Dr. Kimball Russ, who settled with us some 85 years ago, is also ours ; but unfortunately lack any traces of the syrups and powders that used to be dealt out to our grandparents in the good old days. People like to see a cane that belonged to some dear old friend, also his pitchfork; the boots he wore, and his wife's chum, and camlet cloak. A fine old secretary, made for Hosea Doton nearly 1 00 years ago, furnishes a convenient place to keep home-made linen sheets, work bags, samplers, thimbles, silk shawls, stockings, daguerreotypes, snuff- boxes, coffin-plates, and rare books, newspapers and pamphlets. I saw recently an article in one of our papers about Truman Henry Safford, the young Vermont mathematician. We have his picture and his almanacs published in 1846 and 1847. I can remember how, when he was about nine years old, he came to our home with his father, to have my father teach him how to calculate eclipses of the sun and moon. Harvard University afterward took the lad and educated him. Later he was a Professor in Williams College and died not many years ago. These relics are all numbered and sketches of them are written out in a book, also made by Hooper, Lewis & Co. of Boston, to match the other two books. This book is the gift of Miss Harriet L. Chandler of Boston. Library Books in Schools When I first went into the library, I called on the school superin- tendent and directors and asked if they were willing I should make out sets of juvenile books for the children and put them in the school- rooms. They were, and I made as many sets as we had schools. At the end of the term the books came back to the library and at the beginning of the next term were sent out again. In this way each set 20 THE POMFRET LIBRARY made the circuit of the town. The parents of the children became interested in these juvenile books, and then the town offered money to buy new sets. It occurred to me it would be much pleasanter if the children could have a little book plate all their own. So we had one made ; and then we thought it would be a good idea to have each book contain a little letter to the children, supposed to be written by the book. These are fastened in opposite the book plate and make the first fly leaf. Letter to Pomfret Children Pomfret, Vermont, January 1, 1909 My Dear Boys and Girls : I am only a small book, but I am your true friend, and wish to make you happy, and you will cer- tainly be made more happy, if I keep clean and good- looking until I am worn out, than you will be to have me get soiled and ragged ; so will you please help me a little in this, by never taking me up with dirty hands ; never giving me to the baby to play with ; never making marks on me with pen or pencil ; never turning down my leaves ; never leaning on me with your elbows ; never letting me fall on the floor ; never leaving me out in the rain ; never putting pencils or knives or anything thicker than a sheet of paper between my leaves, and never throwing me at the cat or the dog or anything else. If you will help me in these ways, I think I can keep strong and useful until you are grown to be men and women. Your loving friend, A LIBRARY BOOK The letter is serving well the purpose for which it was written. In the same month of May I sent the following letter to the two weekly papers of Woodstock, a town next to Pomfret. The North Pomfret School. Branch No. 4 of the Public Library. POMFRET VERMONT 27 To Pomfret's School Children : A letter to the small folks attending the Pomfret district schools, who will soon be the big folks and run the business of the town. Abbott Memorial Library, Pomfret, Vt. May, 1907. My dear young friends : I am going to write you a very confidential letter. As it is just between ourselves we don't need to say anything about it to anyone. Well, your superintendent, Miss Persis Hewitt, and other directors have arranged to have you visit the library sometime this term. I am very glad to know this, and as is natural couldn't help expressing my gladness. So as I was putting some books away on the shelves, I said, " Now books, do you know you are going to have company ? A fine group of bright, happy children are coming to see you." All at once, if you will believe me, there seemed to be a sort of rustling on the shelves, and soon a little squeaky voice way up on the top shelf piped out, "Oh ! I'm so glad, I'm so glad ! " "We've been shut up here more than a year, with only grown people coming to see us one day in a week." "I am so glad the children are coming ! " "Yes," said a voice from another shelf, " I want to see the little boy from way over the hill, who was very ill a few months ago, and had a trained nurse to care for him, who wore a white apron and cap, and this little boy fell very much in love with the good nurse and has written her many letters since she went away, which she has kindly answered. / want to see him. " "Well, you may see him," said another voice, " but I want to see the little girl who bubbled over when she was told about the old professor, who in his summer outings went without his hat so much that he blis- tered the top of his bald head. / want to see her. " "And I want to see," said another voice, " the little girl who is named after a famous woman. Now this girl gets up in the morning, when her mother is ill, and cooks the breakfast and serves it. I'll whisper something in her ear if she gives me a chance." "Well, you may whisper in the girls* ears if you wish to, for all me," said a sort of bass voice, " but I want to see two boys who telephone back and forth to each other so much. One of them milks three and four cows every night, and waters all the horses and brings in all the wood and does lots of running on errands, and the other one makes himself useful in many ways and is a manly little fellow to meet. I want to see those boys." 22 THE POMFRET LIBRARY 1 The boy that breaks so many small steers and makes them as steady as old oxen, and milks a barnful of cows every night and morning, is the boy for me," said Mr. Tenor Voice over in the corner. And so the conversation went on and the excitement increased rather than lessened, and I hardly think one of them got a wink of sleep till after midnight. I was surprised that Little Mother Goose over on the reading table didn't have to put in a word, but for a wonder she kept still this time. Now Little Mother Goose was the first book my father bought me, and before I knew a letter of the alphabet, I could repeat all her rhymes from cover to cover. I think I could say the most of them now if you would start me off with the first line ; but Mother Goose wasn't the only book I was allowed to enjoy, for my father never had a book on his library shelves that I was not permitted to take and look at as long as I pleased, provided my hands were clean and I turned the leaves carefully, and I am going to give you the same privilege when you come here. And if I know the day you are coming, I'm going to honor the occasion by wearing a knot of red, white and blue ribbon fastened with a pin bearing the picture of the one who wrote "The Man Without a Country," and I'll show you a souvenir copy of this book, printed when the person was eighty years old. Ask your teacher where this person is now, and why the book was written, and tell me when you come. Then we'll look at the picture of dear old Dr. Russ, who was born, I think, in 1 800. Your grandfathers and grandmothers never would have lived as long as they did had it not been for the kindly services rendered, unselfishly, by this good man. We seem to see him now riding with his long, slim legs crossed and started to wind again. His pet dog sits by his side and the veritable old saddle-bags are at his feet. He enters the sick room, looks at the patient's tongue, takes the pulse, sits back and meditates a little, prescribes castor oil mixed with West India molasses to cleanse the internal arrangements ; a plaster made of Burgundy pitch to brace the weak back and quieting Dover's powders to ease the restless nights. Dear old doctor ! Pomfret lost one of its best friends when he went home. But I must stop writing. Let me know when you are coming, and believe me, Lovingly yours, Abba Doton Chamberlin, Librarian. POMFRET VERMONT 23 Each School House a Branch Library After this, the thought came to me of sending books to each school- house in town for the grown people ; thus making each schoolhouse a branch library. I talked it over with the school directors and superin- tendent, and they were unanimously in favor of it, and suggested that the children of the town raise money to pay for boxes to hold these books. This the children did. The boxes are 2 7 inches long, 1 8 inches wide and 9 inches deep ; with strong covers, hinges, and hooks and cleats at the ends so they may be easily handled. Books to the number of 40 including the following subjects : religion, sociology, natural science, useful arts, fine arts, literature, biography, travels, history and fiction are placed in each box. These boxes make the circuit of the town in the same way as do the juvenile books. By a very simple arrangement the lending is so carried on that any one at any time can exactly locate each book. Every time these boxes, and the juvenile sets, come back to the library, each book is carefully looked over, and repaired if need be, and an account of loans taken. The number of loans made by each branch library during a term is published in our two local newspapers. Signs 1 8 inches long and 1 inches wide, with a half inch bead, have been made and placed on each schoolhouse. These are painted white, and the words on them, " Branch 1 , Public Library ", " Branch 2, Public Library " etc., in black letters, show off to good advantage. The same branch library number is placed on each schoolhouse as was given to it when they were numbered as " district schools " nearly a century ago. The Roll of Honor Following in the train of the juvenile books, and the boxes, came another thought which was brought before the school directors and superintendent, and the result was that we had two frames made, each 5 1 -2 feet in length and one foot in width. These are covered with dark green cambric and are kept in the library. On one of these is fastened one of the large circulars headed, " The Good Citizen Says ", and below this circular are placed the names of Pomfret boys and 24 THE POMFRET LIBRARY girls who have memorized and recited the same. One term alone gave us 49 names. On the other is kept a Roll of Honor, of pupils who have distinguished themselves as indicated below. In making up this honor list ten points are considered : Ten Points for a Roll of Honor 1 . The care of books furnished by the town. 2. The care of library books. 3. The care of school property generally. 4. Cleanness of speech. 5. Kindness to every living thing. 6. Habits of order and neatness. 7. Politeness. 8. Truthfulness. 9. Cheerful obedience and 1 0. Other social virtues one must have if he is to become a desirable citizen. The superintendent wished me to go to each school and talk to the pupils about the Roll of Honor. I did so, explaining to them what I meant by "Cleanness of speech ", " Habits of order and neatness ", and so on through the list, and then had printed copies made of the points to be considered. One of these is hung in each school room and each pupil now has one for a bookmark. One teacher told me that before the book marks were given, her pupils were so anxious to have their names enrolled that all who could write had made a copy for themselves. The fall term of 1910, showed an enrolment of 82 pupils in all the schools. The names of 5 1 of these were sent in by the teachers to go on the " Roll of Honor." In the winter term of 1910-11 these figures were 73 and 63. Out of town visitors are so much interested in this " Roll of Honor " book mark, that they are asking for them to take to their own towns, with a hope of interesting their own people. Then another frame was made, 6 feet in length and 1 1 -2 feet in width. This is covered with dark green cambric and holds a large THB PUBLIC LIBRARY COMPUTE* HIGHWAY OF PUBLIC EDUCATION PONS FRACTV5 POMFRET VERMONT ABBOTT MEMORIAL UBRARY POMFRET VERMONT NO POMFRET PUBUC SCHOOL UBRARY POMFRET. VERMONT PONS FRACTV5 MR*. LUCT C. MACKENZIE Reduced facsimiles of book plates used in the Pomfret Library. POMFRET VERMONT 25 All the World Knows These Old and Marvellous Things The Alhambra, a glorious Ruin Athens, the Eye of Greece The Bastile, that terrible Prison Carthage, which " must be destroyed " China's Great Wall The Coliseum where gladiators fought The Colossus of Rhodes Doubting Castle and Giant Despair Holland's Dykes which hold back the Sea Edinburgh Castle and Robert the Bruce The Sacred River Ganges The Great Charter of our Liberties The Pantheon of Rome The Parthenon, a Perfect Temple Egypt's Pyramids, Tombs of Great Kings Mecca, the Holy City The Fountain of Perpetual Youth Incas and their Land of Gold Babylon, the City of a Hundred Gates Rome, the City of the Seven Hills The Sphinx and its Riddle The Invincible Spanish Armada Taj Mahal, the Gem of India Venice, the City of the Sea Vesuvius and her Buried Cities The Tower of London Westminster Abbey, England's Pantheon Stories, Poems and Histories about all of these things, and Pictures also, are in the Free Public Library of Newark, N. J. Pomfret's bright boys and girls will look up any of these subjects that they do not already know about. Abba Doton Chamberlin, Librarian We have had hundreds of these book marks made to distribute to our towns- people, teachers and pupils. High School teachers, in the state and out, are sending for them, to get subjects for composition writing. 26 THE POMFRET LIBRARY circular sent out by the Newark Library, headed " All the World Knows These Old and Marvellous Things", with a list of thirty subjects following. We have had several hundred copies made of this as book marks and are distributing them to our pupils and scattering them broadcast. A large table holds samples of work done by each school in town. Each teacher sending them at the close of the term, to remain till the close of the next term, when they are exchanged for later work. After this I again visited each school and exhibited and explained a set of pictures taken from celebrated paintings by the old masters. These had been lent us for a few weeks from the Newark Library. Distributing the School Libraries The library is situated in the southwest part of the town at the junction of the stage routes, one leading to West Hartford, the other running from Woodstock to Bethel. Four of the branch libraries are on the West Hartford route, and our highly esteemed stage driver, Chauncey Perry, who has had the route for 40 years, carries the juvenile books to those libraries, free of charge. For the transportation of the boxes he is paid a small sum. The other branch library is across the hills, some two miles distant, and the people in that neighborhood attend to the conveying of the books. It is not an uncommon thing for a boy 1 2 or fourteen years of age who lives 6 or 8 miles away, to drive here and take out 25 or 30 books to read by himself in his leisure hours at home. 100 of the Best Novels We have had made a bookcase that is 6 feet high and 20 inches wide, with shelves 6 inches deep, and have placed it in the waiting room. This is for the n 1 00 of the best novels ", after the list made out by the Newark Library, and is attracting considerable attention. Patrons would like to have it said that they had read these 1 00 books, and after reading them the tendency will be to lessen their love for fiction of a lower standard. Kindness to Animals One of our trustees, Mrs. Frank S. Mackenzie, is so much interested in "kindness to every living thing", that she offered, in 1909, to give POMFRET VERMONT 27 The Public Library completes the bridge along the old highway of Public Education POMFRET. VERMONT o The Public Library completes the bridge along the old highway of public education PONS FRACTV5 Pomf ret Vermont was settled from Pomfret Connecticut and this from Pomfret England. Pomfret England took its name from a broken bridge built over a stream at that place more than fifteen hundred years ago ROLL OF HONOR. The names of Pomfret school children on the Roll of Honor at the library are read by hundreds of visitors from all parts of the United States. These boys and girls are distin- guished for their : 1 Care of books furnished by the Town. 2 Care of Library books. 3 Care of the school property generally. 4 Cleanness of speech. 5 Kindness to every living thing 6 Habits of order and neatness. 7 Politeness. 8 Truthfulness. 9 Cheerful obedience, and 10 Various other individual vir- tues that are necessary in order to be good and desirable citizens. Pomfret Vermont was Settled from Pom- fret Connecticut and this from Pomfret England. Pomfret England took its Name from a Broken Bridge at that Place Built More than Fifteen Hundred Years Ago The Pomfret Public Library was established in 1 896. The Abbott Memorial Building was given to the town by Judge Ira A. Abbott, August 12, 1905. The two work as a unit in serving the public. A branch library containing 52 books has been established in every schoolhouse in town. These books are changed each term. Each teacher in town is a branch librarian. A Business Men's Branch has been opened at the Center, con- taining 300 books, with Mr. Wm. A. Perkins as librarian. Another branch has been opened at Hewittville with 200 books. No fines are taken for overdue books. 28 THE POMFRET LIBRARY to each school in town if the boys in school would make a bookcase for it a little library of humane literature, and also to send to that school for a year, a copy of "Our Dumb Animals." This was accomplished and the books were sent from time to time to each school. "I will try to be kind to all living creatures and protect them from cruel usage." This simple pledge has been signed probably by more people in the last twenty-eight years than ever signed a single pledge in any period of that length since the world began. It is even more probable that no other pledge has been kept faithfully by so many who took it as has this one. Animals differ very little from children in showing the good or bad effects of their treatment ; and, if one wishes to gain a fairly accurate HE BROKEN BRIDGE: PONFRA.TUS: PONTEFRAGT' POMFRET -si POMFRET. VERMONT rs insight into people's characters, let him watch the animals under their care, which will become silent witnesses for or against them, whose testimony no bribe can affect or threat intimidate. A Kindness to Animals Blotter. One of a set of six, supplied by Mrs. F. S. Mackenzie, and distributed by the Library. Last year, 1 9 1 0, in five of the schools of the town, having altogether 68 pupils with an average attendance of about 58, pupils took home and read 343 volumes. These little libraries consist of 1 2 volumes each, besides some six " Kindness to Animals " books, and books read from them were in addition to those read from the regular libraries of 52 volumes each. The returns for the winter term, 1910-1 1 , show the whole number of pupils enrolled in town to be 73. Average attendance 63. Whole number of loans from juvenile sets, and boxes of 52 volumes each, 646. The Barber School. Branch No. 6 of the Public Library. POMFRET VERMONT 29