Hanover Town Reports
1800s

Report of the Town School Board: "On Jan. 1st, 1890, the law, requiring the town to furnish free text books and school supplies, went into operation, thus removing a heavy burden from many parents. This law is said to have operated successfully elsewhere, and will no doubt be a success in New Hampshire. While we live in the midst of books, they are not accessible to the majority of our scholars. In the school building we have a fair number of reference books, bought by the District, some miscellaneous books, donated by the school, and a few purchased with money raised by the scholars themselves. The school naturally develops a love for reading, but it is a question whether this is not a positive curse, if the reading is to be limited to the cheap and vile trash which so easily falls into the hands of young people. Let a taste for good reading be formed at school and the dime novel will loose its charm. We would recommend that a small annual appropriation be made for enlarging our school library, we are sure it would be a wise expenditure."

Report of the Town School Board: "At the last school meeting the district voted $20 with which to make the beginning of a library for the use of the school. The project for the establishment of such a library met with the hearty approval of the citizens, and to the books purchased many have been added by gift, and more have been promised. Nearly fifty volumes are now in the library, and that it promises to be of great service is shown by the fact that within a week after the books were placed in the school, all but one had been taken out by the scholars for reading. The privilege of having good books easily accessible cannot fail of a beneficial effect upon the scholars and the homes to which the books are taken."

Report of the Town School Board: "The library has received a very large addition by the gift of the old Stockbridge library and other volumes of value. A new and much larger case has been provided. The master of the schools, who takes charge of the library, reports that it is widely used, with great satisfaction and benefit by the scholars."

Library highlights: "You are hereby notified to meet at the Hall of Charles W. Hayes, in said town, on the second Tuesday of March next, at ten of the clock in the forenoon, to act upon the following subjects: #10, To see if the town will elect a board of library trustees and appropriate the money necessary to secure the gift of one hundred dollars worth of books from the State."

Report of the Town School Board: "A few years ago we asked for an appropriation of twenty-five dollars to lay the foundation of a school library, and two similar appropriations have since been made. The library has been increased by the gifts of the Stockbridge Library and by gifts of books from various persons. We have at present twenty dollars on hand, a gift from the ladies of the Hanover Book Club. The books purchased have been chosen with great care and the library has fully met the expectations formed in regard to it."

Report of the Town School Board: "In order to make further progress we must have a small laboratory for the sciences and a library room. Is it wise to keep putting off what we know should be done?"

Board of Education District No. 1 report: "The school library has proved as useful and helpful as heretofore, as an auxiliary to the works of the schools. The small amount voted for its maintenance and enlargement confess benefits which cannot be expressed in money value."

"To the inhabitants of the town of Hanover qualified to vote in town affairs. You are hereby notified to meet at the Hall of Charles W. Hayes, in said town, on the second Tuesday of March next, at ten of the clock in the forenoon, to act upon the following subjects: To see if the town will vote to establish a public library, accept the provisions of Chapter 8, Sections 21-26 of the Public Statutes, in such manner as to be entitled to one hundred dollars worth of books from the state ; raise and appropriate a sum not less than fifty dollars annually for the support of the library, and otherwise comply with the provisions of said Chapter of the Public Statutes."

"To the inhabitants of the town of Hanover, qualified to vote in town affairs, you are hereby notified to meet in the Hall of C. W. Hayes in said town on the second Tuesday of March, next, at ten of the clock in the forenoon, to act upon the following subjects: To see if the town will vote to establish a public library, accept the provisions of Chapter 8, Sections 21-26 of the Public Statutes, in such manner as to be entitled to one hundred dollars worth of books from the state ; raise and appropriate a sum not less than fifty dollars annually for the support of the library, and otherwise comply with the provisions of said Chapter of the Public Statutes."

Board of Education District No. 1 report: "In previous reports your attention has been called to the value and importance of a good library. The present actual value of our library is less than it has been, owing to the fact that for the last year at least very few additions have been made to it. The books which we now possess have been so thoroughly read and used that most of our present pupils have, in a measure, lost their interest in them. The importance of a good library is recognized and urged by all of our teachers and another appropriation by the district for this purpose and gifts of books from friends would be of great benefit. We wish to hereby acknowledge and express our appreciation of some such gifts recently received."

Town Clerk's Record: "On motion—Voted to elect three library trustees, one for one year, one for two years, one for three years, which was done as follows : Library trustee for one year, Charles F. Richardson ; for two 3 years, Asa W. Fellows; for three years, Horace F. Hoyt."

Library Trustee report: "The Hanover Free Library was opened to the public Feb. 4, 1899. More than fifty people were present on the opening day and the library has since been well patronized. The books belonging to the Etna library were consolidated with the books furnished by the town and state, making a total of about 400 volumes, with Thomas W. Praddex as librarian. The state donation consisted of one hundred well-chosen volumes, of an aggregate net value of one hundred dollars ; about fifty volumes, including the latest and most useful cyclopaedia, were purchased from the town appropriation and Mr. Edward P. Storrs generously donated books to the amount of ten dollars, besides enabling the trustees to purchase other works on very advantageous terms."

The Etna
Library