| The Dawson Library Association was
formed in 1906 as an outgrowth of the "Wednesday Afternoon
Club", whose thirty-two members "loved literature and desired to
do something permanent." The organizational meeting was held at
the home of Mrs. Minnie Bridges and E. T. Jordan was elected president,
Mrs. F .M. McNulty, treasurer, and Mrs. Lucius Lamar, secretary. Mr. T. D.
Lee offered a large room over his drug store for use as a library. Miss
Fanny Cheatham, affectionately known as "Miss Pet," became the
first librarian at a salary of $40.00 a month. All reading members
were charged a fee of 25¢ to help pay the librarian's salary.
With the passing of a year or two, the library
was moved to the city council room over the fire department. The Carnegie
Library Building was constructed in 1914 and became the responsibility
of the city in 1924. At this time, trustees were appointed by the
City Council who were Mrs. Ed Bell, Chairman, Miss Louise McNulty, Mrs.
Lucius Lamar, Mrs., D. C. Pickett and Mrs. J. M. Griggs. The first
bookmobile service began in 12938.
After "Miss Pet's" death in the late
forties, Miss Pat Turner, now Mrs. Calvin Schramm, became the librarian
until 1950 at which time Mrs. Lillian Cowart served as librarian. Mr.
Henry Shearhouse was the next librarian in 1953 and in 1954, Mrs. S. J.
Smith became the library director, serving during the period of the
library's growth into a six county regional system. Upon her
retirement in 1970, Mrs. Doris Wightman was appointed as library director.
Mrs. Augusta Griggs Raines was appointed to
the library board in 1950. During her period of leadership, the
Dawson Library became the Kinchafoonee Regional Library System, taking the
name of creek that has its course through many of the member
counties. Calhoun County joined Terrell County in 1953 and Lee
became a member in 1954, and the library became the Terrell-Calhoun-Lee
Regional Library. An annex to the original Carnegie building was
completed in 1959, providing additional space for books. Randolph
and Webster Counties joined the system in 1961 and Clay County became the
sixth and last county to join in 1966.
The Kinchafoonee Regional Library remains in
the original Carnegie building and annex but was modernized in 1977 making
the main entrance on ground level for the convenience of the public.
The building currently houses more than 140,000 items of material.
The system includes the headquarters library in Dawson and seven branch
libraries.
Submitted by Mrs. Doris Wightman
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