Mary Wands Campbell - Tales from the Spalding Library

 Below is a portrait of Helen Thurston, librarian at the Spalding Lbrary in Athens from 1904-1949.  In 1952, after her death, my grandmother, Mary Wands Campbell,  was commissioned to paint this portrait to hang in the library.  Helen's mother, Hattie, had also been librarian there.  Helen was related through her father, whose mother was a Spalding, to the Spalding family who donated the money to build the library, which was completed around 1898.  Katie Replogle was kind enough to take a photo of the painting to share here.

Helen Thurston

The Spalding Library - from a postcard

In 1957, my grandmother was thrilled to be offered the job of  Librarian at the library.  Below, some excerpts from her letters to my mother, Janice, about the library and her experiences there.

Mar. 20, 1957

Dear J:

Big news! I have a job!!!! After May 15^th I will be Librarian of the Spaulding Memorial Library!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $1800 to start with!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Five afternoons from 2-5 + 5 evenings from 7-9 + maybe they’ll eliminate Sat. eventually. No evenings during summer.

This was a complete surprise. I had just learned that the present librarian, Gladys DuPuis, was leaving – with her relatives, the Cuddebacks, she has bought a station wagon + they will sell their farm + everthing else – and go to California. “How I shall miss Gladys”, I thought – she was very friendly and likeable – when I heard form the Hazards that the Board would like to know if I’d be interested. I decided I was, + Pop thinks its fine. (After this, I’ll get social security) And to whom do I owe this good fortune? Stanley Burns. He’s on the board, + suggested me.

Gladys will train me in. I hope I can learn the necessary, and our visit to you will probably occur in early May. 

April 6, 1959

This reminds me of the night a guy came stalking into the Library, fixed me with a glittering eye + slapped a pair of handcuffs on the counter – and just as I thought – “this is it” he said: “Have you a book on ole handcuffs?” Answer: no.

This A.M. I had to go to the Library Club and report on: ‘Books the Ladies Library club has given the Library”. Very brief, only it took half the forenoon to dig the dope out of the records. Also had to whip up some publicity for the paper on Library Week – and a 30 second spot for WATS – Pop organized that.

When we left the Library this P.M. the President of the Club attempted to lock that door we use into the hall with the key that belongs to the double doors, and she got it stuck in the lock, + she couldn’t remove it, not could yours truly, nor could Genevieve Gore, who was also present. We couldn’t lock the Library – except for the outside door. Joe shoulda been there. I left a note for DuWayne, who was coming there that evening, explaining - + now I’m dying to know if he got it out – but the whole Cuddeback family seem to be out for the night. Gone back to California, maybe. SOMETHING will halfta (sic) be done. 

February 21, 1960

  We shoveled the drive out once, but it’s full again. Seven telephone poles in a row came down, up in front of Burnses, and DuWayne couldn’t get home one night and had to stay in the Library. He has a bunk down there in the furnace room.

March 25, 1960

My new Library assistant continues to be pleasant to work with, accurate, interested, and a real help.

Recently I got a paper-back on the Dead Sea Scrolls. I get these supplements various subjects in which there’s considerable interest. In this one a theory was presented that Jesus had been a member of the Essene Sect. + perhaps had spent his ‘lost years’ there. It also said that the church was embarrassed about some of the revelations and tried to keep the lid on. One of the Methodists read this and was disturbed. Friday the Rev. Reinfurt, a pompous and humorless piece of business as ever was, came boiling in and demanded the withdrawal of that book, because it advance ideas not believed by the majority of Christians. “If it is not withdrawn”, said he, “I will take to my pulpit and preach that the library is disseminating improper information.” Sez I, reasonably, “If you do, it will cause a great interest in the book.” Mrs. Allen took it out at once, + I consult the book committee.

The Ladies Library Club gave the library a new chair – a truly vast, majestic deal, mahogany colored plastic, solid comfort type – large enuff for the largest, or 2 kids.

November 21, 1960

At the Library I put on a display of old-time schoolbooks – mostly Pop’s collection – especially his hand written manuscript arithmetic, which was especially interesting, and most especially interesting a document, accidentally left in the back, revealing that your great, great Grandfather Wright was taken into court at Towanda and sued for $153.

May 11, 1961

News from the Library front – the place became too, too popular with the High School crowd + undesirable elements infiltrated, mischief occurred, such as noise, etc. They are pretty canny, + us librarians being driv (?-ac) – we couldn’t sort out the guilty – anyway, a really brilliant idea was presented – close the place to the High School students evenings. Let ‘em use the school library. So I wrote a note to this effect  + the Pres. of the Library Board signed it  + the H.S. Principal read it. They could come Sat. P.M. afternoons' after school – or evenings with parents. Well, this caused a sensation. The note was greeted with groans  + immediate efforts to get the ruling rescinded. Darned if the kids didn’t call a meeting of some of the members of the Board, + darned if some on ‘em didn’t go. Not me. The kids claimed to be outraged. Board continued stubborn. Then a committee called on me, to work out some scheme, such as passes – or a system of monitors from the H.S. kids (How many would we need?) My stand, why should we have to have people here who need monitoring? “Why don’t you just hire a policeman?”, says one kid. The ban is cheaper and easier. Next a lad called on me to get the Library view for a class debate. One class, I learn, has written comps on the subject all found in favor of the library – natch – they wouldn’t dare not.

Now we have kids filtering in claiming they’ve not heard the news. (Don’t you believe it – it’s the big subject.) We don’t know all the kids + figure there will be borrowing of Sayre jackets. Lots of Sayre kids come down  + even Waverly  + they’re not banned – yet. Last night a familiar face appeared - a Sayre student, says he – we knew his name, + soon detected that such was not the case - his Pa was informed, + he’ll take it from there – Pete is in for a bad time. Stanley Burns, who is on the Board, wants the ban to be permanent.

November 11, 1965

  Oh, yes – I took in the Stephen C. Foster Evening at the Museum and Library – Loretta was charming in an 1890+ costume, the Library was really crowded, and the music very appealing.

January 7, 1964

  Stanley Burns died suddenly just before Christmas. His heart had been bad for some time. He was over in Athens in the evening, shopping, + was taken, and went into his bank, where it happened. His secretary, + her husband, who are his neighbors, happened along, and were with him. Stanley had a most successful life. I don’t know anybody who accomplished more of the things he wanted to, + finally had an outside window for service at the bank and a whole complete little park on the point, He will be missed in the Library Board. He was not only treasurer, but the main moving spirit. 

March 24, 1966

  Any minute Loreita Jackson will drop in. When clearing the office at the Library, I found a pen + ink drawing of the Old Academy from the old photo which is fading. It’s about 12x15 or so, + I framed it. Good accurate work, by one Truman Johnson, long ago. Well, Loreita discovered that he was still around – tho over 90, + had studied at the PA museum + School of Industrial Art. Had never done anything with his skill except a bunch of small pencil productions, mostly faces + mostly copied from something, but done with the idea of having a little display at the Museum (me to mount and arrange it) and giving the modest local artist a little whirl in the way of publicity and have a human interest write-up in the paper. She had an interview with him. Went to have another, no one could find him. Word came that he was in the hospital. Now he’s dead. However, the Methodist minister had been to see him and had told him that this deal was in the wind. We will go ahead with it + have the human interest for April 11^th his birthday.

August 8, 1966

  In my Library days, I used to be profoundly annoyed by book signed Janice + full of weak, insipid, revolting bears (?). There really aren’t too many who write + illustrate really good children’s books.

I’ve had 2 afternoons in the Museum, assisting the assistant Mrs. Hinkson – while Mrs. Jackson is in Europe – and I bet I hear back from her before I do Dr. H. Sherwood Campbell. I did ask him what kind of Dr. and its philosophy PhD. This evening again at the museum, 7-9.

  Sept 25^th 1966

Dear J.

Thursdays, now-a-days, I fool around over in the Library to help out, if necessary, while the new Librarian (Mrs. Fraley has left, for a County Library job) – takes a course at Mansfield. This will be the case until Jan 1^st.