| Local library officials also
offered another newspaper article indicating that Terrell County's "first
library" was founded in Dawson in 1878. Following is the text of that
story. "On May 3, 1878, the first Library
Association in Dawson was formed at the Courthouse with the following
officers elected: A.J. Baldwin, president; W.H. Harper,
vice-president; J.G. Parks, treasurer, U.I. Weston, secretary, J.D. Hoyl,
C.R. Moore and J.H. Guerry were directors.
A committee to solicit members was appointed as
follows: R.R. Simmons, W.B. Cheatam, M.H. Baldwin, Mrs. J.H. Guerry, Misses
Alice Farnum and Carrie Parks. In The Dawson Journal we find this:
"The great moral and temperance dram entitled "The Battle" will be presented
to get funds to procure a Library. The good ladies are assisting - May
11, 1871. The Excelsior Debating Society held at the Masonic Hall,
subject: "Is The Education of Man More Important Than That of Woman."
Object - to raise money for Library. Net proceeds were $35.00.
Carnegie Library Building was built of brick in 1914,
costing $10,000. Municipality gave the lot and agreed to maintain the
building. Here is the county seat of knowledge where those of leisure
can communicate with the most brilliant minds of the different period of
progress.
First librarian was Miss Fannie (Pet) Cheatham,
beginning in 1914.
A County Library
This project was accomplished with the aid of the
federal government under WPA. Many people throughout the county now
have access to good reading and reference books from the bookmobile which
has a schedule for each community.
Regional Library
Mrs. Claude Rutherford, using her Ford care as a
Bookmobile under the WPA, began the county library service. The Ford
people made a Bookmobile out of a pickup truck. Mrs. Rutherford gave
up the work in 1941.
Mrs. Grady Crowe and Mrs. Pearl Dozier were her
successors for a little more than a year. The WPA discontinued the
work and the Terrell County Commissioner took it over in 1941 with Mrs.
Dozier as librarian. She was in charge until 1905. Then in 1951,
the County Commissioners authorized the service again, and in 1953, the
city, County Commissioners and Board of Education made it possible to have a
Tri-County Regional Library cooperating with Calhoun. Six months
later, Lee County joined. The state Library Board furnishes books and
three trained librarians. Mr. J.C. Duke's Estate made a gift of lovely
new bookmobile. |