Marietta College - Mariettana Yearbook (Marietta, OH)

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f MARIETTANA NINETEEN AND NINE nation, as the Revolutionary war, war of 1812 and the Rebellion. There is also a large amount of state history, and biography galore, with. hundreds of volumes of the North American Indians. Very remark- able among other things are the numerous scrap books, madelup in some cases of pamphlets more or less rare or magazine selections and often of newspaper clippings, the collection and arrangement of which represent an enormous amount of labor and which when properly indexed will possess very great value, partly as mirrors of. the times they set forth and partly through their intrinsic worth. There are many volumes which are interesting to the seeker after the curiousl Finger ring lore finds a place. Gloves, their annals and associations, precious stones, the history of sign boards, and the his- tory of advertising will appear at call. There is also an essay on old maids in three volumes. Some of Marietta's former presidents have kindly remembered the library in substantial manner. From the estate of Dr. Henry Srhith, second president, came several hundreds of classical and other books. Through the infiuence of Dr. Eaton, the fourth president, a large number of valuable educational works have found their way to our shelves. For the study of southeastern Ohio history, or indeed the history of the Northwest Territory, much valuable information is to be found in the manuscript records of the Ohio Company, their journals of pro- ceedings, their plats of surveys, all done with exquisite care, the paper now yellowed by age, but the ink after all these hundred years still clear and distinct; also from the mass of letters, the correspondence in great part of Rufus Putnam and many of the most noted Americans of his time, copies in his hand of his own letters and the autograph originals of his correspondents. A small portion of these letters have been ably edited by Miss Buell and published by the Colonial Dames of Ohio. There are also several journals kept by General Putnam at various 22

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-IE-r NINETEEN AND NIN E MARIETTANA which are so real that they seem starting from the page to perform their evil work upon tree and shrub. These exquisite sketches are accompanied by manuscript notes and nearly every page is signed by Dr. Hildreth,s initials. The library has been enriched from time to time by gifts from many individuals. Noteworthy among these gifts are four collections, three of which, according to the wish of the donors are now kept as units. First, several hundred volumes from the estate of Charles E. Lindsley of the class of 1840. This aside from its own value, is prec- ious as showing the affectionate remembrance in which Marietta is held by her alumni. Second is the HHildreth Cabinet Libraryu to which reference has been made. The next collection, of over 1400 volumes, is the gift of a living alumus of Marietta College. It consists of books pertaining to philosophy, psychology, religion, science, art and literature. Every volume has been carefully selected and the aggregate forms a most desirable section of the library. The donor, a man of fine literary judg- ment, is still adding to his gift. The last collection of note is the magnificent gift received at Commencement 1900 from the Hon. Rodney M. Stimson tLibrarian 1881-1890 and treasurer 1881-1900i consisting of 18,712 volumes. This collection, while embracing the various departments, is peculiarly rich in matter pertaining to American history, especially of the North- west Territory. It is said by some Who are probably qualiiied to judge that in this respect it is second to none west of the Allegheny mountains except that of the Wisconsin Historical Society. The col- lection is the work of a man who knows and loves books well and who put into the work nearly twenty years of painstaking labor as well as a goodly sum of money. In its historical department there are many hundreds of volumes which deal with the important wars of our 21

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E NINETEEN AND NINE MARIETTANA times. One, a journal of his Maine survey containing his field notes which are interspersed with his record of the days doings and his comment on human nature as he found: it in the Maine woods. Another was kept by him while on a trip to the south whither he was sent to spy out the land with a view of locating ex-soldiers. Still another of great interest gives record of a large part of his life and this was pre- pared for his children and grand-children. In addition to ordinary sources of increase, Marietta college library is a United States depository of government documents and annually receives many bound volumes and many phamplets which, in the eyes of the uninitiated, are merely so many yards of sheep and paper specially designed to cumber the earth, but which, in the estiman tion of the more enlightened, furnish well nigh inexhaustible stores of information. It is probable that but few except those immediately concerned are aware what amount of printed matter our great Uncle Sam puts forth each year, or, knowing, have any idea of, the wide field covered - as wide, in fact, as human interest, for there are few lines of research not touched by the United States Government; whether historical, geological, geographical, botanical, agricultural or any other. Gather up a handful of bulletins of the Agricultural De- partment and note the titles: - Egyptian irrigation. Cranberry culture. Squab raising. Poultry and egg industry of leading European countries. ?rapagation of the Easter lily from seed. Our trade with Scandinavia. Canned butter. Renovated butter, Japanese bamboos. Weather folk lore. Wages of farm labor. 23