History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

early days of the Newton Tlieologicnl Institution
the students and officers were obliged to go to
Newton Corner — a distance of two miles — to
receive and deposit their letters.
.\bout the year 1798 two public libraries were
founded, — one in the east, the other in the west
part of the town. The first, after a time, fell into
neglect, and the books were sold. The library
styled the West Newton Social Library, inaugu-
rated in 1797, had a very grave but useful selec-
tion of books, and did good service in the town
for several years. The AYest Newton Athenfeum,
organized in December, 184-9, had in 1872 a
library of three or four thousand volumes. This
institution was established both as a library asso-
ciation and an organization for the promotion of
liberal culture and good-fellowship in the town.
.\mong its founders were tlie late William B.
Fowle, Hon. Horace Mann, Eev. Joseph S. Clarke,
Cyrus Peirce, Dr. .J. H. Brown, and :\rr. J. W.
Plimpton^ the latter of whom, in 1867, made a
donation of f 1,000 to the library funds. The li-
brary property was held in shares of the ])ar value
XEU'TOX.
XeiTton Public Library.
249
of ten dollars each. But previous to the existence
of the Free Public Library of Newton it was for
many years contemplated, as soon as its financial
condition would allow, to throw it open to the gra-
tuitous use of the public. A library called the
Adelphian Library was formed about 1830. Mr.
AYilliam Jackson and others, by begging, buving,
and giving, procured quite a valuable collection of
books, which were placed in the entrance-room
of the academy of Mr. Seth Davis, of West Newton,
who was the librarian until 1839. About
1833 or 1833 it was arranged that the books in
part should be kept, and occasionally exchanged,
in both parishes. Marshall S. Eice was the libra-
rian in the east parish. Deacon Samuel F. Di\
was the custodian of the library of 1798. About
1839 or 184-0 the libraries of 1798 and the Adel-
phian Library were both merged in the Alliemieuin.
The Newton Lower Falls Free Library, organized
in 1869 for the free use of the inhabitants resid-
ing in Newton Lower Falls ami (he \ieiiiily, galli-
ered a collection of nearly twn tlion^iind volumes.
A small library in the North Vilhiy-e iiunibeiv.l