Class __^Ej33j^ Book Copyright N°_ COPYRIGHT DEPOSm HENRY ROSENBERG ^yj^y^^>^£^uty^ eyt^^ HENRY ROSENBERG 1824-1893 TO COMMEMORATE THE GIFTS OF HENRY ROSENBERG TO GALVESTON THIS VOLUME IS ISSUED BY THE ROSENBERG LIBRARY GALVESTON, TEXAS MCMXVIII Copyright, 191 8, by The Board of Directors of the Rosenberg Library FEB -3 1919 ie)CI.A5U2l2 ^"U.*^ I FOREWORD Henry Rosenberg came to Galveston, a Swiss boy of nineteen, with no money but with native ability. After fifty years of life in our city as a prosperous merchant and banker, an unpretentious and generous man, and a useful and public-spirited citizen, Mr. Rosenberg passed away in his sixty-ninth year in 1893, leaving by his will a very large part of his wealth for wisely chosen public purposes in Gal- veston, the principal amount being the residuum for a free public library. The people of Galveston honor the memory of Mr. Rosenberg; they are proud of him as a good citizen, and are grateful of heart for his gifts and bequests. This has been shown by pub- lic honors and tributes in the days following his de- cease, by the annual celebration of Rosenberg Day for many years, by the fine heroic bronze statue ac- quired by popular subscription and placed in front of the Rosenberg Library in 1906, and by the care our people take to impress "their children and their children's children" with respect and gratitude to "Our Benefactor." The Rosenberg Library Board of Directors now deems it fitting to commemorate the public gifts and bequests of Henry Rosenberg by means of this volume. ROSENBERG MEMORIAL BOOK COMMITTEE William T. Armstrong, Chairman R. Waverley Smith Edward Randall May, 1918 Frank C. Patten, Librarian CONTENTS Foreword vil Memorial Book Committee Part I BIOGRAPHY Henry Rosenberg 3 Hon. Robert G. Street Letter from Henry Rosenberg's Native Village 13 Heinrich Aebli, President of the Commune of Bilten Eaton Chapel 17 The Henry Rosenberg Free School ... 19 The Sorrow of the City 23 Inscription on the Rosenberg Monument in Loudon Park Cemetery, Baltimore, Mary- land 29 Tribute at the Funeral Services at Rosenberg School 3^ Hon. Robert G. Street Henry Rosenberg: A POEM 35 Clarence Ousley Henry Rosenberg : a poem 37 John P. Sjolander CONTENTS Founder's Day 39 Rosenberg Day Address, May I, 191 1 . . .41 Hon. Yancey Lewis The Statue of Henry Rosenberg .... 55 Address at the Unveiling of the Statue of Henry Rosenberg 57 Hon. Robert G. Street Chronology 69 Part II BEQUESTS List of the Gifts and Bequests of Henry Rosenberg for Public Purposes ... 89 The Will of Henry Rosenberg 91 The Administration of the Rosenberg Estate 97 The Galveston Orphans' Home 105 Grace Episcopal Church 109 The Letitia Rosenberg Woman's Home . .113 The Galveston Young Men's Christian Association 115 The Rosenberg Drinking Fountains . . .123 The Texas Heroes' Monument 125 The Texas Heroes' Monument 129 "Galveston News," November 2, igi3 CONTENTS Part III ROSENBERG LIBRARY The Library Bequest: The Twenty-first Clause OF THE Will 141 Articles OF Incorporation 143 The Charter 145 The Board OF Trustees, i 900-1 903 . . . .149 The Board OF Directors, 1 900-1 904 . . . . 149 The Board OF Trustees, 191 8 150 The Board OF Directors, 191 8 150 Members of the Board of Trustees, i 900-1 9 18 151 Members of the Board of Directors, 1900-1918 153 General Financial Statement 155 Library Income and Expenditures, February, 1901, TO December,*i9I7 157 Library Income and Expenditures for the Year Ending December 31, 19 1 7 . . .158 Assets: The Library Endowment Fund, Janu- ary I, 1918 159 Assets: Property Used for Library Purposes, January 1,1918 161 Assets: Summary, January I, 19 1 8 . . . .161 Laying the Corner-stone of Rosenberg Library 163 List of Articles Deposited in the Corner- stone 165 [xi] CONTENTS The Dedication of Rosenberg Library, June 22, 1904 Dedicatory Address Hon. Marcellus E. Kleberg The Rosenberg Library Building . The Development of the Library , Frank C. Patten, Librarian Historical and Statistical Summary 169 173 179 187 223 [XIO ILLUSTRATIONS Part I BIOGRAPHY PLATE Henry Rosenberg Frontispiece 1 The Birthplace of Henry Rosen- berg Facing p^g^ 3 2 Henry Rosenberg in 1 89 1 (Age 67) at his Birthplace .... " 3 3 His Childhood Home in Bilten . " 3 4 Rudolf Rosenberg, 1798-1862 . " 3 5 The Village Church of Bilten . . " 13 The Village of Bilten . . . Headpiece, page 13 6 Eaton Chapel and Trinity Church . Facing page 17 7 The Henry Rosenberg Free School " 19 8 Henry Rosenberg, Age 21 ... " 23 9 Henry Rosenberg, Age about 50 . " 23 10 The Residence of Henry Rosen- berg, Galveston " 23 11 Memorial Resolutions of the Gal- veston City Council .... " 29 12 The Rosenberg Monument, Lou- don Park Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland " 29 13 Rosenberg Day, 1913 .... " 39 [XIII] PLATE ILLUSTRATIONS 14 "Our Benefactor" (Statue in Front of Rosenberg Library) . . . Facing page 55 15 Unveiling the Statue of Henry Rosenberg " 57 The Galveston City Seal . . Tailpiece, page 85 Part II BEQUESTS 16 The Executors and Attorney of the Rosenberg Estate .... Facing page 97 17 The Galveston Orphans' Home . " 105 18 Grace Episcopal Church ... " 109 19 Interior View of Grace Episcopal Church " 109 20 The Letitia Rosenberg Woman's Home " 113 21 The Galveston Young Men's Chris- tian Association " 115 22 Y. M. C. A. — Office and Reception Room " 115 22 Y. M. C. A. — Gymnasium ... *' 115 23a The Rosenberg Drinking Fountains " 123 23b The Rosenberg Drinking Fountains " 123 24 Monument to the Heroes of the Texas Revolution of 1836 . . *' 125 25 The Heroes' Monument on the Day of Unveiling '* 125 26 Bronze Panel of the Heroes' Monu- ment : The Defense of the Alamo (South Side) " 125 Cxiv;] (Two 129 (Two 129 . Tailpiece, page 138 ILLUSTRATIONS 26 Bronze Panel of the Heroes' Monu- ment: Massacre at Goliad (East Side Facing page 125 27 Bronze Panel of the Heroes' Monu- ment : General Houston's Charge at the Battle of San Jacinto (West Side) " 125 27 Bronze Panel of the Heroes' Monu- ment: The Surrender of Santa Anna to General Houston at San Jacinto (North Side) ... " 125 28 The Heroes' Monument Views from the East) . 29 The Heroes' Monument Views from the West) . The Texas State Seal . Part III ROSENBERG LIBRARY 30 Rosenberg Library, from a Draw- ing by Vernon Howe Bailey . . Facing page 141 31 The Rosenberg Library Board of Directors, 1900-1904 ... " 149 32 Laying the Corner-stone of Rosen- berg Library " 163 33 The Corner-stone, showing Inscrip- tions " 165 34 Rosenberg Library in 1906 . . " 169 35 Rosenberg Library in 19 1 6 . . " 179 36 Rosenberg Library in 19 10 and in 1913 " 179 ILLUSTRATIONS 37 Rosenberg Library — East End and South Side Facing 38 Rosenberg Library — Front En- trance *' 39 Rosenberg Library ( Looking North on Tremont Street) 39 Branch Library for Colored People 40 Rosenberg Library Plans — First and Second Floors . 41 Main Corridor .... 42 Periodical Reading Rooms and Corridor 43 Book Room, showing Reference Desk 44 Book Room, showing Card Catalog and Lending Counter 45 Offices of Librarian and First Assistant 46 Cataloging and Work Rooms . 47 Stairways to Second Story . 48 Lecture Hall in Second Story . 49 Children's Department — Entrance and Reading Room . 50 Children's Department — Reading Room and Story Room . 51 Wood Carvings on Settles in Chil dren's Reading Room 52 Mantels, First and Second Stories page 179 179 179 179 187 187 187 187 187 187 187 187 187 187 187 187 187 Part I BIOGRAPHY z en ^ o % Pi; t: o ^ c w 2 < ■ Cu X h O I- -o oj -O _ 2 " o t.' c E «•§ ^ I « U ? o o c o c . « ."5 re •-- '^ >..> g « Qj .— . O OJ u oj o K -c -= -c ^ « c =" _o re o Is ^ bc .5 ^ c re u o u C u u O < / > ''• ''4JI * * ''^:^^%i^dH 4 ? IPBI f£^i 1^ 1^ jJ^rBI _ pr-.-^ ^^^^^Hf 4^' J^ , -■ ■ 1 - - ? * : '** * ■ J*' ft v. iii ,, .„,. 1 HENRY ROSENBERG IN 1891 Affe 67 At his Birthplace Plate No. 2 w f— 1 H^ 1 c HH rr^ OJ -•" ~ 0) — M Z CO w l-H "o r;:: c > o c^ ^^^ z >4- -M >+H O C w CO 2 'S "a o hoi Pre: r an Cr^ >-' " ~ " D< t to berg g's t X X C i- tl u ^^ ^ C H o RUDOLF ROSENBERG, 1798-1862 Father of Henry Rosenberg Plate No. 4 HENRY ROSENBERG BY HON. ROBERT G. STREET COMING to Galveston when he was nineteen years old and abiding there until his death, a period of fifty years ; beginning as a clerk and on attaining his majority buying out his employer, Mr. Rosenberg's life was thenceforth that of an active and public-spirited business man, prominently iden- tified with most of the city's financial institutions and taking a leading part in all measures for the upbuild- ing of the city itself. He was for many years, until his banking interests claimed his chief attention, one of the leading dry-goods merchants of Texas. He had no taste for partisan politics but was ever ready to render his unpaid service as a public-spirited busi- ness man for the advantage of his fellow citizens in promoting the welfare of the city, always dear to him. He rendered notable service in this respect as president of the Board of Harbor Improvements, a work begun by the city in 1871 for the removal of the inner bar of Galveston Harbor. It was carried to successful completion under his administration. Such a life does not present those dramatic inci- dents that arrest the attention of the casual observer, [3] HENRY ROSENBERG but is rather one the fullness of whose import is to be gathered only from an intimate knowledge of its multitudinous activities and the manner in which from day to day the responsibilities they devolved were met and discharged. He was too self-reliant and independent to have had many intimate friends, and such as he had have now all passed away. He was essentially a man of affairs, and too engrossed with private business and the business aspect of pub- lic affairs to have time or inclination for social life, which he touched but lightly, though always with characteristic dignity and affability. Few have lived a life that was more an open book to all, yet, though frank and candid both in business and social life, he had no fondness for talking about himself, even of his early struggles — so often a pardonable weakness in self-made men. Though genial and possessed of a sense of humor, thus brightening and lightening the path of daily life for himself and others, he was in no sense an eccentric and has left no fund of anecdote behind. Though Mr. Rosenberg's life would always have furnished stimulation and encouragement to the young as a typical illustration of what it is in the power of all young men to accomplish by the exercise of the virtues of temperance in all things, of a high sense of honorable dealing, of untiring energy, self- denial and frugality, joined with a brave heart and high aspirations, yet the elements of character that chiefly endear his memory to his fellow citizens were made most conspicuously apparent toward his life's 1:4: HENRY ROSENBERG close, and were fully revealed only by his will. It sometimes casts a flood of light on one's character to know the things of his greatest antipathy, and with him these were the poser and the idler. Though his frequent charities and acts of philanthropy during the whole course of his life were necessarily known to a few, yet he shrank from their public recognition, and it was not until it neared the end that, his large means giving him the opportunity and the larger proportions assumed by his benefactions attracting general notice, he was prominently brought before the public eye in this relation. But it would be a mistake to think that Mr. Rosen- berg's liberal devotion of his means to objects of public beneficence was manifested only by his will, and hence, possibly, to indulge the reflection, often unjust, to which such an act, standing alone, some- times gives rise; for, not to mention his large dona- tion to the building of Eaton Chapel in memory of his old friend and pastor, Rev. Benjamin Eaton, first rector of Trinity parish at Galveston, he built the Rosenberg School during his lifetime. Mr. Rosenberg's will was executed in 1892; the Rosen- berg School was finished some two or three years earlier. He had superintended its construction daily, and after the school was opened was a frequent visitor, not on formal occasions only but during school hours and at recess. To one who remembers the deep interest he took in the construction of the building and the affectionate and playful relations [5] HENRY ROSENBERG between himself and the children of the school, re- flecting happiness no less in his countenance than in theirs, it is natural to believe that the sentiments of altruism and service thus given an opportunity for freer development and finding in his heart congenial soil, there acquired by their exercise a new vigor that in some degree influenced his bequests to the city of Galveston. So true is it that Nature makes rich re- sponse to those who reduce to practice the noblest sentiments of the human heart, thus enriching him who wisely gives. "A good diffused and in diffusion ever more intense." It was not, however, without a deep knowledge of the human heart that the greatest of English poets bade the people listen to the will of their benefactor before pronouncing judgment on his memory. And when it is seen that this final act is in keeping with the story of the inner life of him who did it, as that story was known to those who knew him best, such a will becomes a mirror of life and char- acter. Indeed, a distinguished gentleman delivering the address for 191 1, at the Library on "Rosenberg Day," one who had never known Mr. Rosenberg nor even lived in the same city with him, but whose gen- erous interest had been excited merely by reading a copy of his will, undertook, from that instrument alone, to outline the lineaments of his character and reconstruct a picture of him as he in truth existed. So true to life was the sketch thus eloquently drawn and so deep the appreciation of the man as he was personally known to many of those present, it was [6] HENRY ROSENBERG difficult for them to understand that it was not a pic- ture drawn from life and the gifted orator one of his most intimate friends. If one will but consider the will as a true exponent of the man, the elements must indeed have been divinely mixed in him. His for- tune, a large one for the time and place, had been accumulated exclusively by his own industry and tal- ents. After making provision for his surviving wife and a few personal legacies, his will breathes the spirit of service in the recognition that he held the bulk of his estate in trust for the use and benefit of the people of Galveston, and proceeds to apply it accord- ingly in the manner prompted by his own sentiments and directed by his practical sagacity — a Monument to the Heroes of the Texas Revolution of 1836, a perpetual appeal to Patriotism, Honor, Courage, and Devotion ; a Woman's Home, a refuge for the aged and infirm and as a tribute to the memory of his wife for forty years, with whose aid he had made his for- tune; an Orphans' Home, an evidence of his loving care for helpless and innocent children; drinking fountains for man and beast, supplying the need and convenience of water for general use and for the re- lief of domestic animals; the Young Men's Christian Association, for the instruction, training, and recre- ation of boys and young men; a church at Galveston and one in his native village in Switzerland, and a large gift in money as a permanent charitable fund for use in the latter place; a donation to the Ladies' Aid Society of the Lutheran Church at Galveston, C7] HENRY ROSENBERG and the rest and residue of his estate, about $400,000, constituting the greater part of the entire estate, to found a great free public library at Galveston. What a variety of admirable sentiments to animate the soul of one man! What a variety of suffering relieved! What civic needs supplied! What testimony to his own religious conviction! What pious regard for the home of his childhood! What wise appreciation by a business man of the value of a great free public library, where instructive and entertaining lectures are provided, and where, with all its wealth of oppor- tunity, no charge can possibly be incurred! It is not likely that there is any city in which these gifts would not have supplied a more or less urgent need, none to which they would not have been wel- come; but by his practical sagacity the provision made for each is, by common consent, proportionately what it should have been in Galveston. In the wants they supply and the opportunities they afford for higher civic and individual life, it is no exaggeration to say that they are generations in advance of what would have been possible from public resources alone. Among the beneficent purposes they serve, it is not to be overlooked that they serve all alike, and must ever constitute an appeal for unity and harmony of feeling and a bond of sympathy and an inspiration to cooperation in all that makes for higher and better living. May not the essence of Henry Rosenberg's gifts to the city of Galveston be found in this ten- dency to unify and harmonize its people, in this age HENRY ROSENBERG of strife and bitterness between classes, into one class whose aim shall be civic and individual righteous- ness? On the completion of the Y. M. C. A. Building, Mrs. Rosenberg, always deeply sympathetic with his public benefactions, presented the Association with an excellent portrait of Mr. Rosenberg, which, sus- pended in the front office, bears the inscription "Our Benefactor," given it by Dr. Palmer, the Secretary of the Association, a title that has now been univer- sally adopted. The first of May has been selected by the School Board of the city as "Rosenberg Day" and made a school holiday; it has also been adopted by the Directors of the Rosenberg Library by the same title and made a library holiday. It is annually observed by appropriate addresses in the library lecture hall. These occasions are always largely at- tended and made enjoyable and instructive. In like manner, previous to the establishment of this custom by the Library Association, appropriate exercises were held in the assembly hall of the Y. M. C. A. on the anniversary of his birth. By Mr. Rosenberg's wdll Major A. J. Walker and Mr. W. J. Frederich were appointed independent executors, without bond, and some time later, by Mr. Frederich's death, the executorship of the estate was devolved exclusively upon Major Walker. These duties he continued faithfully to discharge, complet- ing all the works and buildings before turning them over, and adding considerably to the value of the THE VILLAGE CHURCH OF BILTEN Built in 1816. Here Henry Rosenberg was christened in 1824 and con- firmed in 1840. The church was renovated and improved in 1890 and 1891 through the generosity of Henry Rosenberg Plate No. 5 The V illaye of Bilten LETTER FROM HENRY ROSENBERG'S NATIVE VILLAGE THE village of Bilten, the birthplace of Consul Henry Rosenberg, lies on the western boundary of Canton Glarus, Switzerland, and has about 600 inhabitants. The village lies at the foot of the Hirtzli in a beautiful location, and with its fine farms planted with fruit trees it presents an appearance quite idyllic. Bilten has a railway station on the Zurich- Chur line. The inhabitants of Bilten nearly all carry on agriculture, but a very few are tradespeople or mechanics. The people are in comfortable circum- stances and lead a rather quiet, even existence which is not strongly influenced by the great events of the outer world. The commune itself possesses large tracts of land which, in part, are divided among the [IS] HENRY ROSENBERG citizens; two large mountain pastures (Alpen) are leased. The principal interest is dairying. The vil- lage has as public buildings the church and the school-house, and it has its own electric light plant. With regard to the church, I refer you to the jubi- lee celebration pamphlet.^ The facts are that Mr. Rosenberg in the year 1891 caused to be carried through the renovation of the little old, dilapidated church, and out of it made a beautiful, neat little country church which still stands to-day as a fine tes- timony of his beneficence. He assumed the entire cost, which amounted to about 25,000 francs. I have no photographs at my disposal except that used as a frontispiece of the festival pamphlet. [See Plate 5.] 1 "In the year 1891, a time within your own memory, the reno- vation of the interior and exterior was accomplished, the cost of which, in magnanimous manner, the benefactor of the commune. Consul Rosenberg, assumed. May this friend and patron of the church be especially thought of with gratitude to-day! The reno- vation had become very necessary, in that the church was no longer in the best state of repair. This was not to be ascribed to simple neglect, for such work is costly and the means for it were never at hand. The people were glad to cover the ordinary running ex- penses of the church. Even for that it needed considerable effort. So it became necessary before 1891 to raise the maximum legal tax, and, notwithstanding that, to this tax was added the interest on church property originating in an earlier time. But even then the amount was not large enough, and usually there was still a deficit that had to be assumed by the Tagwen (Burghers' Council). It may be said that this church tax, in its entirety, was raised without opposition, a part of it from the church membership in Schanis, from which the general sentiment toward the church may be in- ferred. The sacrifice that the church needed was made. Since the bequest of Consul Rosenberg it is quite different, in that there is 1^1 LETTER FROM NATIVE VILLAGE We have here no biography of the late Mr. Rosen- berg. It is known only that as a nineteen-year-old youth, disappointed in not obtaining a desired public clerkship, he emigrated to America and there ac- quired his large fortune. He had two sisters in Bilten who were not so fortunate as to live to see him upon his return [1890] after fifty years' absence. During their lifetime he frequently assisted them, and he remembered their children in his will. In the will of Mr. Rosenberg the following ap- pears: A. To the Waisenamt (orphanage) of Bilten, 255,- 000 francs. B. To the Gemeinde (commune) of Bilten, 153,000 francs. now no church tax. Likewise in this regard we have to-day to be thankful to this man. "In connection with the renovation in the year 1 891, a desire was expressed to increase the height of the church tower and to place thereon a steeple. In the church council the matter was dis- cussed, and they believed the opportunity was favorable, in that the scaiEEolding was still standing. But the estimated cost of about 4000 francs, which sum the members of the church would have to bear, deterred them somewhat; and, on the other hand, they did not wish to change the renovation plan approved by Consul Rosen- berg, though at their own expense, because such action might pro- duce a wrong impression upon him. So the matter regarding the tower, which we still have to-day, was dropped, and this work, in which larger bells would also have been included, is reserved for a later generation. The present bells date back to the year 1832 and were cast by Meister Ruetschi in Aarau. Among these bells there still hangs, now unused, an old small bell supposed to have come from the chapel of St. Catherine." — History of the Church and Parish of Bilten for the Three Hundredth Anniversary, September 22, igoj, by H. HiRZEL, Pastor. 1:1,0 HENRY ROSENBERG Both foundations were established by Mr. Rosenberg for educational and charitable purposes, and the in- terest only is used. By the terms of the will the orphanage board manages the former fund, and the latter fund is controlled by the commune council. The desire commonly prevails to administer these foundations in the intent and spirit of the testator, and above all to preserve the funds themselves ever unimpaired for posterity. The commune has sent to Galveston, to the wife of the late Mr. Rosenberg, a fine official acknowledg- ment, a copy of which we have retained. A large portrait of Consul Rosenberg adorns each of our school-rooms and also the parsonage, and our leading citizens always delight to make honorable mention of the great citizen and benefactor from time to time on appropriate public occasions. These are the facts, so far as my knowledge goes. It will give me pleasure, as president of the com- mune, if my short statement can contribute somewhat to the highly deserved honor of our great fellow citizen and benefactor. With respect, Heinrich Aebli, President of the Commune. May, 1912. 1:16:1 EATON CHAPEL AND TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH Mr. Rosenberg contributed $10,000 in 1882 toward building the chapel Plate No. 6 EATON CHAPEL EATON CHAPEL was erected as a memorial to Rev. Benjamin Eaton, Rector of Trinity Epis- copal Church, who died in 1871. About one half the cost was contributed by Henry Rosenberg, He also gave the handsome stained glass window, "The Good Shepherd," which is in the chapel. The window is the work of J. & R. Lamb of New York City. The chapel and ground cost about $18,000. The building was dedicated on Sunday, March 19, 1882. Mr. Rosenberg's total contribution was about $10,000. While Rev. Benjamin Eaton was rector he con- ceived the idea of a parish school and lots were pur- chased. After his death his congregation decided to make the building a memorial to Dr. Eaton, and the idea of its purpose was enlarged so as to provide in the building for the Sunday school, lecture room, and headquarters for all organizations of the church and its charities. Mr. Rosenberg, at that time a ves- tryman in the church, heartily espoused the cause and encouraged the ladies in their work of raising the money needed. When it seemed impossible to raise more and the work was about to come to a standstill, Mr. Rosenberg came forward and offered the money necessary to complete the project. So there stands at C'7] HENRY ROSENBERG the corner of 22d Street and Avenue H this chapel, which was, as stated in the consecration service, "erected to the glory of God and the memory of Rev. Benjamin Eaton." CiS] o o X o w w c< a Pi w z W o w w X .mi o Z H H < THE HENRY ROSENBERG FREE SCHOOL MR. ROSENBERG'S LETTER OFFERING TO DONATE A BUILDING Galveston, April 5, 1888. To the President and Board of School Trustees : GENTLEMEN: Having spent in this city the best years of a long and active business life, extending throughout a period of more than forty-four years, during which I have witnessed its steady growth from a village to a populous, prosperous, and progressive commercial city, I have long felt a sincere desire to accomplish some undertaking which may in some instance con- tribute to the welfare and happiness of a community endeared to me by association and friendship which I hold in grateful and kindly remembrance. How best to promote this object has been a subject to which I have given earnest thought, and believing now that in extending and enlarging the opportunities of edu- cating the children of this city the greatest good and best results will be accomplished, I am prompted to suggest that in the event the Board of School Trus- tees will designate the site recently acquired, com- C193 HENRY ROSENBERG prising the east half of block 311 [west side of nth Street, between Avenues G and H], for the purpose indicated, I propose at once to appropriate and con- tribute the sum of $40,000 for the erection thereon of a complete and substantial structure for the purpose of a public free school for the education of the white children of the city of Galveston. This building I propose shall be erected under the superintendence of a competent architect to be selected by me, and whose plans shall be fully approved by the Board of School Trustees. Desiring that the construction of the proposed building may be begun and the work prosecuted to early completion with as little delay as necessary, and that I may have the satisfaction, dur- ing the years which may yet remain to me, of wit- nessing the successful and good results which I sincerely trust will attend the undertaking, I respect- fully ask at the hands of your honorable body such early consideration of the proposal here submitted and such action as will give the same practical effect. I am, very sincerely. Your friend and obedient servant, H. Rosenberg. Mr. Rosenberg's ofTer was accepted and a brick stuccoed building, 206 x 90 feet, was constructed that cost before completion about $75,000. The cor- ner-stone was laid with Masonic ceremony on June 30, 1888. Mr. Rosenberg was represented in the pro- 1:20] HENRY ROSENBERG FREE SCHOOL gram by Major M. F. Mott, and Mr. R. V. Davidson responded on behalf of the school trustees. This gift, completed before the death of Mr. Rosenberg, gave him great satisfaction. He personally gave close attention to many matters having to do with the con- struction of the building, and the result was un- usually thorough work. The building was dedicated with fitting ceremonies on February 15, 1889, in the presence of a great throng of people gathered in the assembly hall of the building itself. On behalf of the donor, Mr. Thomas J. Ballinger presented the build- ing to the School Board. The response and accep- tance was by Mr. M. E. Kleberg, President of the Board of School Trustees. Mr. Leo N. Levi was the orator of the occasion. CzO HExNRY ROSENBERG Age 21 Plate No. 8 HENRY ROSENBERG Age about 50 Plate No. 9 c Z w CO c ^ b£ Z ^ ■ UJ -a = ^ o THE SORROW OF THE CITY HENRY ROSENBERG died at his home in Galveston at 2 A.M. on Friday, the twelfth of May, 1893. ^^s death called forth many beautiful tributes and evidences of the love and great respect in vs^hich he vv^as held not only in his adopted city but in the State at large. The State press commented editorially upon Galveston's great loss in the death of this highly respected citizen. Memorial services and meetings and general mourning extended over a period of about three w^eeks. On the day of Mr. Rosenberg's death the School Board met at noon to take appropriate action. The public schools were closed for the day. The Consular Corps of Galves- ton, of which Mr. Rosenberg was a member as Con- sul for Switzerland, at the request of the Dean placed their flags at half mast until after the funeral, and attended the funeral in a body. Flags were half- masted also over business houses and yachts in the harbor. Many offices and business houses, as a mark of respect, closed their doors early. Messages of con- dolence and sympathy were received from friends far and near. Beautiful floral offerings were sent. Among them was a Swiss flag — a red ground with a white cross in the centre — attached to which was a 1:233 HENRY ROSENBERG ribbon with the words: "La Colonic Suisse de Gal- veston a Regrette son Consul." The conductors and motormen of the Market Street line sent a beautiful floral offering with the inscription: "From the con- ductors and motormen of the Market Street line. He who rules our destinies hath taken to Himself our friend." Resolutions were adopted by the vestry and congregation of Grace Church, by the teachers of the Rosenberg School, the City Council, the Island City Orphans' Home, and other organizations. A formal request signed by many citizens was pre- sented to the family, that the body be permitted to lie in state at the Rosenberg School building, and that the funeral services be conducted there. The request was granted and the body lay in state from 12 o'clock noon until 5 P.M. on Sunday, the fourteenth of May, 1893. About five thousand people viewed the re- mains. The funeral services, conducted in part at the Rosenberg School at 3.30 P.M., were concluded at Grace Episcopal Church. The pall-bearers were: M. F. Mott J. Reymershoffer J. H. Hutchings J. P. Bowen C. F. Prehn J. M. Brown V, E. Austin William Scrimgeour Ben Barnes Frank Vollert J. L. Long B. Adoue J. E. Toothaker U. Muller E. D. Garratt George D. Briggs John Focke Charles Fowler L Lovenberg Sanford Southwick 1:24] SORROW OF THE CITY At the Rosenberg School the services were opened with prayer by Rev. W. N. Scott. There were brief addresses by Mr. R. B. Hawley, President of the Board of School Trustees; Mr. Oscar H. Cooper, Superintendent of Public Schools; and Colonel Rob- ert G. Street. Rev. Dr. J. R. Carter, of Grace Epis- copal Church, assisted by Rev. W. N. Scott of the Presbyterian Church, conducted the services at Grace Church. The remains were temporarily placed in the vault of Dr. J. F. Y. Paine in the Cahill Cemetery, Gal- veston, and were transferred about two weeks later to Loudon Park Cemetery, Baltimore, where they were interred in accordance with the wishes of the deceased. On Saturday, May 20, the munificent public be- quests by the will of Mr. Rosenberg were made known to the people through the press. On Wednes- day, May 24, the City Council met in special session to hear the report of the committee previously ap- pointed to draft resolutions of respect to the memory of Henry Rosenberg. In accordance with a resolu- tion of this special Memorial Committee of the City Council, "to the end that the people of Galveston be given an opportunity to voice the deep sense of grati- tude and afifection which they entertain for their de- ceased friend and benefactor, Henry Rosenberg," the Mayor issued the following proclamation: 1:253 HENRY ROSENBERG To the People of Galveston: You are hereby called to assemble on Ball High School Square, Tuesday evening, May 30, to do honor to the memory of our late fellow citizen, Henry Rosenberg. A joint committee of aldermen and citizens have for- mulated the following program for observance, to begin promptly at eight o'clock: Battle Prayer . . . Galveston Quartette Society Invocation Rev. J. R. Carter Introductory Speech T. J. Ballinger Reading of Resolutions . Offered by City Council Oration Leo N. Levi "My Country, 'tis of Thee" Galveston Quartette Society One acclaim of fervent gratitude should mark the tes- timony of this city to the virtues and benefactions of this noble man, whose life and name are interwoven by golden threads with all that is most useful and exalted in its his- ^* Respectfully, R. L. Fulton, Mayor. The Memorial Committee that was appointed by the Mayor, in accordance with the resolution of the City Council, to arrange for the public meeting, was com- posed of Thomas J. Gallagher, Charles Fowler, J. Reymershofifer, of the City Council, and three citi- zens, namely, George Sealy, J. P. Alvey, and R. B. Hawley. On the occasion of the public mass meet- ing in Ball High School Square, there were five or six thousand people, representing all classes and con- 1:26] SORROW OF THE CITY ditions, assembled to pay respect to the memory of their friend and benefactor. The final interment occurred on the thirty-first of May, in Loudon Park Cemetery, Baltimore, Mary- land. During the day in Galveston a circular which read as follows was signed by a hundred of the leading wholesale and retail merchants and others: Galveston, May 31.— Out of respect to the funeral obsequies of Galveston's greatest philanthropist and noblest benefactor, which to-day take place in Baltimore, the undersigned citizens of the well-loved adopted home of Henry Rosenberg will close their respective places of business at four o'clock. Many besides those who signed closed their places of business. There was an unusual quiet over the city, and men spoke of Galveston's great benefactor. 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'/'/±// ///'/ /'/"/if/ »- fy y////.J.-y6''//rj^/'/, '''/■y ^y'.y' ■>/r //yy/, //,/ ///y//. // „///jj /„/////,^ /■/ ////,///. ■y' ///,/„//, //,/y yj '/)}./ y/// /////y >/j///////. •^.//.•yWA/ry/, y//,./^. ^yAy/'J.y. .y^/y^^Ay^y' . ^' /yyy. •y'yyy/ry'. •^. •//. ■y/r/yy/y//. //y/y/y// //// -/y////// // ///y //////./,///// .////^Z. ,/ //////, ///,// i,///i^,///,/ //////r ///////,/// ///,///////. ^yy Jyyy/y^. /. •y^//yyyry-//y//y. y- 'r Plate No. i i IK> THE ROSENBERG MONUMENT Loudon Park Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland Plate No. 12 The Rosenberg Monument in Loudon Park Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland [inscription] IN MEMORIAM HENRY ROSENBERG BORN IN BILTEN, CANTON GLARUS SWITZERLAND JUNE 22, 1824 DIED IN GALVESTON, TEXAS MAY 12, 1893 BELOVED HUSBAND OF MARY RAGAN MACGILL "he did justly, loved mercy, and WALKED HUMBLY WITH HIS GOD." "well DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT; ENTER THOU INTO THE JOY OF THY LORD.'' ROSENBERG [29] TRIBUTE AT THE FUNERAL SERVICES AT ROSENBERG SCHOOL BY HON. ROBERT G. STREET THERE is a solemnity that becomes the presence of death far removed from any dread or fear of it. Sublime mystery! That the Creator, that He alone who can create, that He alone who has created, should seemingly annul, destroy the crowning work of His own hands! And wherefore? For it was good. Unspeakable mystery! "In that sleep of death, what dreams may come . . . must give us pause!" How well the great poet who has indicated the eloquence of silence in the presence of death un- derstood the human heart! "Each chord its various tone, each note its various bias." Thus teaching us what all feel in this presence to-day, that its true les- son is to be learned only through the self-communion of those who, reverent in spirit, approach it with awe unmingled with fear. My Fellow Citizens, the School Board indicated to me only an hour or two since the wish that I should give voice to the sentiments of this community on the death of Henry Rosenberg; should tell why this gen- eral grief, why these unaccustomed honors. I have 1:31] HENRY ROSENBERG but a single thought to express, and so sensible am I of my own unfitness, I regret that, for want of oppor- tunity to refer to it, I cannot give you the eloquent language of another expressing that thought. It is a thought at once so simple, so naturally springing from the occasion, that the humblest — aye, the very children — may apprehend it; so beneficent that it may mitigate the grief of the afflicted; so far-reach- ing in its consequences that the mightiest intellect may not fully grasp it. When the author of the life of Thomas Jefferson sent a presentation copy of the work to Lord Macaulay, the latter — himself an ar- dent Whig and who might have been expected to sympathize with Mr. Jefferson's political creed — replied, saying he thought Mr. Jefferson's teachings in behalf of universal suffrage profound error, and foretold immeasurable disaster to this country to flow from its exercise, when, he said, the middle classes, the sinews of strength in every land, would be ground to dust between the very rich and the very poor, as between upper and nether mill-stones. Gen- eral Garfield, upon the floor of the House of Rep- resentatives, referring to this incident, eloquently refuted Lord Macaulay's reasoning. He said that Lord Macaulay had failed to consider that we had no classes in America, that wealth and honors in this country were open to all, and that they were con- stantly achieved by the poorest and humblest. But what shall we say of the object-lesson in these great principles that leaven the whole American [132] FUNERAL SERVICES body politic, furnished us in the life of Henry Rosen- berg, who, by his own industry, sagacity, prudence, frugality, and self-denial, achieving a large fortune, has shown his appreciation of the value of education as a great and potent factor in American civilization and citizenship by pouring out his hard-earned wealth in a generous stream to nourish its growth? What influence will such a deed and such a life not have in this community, with which he was so closely identified? Its direct influence is apparent. But I refer to its encouragement to others who are blessed with wealth in using it liberally to promote the com- mon good. I said we had no classes. But the rich are often intolerant, and the poor sometimes are op- pressed, and still oftener consider themselves so. His life will teach both to be more just and more gener- ous toward each other. What nobler work in this life can any man do than by the generous acknowledg- ment of the obligations of wealth to promote the hap- piness and welfare of the community in which he lives and at the same time to take as hostages for the future preservation of law, order, and rights of prop- erty the grateful hearts of his fellow citizens? As long as the fragrance of the memory of Henry Rosen- berg shall linger in this community it must be impos- sible for lawless agitation and communism to obtain a foothold here. He has awakened within us those feelings that make all the world akin. Let us find consolation in his death in the thought how his last moments must have been brightened with the con- C33II HENRY ROSENBERG sciousness that he had contributed to the elevation of his fellows, to the happiness and tranquillity of the community, that he had knit us all together in the bonds of love, of sympathy and mutual forbearance. C343 HENRY ROSENBERG BY CLARENCE OUSLEY THE freightage of the surf is many kind. Both wreck and treasure ride the crested wave, And ever as it frets its force away Against unyielding shores it builds the strand For men to walk upon and trade and thrive. There bleaching lie the shells of myriad life That throbbed but briefly in a stifling sea And perished. And some, untimely cast ashore, Lie festering upon the sun-kissed sands, Abhorred and pestilent, while some are ripe To death and but repose in welcome rest. And some are puny pigmies sprawling prone And rudely crushed into forgetfulness By hurrying heels of eager, searching crowds; And some are larger growth and stand erect — Majestic statues of a giant kind. Impacted in the sands of time, behold, Nor wind nor tide nor jostling jealousy Can shake their adamantine base — unmoved Of all the mutable that throng the earth. And these are they who in their speeding day, While youth and strength lent opportunity. With frugal husbandry wrought hard and fast To garner yellow wealth in honest bins. [353 HENRY ROSENBERG And when the sun shone golden in the west And shadows deepened to the coming night, They looked upon their stores and smiled to think That Power now was minister to Wish, And straightway loosed the locks and smote the bars That young and old and mind and soul and beast Might share the blessings of a fruitful life. And they live on. Along the pebbled way That stretches from the utmost to the end They mark the certain progress of mankind And guide us up to godlier destinies. 1:363 HENRY ROSENBERG BY JOHN P. SJOLANDER HEAVEN was not afar to him. Behold! He walks the city's streets with us to-day; And where he goes the pave is more than gold, The way a straighter, brighter, better way. With beauties manifold. And where the door of home is opened wide, At close of day, we find him waiting there. Ready to share our humble ingleside. Making it richer for the treasures rare His bounteous hands provide. And where the children are, there you will find Him always present, and with outstretched hand Guiding the generations, heart and mind. That they may be a blessing to the land. And to all humankind. His was the gift, all other gifts above, Which God bestows on but a chosen few — The gift to love with an undying love. . . . Only that soul that God and man finds true Can keeper be thereof. For man may build a city with much din, And die forgotten 'mid its stone and wood; But immortality that soul shall win Whose one thought is to make its people good, And good to dwell therein. 1371 ROSENBERG DAY, 1913 Children from Rosenberg School Plate No. 13 FOUNDER'S DAY THE dedication and opening of the Rosenberg Library to the public on June 22, 1904, the birthday of Henry Rosenberg, established the li- brary custom, observed for several years, of celebrat- ing that day as Founder's Day. Because, however, of the evident desirability of commemorating annu- ally, in the public schools, the benefactions of Henry Rosenberg, it was thought wise to change the date from the twenty-second of June, which follows the close of school, to the first of May, when all of the schools would still be in session. The change was accordingly made, beginning with the year 1909. The Young Men's Christian Association had for some years previous to 1904 celebrated Mr. Rosen- berg's birthday. Every year, on the evening of the first of May, the Board of Directors invites the people of Galveston to gather at the library lecture hall to celebrate with them Rosenberg Day. The program for Founder's Day exercises consists of music and an address by a prominent Galveston citizen or some specially in- vited guest from elsewhere. On this occasion the Library is decorated with plants and flowers and the flags of the United States, of Texas, and of Switzer- land. The portrait of Henry Rosenberg is given a place of prominence. The day is a holiday in the [39;] HENRY ROSENBERG public schools, with appropriate exercises at the school buildings in the morning. The children of the Rosenberg School bring flowers to decorate the Rosenberg statue and sing songs there. The children of other schools also bring flowers to the Library on this day. The speakers at the dedication of the Rosenberg Library and succeeding Founder's Day celebrations have been : June 22, 1904 June 22, 1905 June 22, 1906 June 22, 1907 May I, 1909 May 2, 1910 May May May May May May May 191 1 1912 1914 1915 1916 1917 May I, 191 8 . Colonel M. F. Mott, Vice-President. Hon. M. E. Kleberg, Galveston. Hon. Arthur LeFevre, State Super- intendent of Public Instruction. . Mr. Charles P. Macgill, Galveston. . Rabbi Henry Cohen, Galveston. . Mr. John T. Wheeler, Galveston. . Mr. Eugene A. Hawkins, Galveston. . Mr. F. Charles Hume, Jr., Hous- ton, Texas. . Hon. Yancey Lewis, Dallas, Texas. . President Sidney E. Mezes, Univer- sity of Texas. . Dr. J. J. Terrill, Galveston. . Hon. Clarence Ousley, Fort Worth, Texas. . Hon. Morris Sheppard, Texarkana, Texas. . Flon. W. P. Hobby, Beaumont, Texas. . Mr. George Waverley Briggs, Galveston. . President Robert E. Vinson, LL.D., University of Texas. ROSENBERG DAY ADDRESS, MAY i, 1911 BY HON. YANCEY LEWIS IT is said of the great naturalist, Cuvier, that such was his learning and knowledge of the relations in the anatomy of animal life that you could give to him a small part, a joint for instance, from the frame of some prehistoric animal and he could reconstruct from that the entire creature as it had existed. In a sense it is not a happy illustration of the thought that I would present; in another sense it is an accurate one. It would not require learning or skill on the part of one who had informed himself of the pro- visions of the will of Mr. Henry Rosenberg, from that instrument to outline the lineaments of his char- acter and to reconstruct the individual as he in truth existed ; and it has occurred to me that no more profit- able endeavor could be made on the part of the speaker upon this occasion than to attempt this work. In the first place, I should say then, judging from that great document, that Mr. Rosenberg was a man in whom there was developed most clearly and strongly the conception that wealth is not given in absolute and unqualified ownership, but that its pos- sessors hold it in trust for high purposes and for worthy uses. It is an idea that has developed and grown strong and been many times illustrated within recent years. And to my thinking it is one of the HENRY ROSENBERG most pregnant, hopeful, and suggestive characteris- tics of our age — a curious age; an age and a country in which conflicting and transcendent forces seem to have been unloosed; in w^hich, upon the greatest theatre that the world has yet seen, man has been given the opportunity to play with these forces and to work out his development upon a scale that should be grander than has existed heretofore — or, if evil forces should prevail, worse than has been known in history. It is an age in which men have used the means and methods of acquisition with more skill and effect than has ever been known at any time in the past. They have used them in a more furious competition, a more merciless and inhuman competi- tion in some regards, than has been illustrated here- tofore; and the madness of the pursuit of mere material possessions has gone to an unparalleled ex- treme. How curious is it to observe, alongside of these manifestations, a sense of obligation in the use of wealth, a princely generosity, a humanity of pro- vision for those w^ho suffer, far surpassing in its ex- tent, its variety, and its development, anything that has been seen at any time in past ages! If the effort for acquisition has been greater, so have the benefac- tions of men been nobler and greater in our time than at other periods. It is not the least notable among the many distinc- tions that we must ascribe to him we honor this even- ing, that he was almost the first in this State, he was at least among the first — for you have had others in C42] ROSENBERG DAY ADDRESS this city who exhibited the same high characteristics — who perceived the truth that is permeating the minds of men everywhere: that he who is given the talent for acquisition receives it, not that he may enjoy recklessly or wastefuUy squander or hoard in miserly greed, not that he may in the ostentation of frivolous living use that which comes to him; but that he shall use it for the betterment of his kind and for the elevation and the advancement of humanity. So I should say, further, that from this instrument one would learn that Mr. Rosenberg had in him a marvelous and wonderful catholicity and love for all good things, and in this he showed one of the ten- dencies that steadily becomes more marked as char- acteristic of our time, which has a directness that seeks essential good and does not concern itself about formulas and creeds. It was immaterial to him how his desires were to be wrought out in detail, or what denomination of those who recognize God's purposes as controlling in the world was to guide and direct them. Truly may we say of him that it was clear to his mind that "through the ages one increasing pur- pose runs," and that well did he illustrate that "the thoughts of men are widened with the process of the suns." Further, we learn that in him was that which, above all things, the age needs — a sense of relations and of the fact that duties and obligations spring from relations. Most men realize that in the relation of family, of a father to his wife and children, there C43II HENRY ROSENBERG is the obligation of maintenance and support and pro- vision. There are some who do not realize that, while it may not be so strong, there is a duty as distinctly and clearly marked growing out of the relation of citizen to country and State. And sometimes it has occurred to me that we in this country, who have en- joyed an affluence of liberty and opportunity, do not apprehend this fact as clearly as those who are born in other countries where there is not the same extent of right and individual piivilege. How notable is it that Mr. Rosenberg, born in a foreign country, should have perceived the duty of the citizen to the State and to those who have rendered it great service, so clearly that he was the first, as I recall, who made adequate provision, either among private citizens or through public legislation, for a monument to those who laid the foundation of our liberties in this commonwealth and by their blood dedicated it to us and to empire and to freedom. How distinct becomes his percep- tion of relations and their duties when we recall that he remembered his adopted State and the canton and the town in which he was born and made provision for them; that he remembered in such various and munificent ways the city in which he had spent his life and in which his labors had been blessed with fortune! How well will it be for us when every citi- zen can realize that in the same sense that he owes an obligation to his child does he owe another, an im- perative obligation, to his country and to his State. I do not mean by this to commend merely that sense of C443 ROSENBERG DAY ADDRESS civic duty, that patriotism, that makes a man willing to spend his life, if need be, in defense of his country. Admirable and essential as that is, I hold that the live citizen is better than the dead citizen, and that the citizen who performs his civic duties with a full sense of the obligation that is entailed upon him is many times, thousands of times, more useful than the sol- dier who goes out to defend his country upon the field of battle — though I honor him duly. I wish to bring this thought home somewhat more fully and clearly than I have done. The citizen touches the State most essentially when he exercises the right of suffrage. In the exercise of that privi- lege he does not exercise a natural right, but a right given to him for the benefit of his State, and for its protection and the promotion of its general welfare. Pie does not exercise it as a personal privilege or a private estate existing for his own enjoyment, profit, and pleasure alone; he exercises it as a trustee for all those who are not given the right to vote, to promote good government and the selection of the wisest and best men for the administration of its affairs. I do not think there is anything more plain than that in the exercise of this high privilege there are many who conceive that it is a thing to be used for their pleasure, a thing in which they may show their friendship for another, however unworthy or incom- petent, a thing in which they may promote an incom- petent or do a charity, so to speak. And yet, of most of the evils of which we complain and which threaten HENRY ROSENBERG the country, I would say that this disposition and this exercise of the right of sufifrage, and this failure to apprehend the duty to the State from the citizen, and incident to the relation between them, is the source and the cause. I hope to see the time come when there shall be in men's minds as distinct a perception of the fact that in choosing those who are to admin- ister our affairs they perform a trustee's duty, as there is in the minds of the directors of a bank that, in selecting those who are to administer the trust funds, they are not at liberty to be guided by personal con- siderations alone, but always and at all times must make their choice with reference to those who will best administer those funds and promote the purposes of the incorporation they serve. And I hope that the time will come when a man will no more feel that he is at liberty to exercise the high privilege of suffrage through a mere personal consideration, and if he does will be subject to the same public criticism, and the same odium, that would come to the director of a bank who knowingly would put in charge of its funds a dishonest or unsafe person because of some mere personal preference or individual interest. There are sinister developments in our public life that threaten us. There are evils that challenge our scru- tiny and arouse our alarm. And in the clamor of voices, and in the discord of councils, many new things are suggested. But I venture to believe that we will correct most of our evils when we lodge in the general public mind the truth that the citizen, 1:46] ROSENBERG DAY ADDRESS because he is a citizen, has, incident to that relation, high and imperative duties and obligations, and should proceed to perform those duties with an eye that looks solely to character and qualification in the servants of the State, rather than to personal or sel- fish considerations in the exercise of the suffrage by the voter. I say that this conception of relationship, this sense of obligation to the village in which he was born, to this city in which he lived, and to the State whose laws and whose protection had been about him, was clearly defined in the mind of Henry Rosenberg, and it is one of the notable things in his character and in his life that he illustrated it in his will. We know from that instrument, too, that he was a lover of little children, and that his spirit was one with the spirit of Him who said, "Suffer little chil- dren to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of Heaven." We know that he had regard for the animals who are our dumb servi- tors and companions, who give us so much of pure delight and unselfish devotion, and who themselves suffer, with a sensitiveness that we do not duly appre- ciate, so much at our hands. We know that he had regard for the aged and broken; that he realized the truth that He prayeth best who loveth best All things both great and small; For the dear God who loveth us, He made and loveth all. [473 HENRY ROSENBERG All these things are clearly marked as outlines and lineaments of his character in the provisions that he made. So, too, we know that he was a lover of books. "God be praised for books!" — those lamps that do not dispel the physical darkness, but bring light to the mind; those friends who do not fail us; those wise counselors who are not changed with change of time and circumstance; those associates who, if they be with us, afiford royal company, though our lives be obscure and we be disregarded by those who are, for the time being, great. We know that not only did he love them, but that it was his desire that others should receive the inspiration that comes from them; that youths, it may be, without means, might have the opportunity of clinging to these precious possessions as bees cling to the flowers that are richest in honey. And we know how royally he made provision for the continuance of the light, the inspiration, and the wis- dom that come from the immortal counselors of all ages and all time. Other things are illustrated in his will, but these are enough to show sufficiently the manner of man that he was truly. I do not know what his habitual manner was. But I know from these things what the real man was and what his estimate of real values and real duties was. And so knowing him, I am led to believe that while he exhibited a princely generosity, and while his benefactions, both in their uses and their values, are most impressive, the most priceless [48] ROSENBERG DAY ADDRESS thing that he gave to Galveston is to be found in the fact that he gave to you, and illustrated to you, in this testamentary act, a rare, a wise, a beautiful spirit. And my belief is that, though these noble buildings and these great benefactions impress us, as the years go by and our perceptions become clearer it will yet be apprehended that the noblest service that he did to this city and to this State was in the illustration of the qualities that formed the lineaments and outlines of his character and the essential elements of his soul. Let me say to you that it is a truth, which it is well for us duly and deeply to consider, that the most priceless possessions of a city or a State are the char- acter and the qualities in the lives of those who have lived in it, which remain in it as imperishable lega- cies, as indestructible and unceasing influences for all time to come. What would be our loss, how much that is worthy and noble would be gone, if you take out of our life, out of our history and our knowledge, the life, the service, the ideals, and the spirit of Washington! How the levels of our ideals would be lowered, how the richness of our life would be made poor and meagre if that should come to pass! How much of the value of things that make life precious and make our history dear to us would van- ish utterly if we take from it not merely the service but the spirit and the qualities of Robert E. Lee! How large would be the void, how different would seem to us the history, the traditions, and the glories of England, if, by any chance, there could be with- [49] HENRY ROSENBERG drawn from it the lives and ideals and principles of Hampden and Milton! And so, in our communities, let us realize that the priceless possessions, the best and richest things, are not to be measured in mere values and standards of the market, but in the lives of our citizens. In the nobility of their best and high- est, in the ideals of their worthiest and noblest, in the influences of their wisest and truest men, you have the things that shall prove most valuable and most indestructible in the life and continuance of the city. I am impressed with another thing in connection with the benefactions of Mr. Rosenberg, and that is that he was, I do utterly believe, a man who, of all men, would be least concerned with monuments and memorials that should in some ostentatious fashion preserve his name and keep it from being forgotten. And yet, while I believe this from the judgment I get of him, from what he did and the provisions he made, it is curiously true that he has done those things which most assuredly will defy the passing years and, so far as human provision can accomplish it, secure to him an immortality among men. Who can meas- ure how many shall be quickened by the inspiration of the books in this Library, and shall seek to walk in better ways and be guided by a nobler wisdom and truer humanity? Who will be able to say, during all the years, how many noble youths or young women, aspiring, shall here find guidance, and be thus the source of well-doing and of inspiration among their fellows? He has seized hold of the most indestruc- [50] ROSENBERG DAY ADDRESS tible influence that exists among men, and its widen- ing circles and its far-reaching continuance may not be measured. And do not forget, either, that in the provisions that he has made, he has accomplished far- reaching results to preserve his memory, not merely because the institutions that he endowed are existing, but because of the spirit that caused their endow- ment. It will not be forgotten, even though this city in her growth shall achieve the importance that her situation and the enterprise of her citizens justify you in hoping for her and which you desire for her, even though it shall become a market notable among the great cities of the world, crowded with commerce and exchanges. There will be those who will remem- ber that here lived Henry Rosenberg, living the plain life of an ordinary man, apparently, but that in him was the spirit that remembered the dumb animals and would protect and render life easier for them. It will not be forgotten that here was a man who suc- cessfully sought wealth and fortune, but in whose inner soul was the recognition of the value of books and the knowledge that they are the world's real uni- versities. And men, under whatever conditions the future shall present, here and there and in dififerent places, will recall the dififerent qualities that he has illustrated, and it will touch and mold and fashion them. And so the life of the man and the character of the man will be living and continuing, an inde- structible influence for the elevation and the better- ment of this community, and through this community C5>] HENRY ROSENBERG of all other communities, and the circle of his influ- ence shall widen and deepen and be enduring. I desire, if I can, to illustrate that truth somewhat more fully. And if I may make so bold, I do so with the endeavor to state briefly one of Hawthorne's stories with which most of you, doubtless, are fa- miliar, — the story of "The Great Stone Face." All of you recall how, in a little quiet, peaceful valley that lay between high mountains, a young boy was born; that in that valley there was a tradition in con- nection with a great mountain that sometimes took on the outlines of a human countenance, and under favorable aspects showed lineaments of grandeur and of majesty, and at other times showed a benignity and a placidity, and at others seemed to illustrate an ele- vated strength and wisdom. It was, of course, only a fancy; but in connection with it there was a tradi- tion that the greatest individual whom the valley would produce would come back at some time, and that he would have a resemblance to the outlines of the Great Stone Face. And the boy, who was familiar with the tradition and believed it, wondered if it would be his opportunity to see the valley's greatest individual who should bear this resemblance to the Great Stone Face with which he was familiar, and eagerly he waited the time. And presently a great merchant who had gone to the cities returned with the reputation of enormous wealth, and some said that here would be the individual who should look like the Great Stone Face. But when he came there CS2] ROSENBERG DAY ADDRESS was universal disappointment. And then a great sol- dier came back who had achieved reputation in the wars and become famous, and then a rumor went round that here would be the individual told of in tradition. Again it was plain that mean and little am- bitions had guided him, and there was disappoint- ment; and the youth felt it also. And then a famous statesman who had been born in the valley returned, famous for his wisdom in many ways, famous for his eloquence ; and men said that surely this would be the image of the Great Stone Face. And when he came the boy and others saw in his countenance the lines that indicated that selfishness had at times controlled him, and that not always had he been true to himself and his higher nature. Then came a poet, of glorious talents and power to make men see deeply hidden truths; but the poet, too, had fallen below his best estate. And always the youth, in contemplation, pon- dered the lines of benignity and grandeur and dwelt more and more upon the qualities of the face that had become idealized before him. And in the course of his life he had come to talk to his neighbors and to advise them in simple fashion; and reflection had given him wisdom, and deep love for his kind had given him eloquence, and honest living and pure thought had given him nobility; and influence flowed from his life and from his wisdom until middle age came. Then it was his habit to assemble his neigh- bors and counsel and talk with them of those things that elevated them most and bettered them, and he l53l HENRY ROSENBERG talked with a deep wisdom and a moving eloquence. And on an occasion when he did as was his wont, and his face was lit with high and noble thought, the poet was present; and the poet, having the keener insight and the surer vision, when the sun lit up the mountain and brought out in bold relief the outlines of the Great Stone Face and its glory, perceived the truth and called out to his neighbors, "My friends, Ernest is our greatest, for do you not see his resemblance to the Great Stone Face?" And all men saw it. Here in your physical levels no mountains lift their summits into the skies; but in the depths of your spiritual life there are lifted the outlines and linea- ments of a great character, of a spirit of surpassing nobility, in the life and in the deeds — more moving than eloquence — of Henry Rosenberg. And it is my hope, as it is my belief, that in the contemplation of the lineaments of his character and the outlines of his elevated spirit and his noble conception of duty, men through succeeding generations shall themselves come to take on something of those outlines and something of those elements of his nature and char- acter, because they shall have come, through long observation and contemplation, unconsciously to have absorbed those qualities which were his. 1:5411 "OUR BENEFACTOR" Erected by voluntary subscriptions under the auspices of a committee of citizens Plate No. 14 THE STATUE OF HENRY ROSENBERG ON March 6, 1906, there was unveiled with ap- propriate ceremonies before the entrance to the Rosenberg Library a bronze statue of Henry Rosenberg, somewhat more than life size, the work of the sculptor Louis Amateis, of Washington, D. C, and a gift of the people of Galveston. Several thou- sand people assembled for the occasion and a number of business houses closed their doors during the exer- cises. The idea of a statue seems first to have been ex- pressed by Mr. Arthur B. Homer in a letter to the Galveston News of November 9, 1895, in which he ofifered to give $100 for this purpose. The movement to secure funds to erect a statue of the city's benefac- tor was begun by the Sidney Sherman Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas in December, 1897. The original idea of the Chapter was that the statue should be executed in marble and be placed in the Library. It was later determined that it should be of bronze, and the finished statue was finally placed in front of the Library. After a beginning had been made toward collecting funds, the work was actively taken over by a committee of citizens organ- ized on April 25, 1900, with the following members: Charles Fowler, R. G. Lowe, Clarence Ousley, John HENRY ROSENBERG W. Hopkins, T. W. Dee, M. E. Kleberg, B. Adoue, J. P. Alvey, John Sealy, Mrs. J. C. League, Mrs. H. A. Landes, and Mrs. Cornelia Branch Stone. Judge Kleberg was elected chairman of the commit- tee; Mrs. Stone, secretary; and John Sealy, treasurer. This organization carried the work to completion. PROGRAM UNVEILING CEREMONIES OF THE STATUE OF HENRY ROSENBERG, GALVESTON, MARCH 6, 1906, FOUR o'clock P.m. Selection— National Airs .... Military Band (Conway R. Shaw, Director) Invocation Dr. J. K. Black Chorus— Texas Flag Song Children of the Rosenberg School Address Judge Robert G. Street Unveiling Statue .... Miss Nellie Macgill Music Military Band Introduction of L. Amateis /o , r T^ . o X ,'Mr. Clay Stone Briggs (Sculptor of Rosenberg btatue) J Chorus Children of Jlamo School Music Military Band Benediction Dr. J. K. Black C56: a w ec 1^ w CO o W tin O p < h W H o :2 > • o ADDRESS AT THE UNVEILING OF THE STATUE OF HENRY ROSENBERG BY HON. ROBERT G. STREET Men, Women, and Children of Galveston: YOU have come together to take part in unveiling the statue of Henry Rosenberg, presented by the people of this city as a token of their loving grati- tude for the wise benevolence with which he has be- stowed his fortune to supply the municipal wants of our city, humanitarian, educational, aesthetic, and patriotic, needs that had otherwise gone unsupplied or would have been supplied only after the lapse of generations. He . . . who in the love of Nature holds Communion with her visible forms, who in the quiet hours of the night gazes upon the starry firmament, who with attentive ear hears the whisper of the forest, the carol of the birds in the air, the murmur of the sea upon our shore, such an one irresistibly turns his gaze inward and meditates upon the yet greater mysteries of life, of death and immor- tality. Thus are we led to look from nature up to nature's God; and so it is in the lives of great men and of good and wise men, when we look at their [57:1 HENRY ROSENBERG acts, the signal acts of their career, of their lives, or the presentment of those acts, we instinctively inquire. What is the history of this man? What his charac- ter? What the motives and purposes of his life? I am not unaware that there is abroad in the land a spirit of skepticism called "materialism"; and I would not defame this audience nor dishonor myself by supposing there is a single person here who par- ticipates in it; but this spirit of materialism is one that should be rebuked and crushed upon every proper occasion. I understand the sentiment that they would entertain with reference to what I have said as to the character of the man being the significance of the gift, the spiritual forces that were behind the gift; they have their language like the criminal class — they would express their view by saying that "money talks" — that character, that motive, that purpose, that lofty aspirations, that spiritual impulses, have naught to do with it, that any other million of dollars would have worked the same effect, the same ends. I reply no, no, a thousand times no! Character and the spiritual impulses behind the act are the essence of it, and no power can stay their influences for good in this community. Only He who can bridle the winds can do it; He who laid His hand upon the Sea of Galilee and bade it be still and it was still; He who divided the waters of Jordan and bade them flow back upon themselves that His people might pass over; He who commanded His servant to say to the sun, "Sun, stand thou still on Hebron," and "Thou STATUE OF HENRY ROSENBERG moon in the valley Ajalon"; and He, my fellow citi- zens, will not do it because those spiritual influences are His own messages to this people and to mankind, whereby He communicates to them the knowledge that they are made in His image and intimates eter- nity to man. When Nature conceives the purpose of making a great man or a good and wise man, from all her realm, physical and metaphysical, she extracts from every object, from every thought, its essence, its sweetest, most precious elixir, and in her own labora- tory she cunningly mixes them in a mold for the mak- ing of a man. But, O my fellow citizens, he is not yet made. It is only the mold of the man, and that Nature, the rigorous mother, exposes him to the vicis- situdes of life for twenty years, it may be, for forty years more frequently, exposes him to the winds, to the storms of heaven, to the weaknesses, to the pas- sions of earth, to the fires of hell itself. But if he shall withstand the temptations; if he shall stand the ordeal to which he has been subjected, — oh, how generous that Mother Nature then becomes! Here is one of her choicest specimens, and with all her omnipotent power, by a concatenation of events in the moral and physical world, she brings the man and the hour together. Such a scene was described by Thomas M. Jack when, speaking of Albert Sidney Johnston at the battle of Shiloh, he said: "He was like the genius of battle and of victory as he rode, lit up and glowing, down the line of his army, a match- 1:593 HENRY ROSENBERG less example of a great man on a great occasion, ris- ing steadily and loftily to all the duties of that day, when it seemed that the fate of his army and the cause of his country hung upon his sword. We have all, my fellow citizens, every one of us here, an acquain- tance with a scene and an act in our own day of equal significance, — upon the first of May, 1898, upon a far distant sea, with the first glimmering of dawn upon the land of the early morning light, when there came a still, quiet but thrilling voice from the deck of the American flagship, when Dewey said: "You may fire now, Gridley, when you are ready." And so it is, my fellow citizens, through twenty years, aye, forty years, when these threads of life have been spun, that all in a moment they are gathered together in a strand that makes a cable strong as steel. And so it was, my fellow citizens, with him to whose memory we are here to express our gratitude to-day; when, having from earth struggled up the rugged ascent of fortune, and by the heroic and spir- itual efforts of his character, by his excellent fore- sight and judgment, acquired the good things of this life, then, in the evening of his life, at the close of the day, in the retirement of his home, in his accustomed arm-chair, he seated himself with pencil and paper in hand to meditate how he might best dispose of the goods with which God had blessed him for the bene- fit of his fellow man. O sublime spectacle — sublime spectacle passing description! Here the arts of Poetry and Oratory stand dumb and abashed in the [603 STATUE OF HENRY ROSENBERG presence of the plastic art of Sculpture. What they dare not attempt to describe she has, as with one stroke, at one glance, disclosed to the hearts and to the minds of men. I will not seek to enumerate the different gifts made by Mr. Rosenberg to the city of Galveston, the impulses in which they originated, the purposes that they were intended to subserve; nor will I undertake to follow the story of his life. These things have been done; they have been done better than I could hope to do them. They were done by the President of the Rosenberg Library Association on the day of the dedication of this building — done in a masterly manner. But as this, less important, is an unwritten address, that was also unwritten. And now before the time is past I call upon Major Mott, as the President of that Association, as the nearest friend of Henry Rosenberg now living, perhaps, — I call upon him in the public capacity in which I speak to-day, to com- mit that address to writing, that it may be printed and preserved among the archives of the Rosenberg Library for the stimulation and encouragement of the youths of this land for all time. I said I should not attempt to enumerate Mr. Rosenberg's gifts to the city, to tell you in detail of the features of his character that so command our admiration. I will, however, briefly endeavor to classify under three heads some of those objects. And first, as to education. It was Mr. Rosenberg's privi- lege while yet alive to have built the Rosenberg 1:61] HENRY ROSENBERG School. It was his delight to witness its construction as it progressed. It was his happiness to see the smil- ing faces of the children who were housed there, pur- suing the course of public education in this city, — one of the greatest happinesses of his life; and it was to the Rosenberg School, to the assembly hall of that building, that when he died his remains were borne, and there thousands of school children on that day, in the hours devoted to that purpose, took their last view of their friend Henry Rosenberg. And now, on this day on which I speak, in but a few moments they will have the happiness, they will have the stimulation and encouragement, on this and on all future days, of viewing his presentment by the art of the sculptor. Mr. Rosenberg thoroughly understood and appre- ciated the value of free public education as essential to the maintenance of free government, and it was with this view, and urged by thoughts of this charac- ter, he made that donation, that it gave him the plea- sure that it did. And let me say to these children who are gathered here, I ask your attention one moment; you enjoy to-day in that school and the other public schools of this city privileges that neither Mr. Rosen- berg enjoyed nor the speaker before you, — privileges of education that could not in his day or in my day have been purchased by money at all, because of the improved methods of instruction. And what is the significance of all this? We have heard much talk of a political character about all men being born free and equal. All that the American citizen wants is 1:62:1 STATUE OF HENRY ROSENBERG freedom of opportunity, and that is what public school education in this land gives to free men. Come, my fellow citizens, a few blocks south of this and let us stand for a moment at the foot of the statue of the Heroes of the Republic. I passed that statue or near it some days ago, and I saw a gentleman who did not see me, who was accustomed to pass it, and he looked, as though half ashamed of what he did, to see whether any one was watching him, — he lifted his eyes to its shaft, raised his hat and bowed in reverence, and passed on. So in countless instances these objects of civic art with which our city is now being adorned, the two most conspicuous being the statue to the Heroes of the Republic and the one around which we are gathered, will at the same time demand and receive from those who pass by, even though they halt not, inspiration and reverence. There we see the majestic figure of Victory crowning this community with the arts of peace. There we see the allegorical figures of Peace and of War. There we see the bas-reliefs presenting the massacre of Goliad, the fall of the Alamo, the battle of San Ja- cinto, and the capture of Santa Anna. And there are inscribed on tablets the names of the heroes of Texas. O my friends, art for art's sake is artless and soon ceases to be art at all. Art for the market-place is commerce. But art for the people's service, for the diffusion of joy in a wide-spread commonalty, is an inherent, vital, and permanent element in human life. When you and I have been consigned to the house [163] HENRY ROSENBERG appointed for all living, may love of country and pride of country glow with equal fervor in the breasts of those to whom our names and our blood have de- scended! When decrepit age shall lean against the base of this monument, and troops of ingenuous youths shall circle around, and one to the other shall tell the story of its objects and its purposes, and the glorious events with which it is connected, then shall arise from every youthful breast, "Thank God, I, too, am an American and a Texan!" And finally I come to speak a few words with re- gard to the building at whose portals we now stand, as it was also the final bequest, the residuary bequest, in Mr. Rosenberg's will. Here this institution stands for self-culture, in all of its varied departments of science, of philosophy, of literature, of art, and of mechanics, all the various avenues of knowledge; and here, with the trained and intelligent assistance of the executive management of the institution, all find ready guide to such information as they desire, from the youngest to the oldest, from the merest child to the scholar and the student. From out the portals of this institution in the days to come, — aye, in the ages to come, — there will flow into this community en- nobling, uplifting spiritual influences that will make better citizens of these people, that will make happier homes. What matters it where the theatre of action is? What matters it whether it be conspicuous or modest and obscure? If a man but does well his part in this C64] STATUE OF HENRY ROSENBERG world, if his mind is but to him the kingdom which knowledge may make it, then, and then only, is he free and independent. I said but a few moments since that this spiritual influence would go on through- out all time for our amelioration and for our enlight- enment. I will not address any further remarks to materialists, whom I do not believe to be pres- ent; but there are others, — others who are known by the saying that they believe only in the prophecies that have been fulfilled. I believe that they are apos- trophized by the Saviour as "O ye of little faith." Perhaps, if I mistake not, they are called the Laodi- ceans. And they may say that what I have said about the spiritual influences to flow from Mr. Rosenberg's gift because of his character behind them, because of the noble purpose of his life, are unfulfilled prophe- cies. These acts of Mr. Rosenberg, the making of these donations to the city of Galveston, the giving to you his large fortune, were but a culmination of his life. And to those who doubt and are skeptical and say these spiritual influences are not proved in facts, I reply, I will give you substantial facts. Whence this gathering here to-day? This is a solid fact. The business houses of this town are closed, as they have very rarely been before, that everybody may have an opportunity of being present; and it seems to me that you are all here. And why? Was it because a million of dollars had been bestowed on the city of Galveston for educational and other pur- poses? Has the character of Henry Rosenberg, who 1:65] HENRY ROSENBERG acquired the fortune; have the purposes he had in view, have the impulses which actuated him through- out his life and in these bequests, have they nothing to do with it? Surely they have. Is this practical? Is this the effect of spiritual influences to which I have referred? Let us progress another step. Wills bequeathing large amounts for eleemosynary purposes in this country are more frequently broken in the courts than otherwise. Why was it not so here? The spiritual influences that animated the man, that energized and characterized his gifts, animated likewise, through sympathy, the one nearest and dearest to him. And all was done to promote his intentions, to further them. Wills in which such donations are made are oft- times defeated in the courts of this country because of the unskilfulness with which they are written. But no invalid technical words were used by the hand that drew this will, but the plain, earnest, and signifi- cant terms used were those best adapted to make the will itself perfect. Is this all? How often have you seen fortunes that have been thus bequeathed squan- dered by corrupt executors and trustees. This for- tune was left in the hands of two gentlemen of modest means. I venture to say that this million of dol- lars, consisting of stocks and bonds, lands and other securities, was left, without security, in the hands of two men, neither of whom had himself a fortune of $50,000. Yet every dollar of it has reached its right- ful destination, and now, in the fullness of God's own [66] STATUE OF HENRY ROSENBERG time, is working for the ennoblement and advance- ment of this people. Tell me that spiritual influences are not the strongest in this life! Mr. Rosenberg did not make it a crime for a man to die rich in Galveston, but he did make it an offense against civic virtue for a man to die rich in Galveston without doing something noble for his city. In a lecture delivered in this building, where everything is free, by a cultured gentleman, a mem- ber of the faculty of the University of Texas, a few nights since, on the Acropolis of Athens, many of you heard, as I had the pleasure of doing, his description of the Parthenon erected on that elevation overlook- ing the city — how it was constructed of the most precious and priceless material, brought from all parts of the then known world; how skilful architects and sculptors wrought their handiwork upon it, mak- ing it the noblest temple ever erected by man — unless it be that of Solomon. And why was this temple built? To house one figure only — that of Athena, the goddess of the city. That temple, renewed more or less in the course of the passage of nearly 2500 years, still stands with but little of the original material in it. But there is not a vestige to be found, there or elsewhere, of the statue of Athena, hewn, sculptured by the matchless hand of Phidias himself. But the people of Galveston have enthroned in a temple of their own, in a Parthenon which ,each one has con- structed for himself, in the temple of his heart of hearts, the image of Henry Rosenberg. 1:673 HENRY ROSENBERG I think, if I recollect rightly, that it is in that splen- did essay of Plutarch on the life of Pericles, when urging us all to look upon those objects and to con- sider those thoughts that make for our improvement, our ennoblement and advancement, in all that is good, in all that is worthy, rather than to waste our time and our efforts and spend our energies upon things that are trivial, superficial and quickly pass away, he adds that it is the singular office of virtue from out all the world, and of objects that remind us of virtuous acts, to produce in the heart of man the desire of imitation. In his own words, "the desire of doing the like." Citizens of Galveston, on behalf of the committee who have honored me with the place I now occupy, speaking in your name and by your authority, asking the blessing of God to consecrate the act, I now crown Henry Rosenberg, to be known in this com- munity from this day by no other name than "Our Benefactor." [68] CHRONOLOGY 1824 June 22. Henry Rosenberg born in Bilten, Canton Glarus, Switzerland, son of Rudolf and Waldburg Rosenberg. ■843 February 6. Landed at New Orleans on his way to Galveston, where at the age of nineteen he entered the employ of John Hessly, dry-goods merchant, at a salary of $8 a month, at what is now 21 19 Mar- ket Street. Had served an apprenticeship as fabric printer at his home in Switzerland and had been employed by John Hessly's father in his mercantile business at Glarus. 1846 Bought the dry-goods business from John Hessly and continued it. Sent to Switzerland for his nephews, Joseph Blum and Daniel Steussy, to help him in his store, and later loaned them capital to start in business at 414 22d Street, where Keenan's store now is. 1848 May 4. Bought from John Hessly the two lots al 21 13 to 21 19 Market Street for $5000. :69] HENRY ROSENBERG 1851 June ii. Was married to Miss Letitia Cooper, a native of Virginia, in Galveston, by Rev. Homer S. Thrall, D.D. Miss Cooper had her millinery- store next to Mr. Rosenberg's store on the east. They lived in a two-story wood building at 21 19 Market Street until Mr. Rosenberg's residence was completed in i860. This house was afterward moved to 1928 Avenue F; it now belongs to the estate of J. C. League. 1858-1859 Erected a large three-story, iron-front, brick build- ing on the southwest corner of Market and 22d Streets. Enlarged it later. Had the most exten- sive retail dry-goods store in Texas. Continued this business until 1875. i860 January i. Moved into his new residence just com- pleted at the northwest corner of Market and 13th Streets. This year, or a little later, erected the two-story brick building at 21 13 to 21 19 Market Street, now known as the Freeman building. 1866 April 13. Appointed Vice-Consul of Switzerland. 1701 CHRONOLOGY 1868 Elected a Director of the First National Bank. Continued as Director for several years. 1869 September 6. Appointed Consul of Switzerland. Continued as Consul until his death. Board of Harbor Improvements (Albert Somerville, John Sealy, Henry Rosenberg, J. Frederich, J. M. Brown) elected him President. Board was active until early part of 1873, using about $150,000 for Galveston harbor improvements. 1871 June 5. One of twelve men appointed by Governor Davis as Aldermen of Galveston. Was Chairman of Committee on Licenses and Assessments and member of Committee on Finance and Revenue and Committee on Markets. President of Galves- ton Hotel Co., a corporation whose object was to build a first-class hotel. Began the building now known as the Tremont Hotel, later selling to the contractors, Burnett & Kilpatrick. President Galveston City Railroad Company. Probably President, or at least a Director, for some years. Erected a three-story brick and iron front building for stores and offices at 2309-23 11 Strand. HENRY ROSENBERG 1873 June 19. Became a Commissioner of Gulf, Colo- rado & Santa Fe Railway Company (chartered May 28). November 24. Became a Director of Gulf, Colo- rado & Santa Fe Railway Company, and member of Executive Committee, November 26. Con- tinued as Director until the road was sold in 1886 to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway sys- tem. 1874 December 21. Elected President of Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Company. Continued as President until December 18, 1877. No salary was paid the President while Mr. Rosenberg held the office. First fifty miles of road built during his presidency. Organized Galveston Bank and Trust Co., Henry Rosenberg, President and Manager; J. M. Brown, Vice-President. This company erected the building at 2209 Market Street. 1875 Opened bank with paid-up capital of $200,000 and authorized capital of $500,000. Continued until 1882. 1876 April. Elected Vestryman of Trinity Episcopal Church. Probably a Vestryman for some years Z721 CHRONOLOGY before and after this time. A Director of Galves- ton Wharf Company. Probably a Director for several years. A Director of Union Marine and Fire Insurance Company. A Director of the Agricultural, Horticultural, and Industrial Asso- ciation. Probably a Director for several years. .879 March. Eleven leading citizens of Galveston (Mr. Rosenberg included) formed a syndicate and bought the stock and franchises of the Gulf, Colo- rado & Santa Fe Railway Company from Galves- ton County and individuals and then pushed the work of building the road with increased vigor and success. 1882 March 19. Eaton Chapel dedicated. Mr. Rosen- berg had contributed about half the cost. April. Galveston Bank and Trust Co. business liqui- dated and Mr. Rosenberg became successor. Bought the bank building for $28,000. May 2. Opened business as H. Rosenberg, Banker. Sole owner of the bank as long as he lived. 1883 July. Became a Director of the Galveston Orphans' Home. Continued as Director until his death. Was Vice-President from this time until 1892. 1:73!] HENRY ROSENBERG 1885 March. Elected Alderman from Second Ward for a term of two years. Chairman of Committee of Finance and Revenue. Member of Committees on Fire Department, Water Supply, and Public Library. Chairman of Board of Health. 1888 April 5. Sent a letter to the Board of School Trus- tees offering to donate $40,000 for a public school building to be located on the west side of nth Street, between Avenues G and H, a half block recently acquired by the School Board. Corner- stone of this building laid with Masonic ceremony June 30. June 4. Death of Mrs. Letitia Cooper Rosenberg. 1889 January. Elected Vice-President of Galveston Wharf Company. Continued as Vice-President and a Director to the time of his death. February 15. Henry Rosenberg Free School build- ing dedicated. Mr. Rosenberg gave personal at- tention to the construction and secured a well-built edifice costing him about $75,000. November 13. Was married to Miss Mollie Ragan Macgill of Hagerstown, Md., in Grace Episcopal Church, Richmond, Va., by Rev. Hartley Car- michael, D.D. [743 CHRONOLOGY 1890-1891 Visited Bilten, his native village in Switzerland, with Mrs. Rosenberg in the summer of 1890, and again in the summer of 1891. Had the village church renovated and improved at a cost of $5000. In this church Henry Rosenberg was christened in 1824 and confirmed in 1840. 1892 February. Elected President of Galveston Or- phans' Home, holding that office until his death. 1893 May 12. Henry Rosenberg died at his home in Gal- veston. May 14. Body lay in state at Rosenberg School building. Funeral services held at Rosenberg School and at Grace Episcopal Church. Body placed temporarily in the vault of Dr. J. F. Y. Paine in Cahill Cemetery, Galveston. May 20. That part of the will containing the public bequests published in the newspapers, showing these gifts to be not less than $600,000, the residuary legacy being for a free public library. Major A. J. Walker and William J. Frederich named execu- tors of the estate, and Colonel M. F. Mott, at- torney. HENRY ROSENBERG May 30. An audience of five or six thousand people assembled at Ball High School Square to do honor to the memory of Henry Rosenberg. May 31. Final interment in Loudon Park Ceme- tery, Baltimore, Maryland. Business houses in Galveston closed as a mark of respect. July 17. Will probated and recorded by the Galves- ton County Court. August 5. Inventory of appraisers showed the value of the estate to be $1,107,737. 1894 March 14. Four of the most valuable pieces of real estate of the Rosenberg Estate were sold at auction by Penland & Breath at the southwest corner of Strand and 22d Streets for the executors, as fol- lows: 1. Three-story brick and iron front building at 2201-2205 Market Street, once Mr. Rosenberg's dry-goods store (62 x 120 feet), occupied by E. D. Garratt & Co. as a dry-goods store. Sold to E. D. Garratt for $60,750. 2. Two-story brick and iron front building at 21 13-21 19 Market Street, where Mr. Rosenberg started in business (86 x 120 feet), occupied by J. Grossmayer, clothing, and Ikelheimer & Co., dry goods, with offices on the second floor. Sold to [763 CHRONOLOGY G. A. Meyer, agent for Mrs. Mary Freeman, for $76,600. 3. Three-story brick building at 2025-2027 Strand (49 x 120 feet), occupied by wholesale and retail stores and by offices. Sold to G. A. Meyer, agent for Mrs. Mary Freeman, for $25,000. 4. Three-story brick and iron front building at 2309-23 1 1 Strand (43 x 120 feet), occupied by a store and offices. Sold to G. A. Meyer, agent for Mrs. Mary Freeman, for $18,100. July 27. Plans adopted for the Orphans' Home. July. Site purchased for the Woman's Home. August 29. Site purchased for the Y. M. C. A. October 20. Corner-stone of the Orphans' Home laid. December 23. Corner-stone of Grace Episcopal Church laid. 1895 April 9. Corner-stone of the Woman's Home laid. November 15. The Orphans' Home dedicated. November 17. Grace Episcopal Church conse- crated. 1896 January 22. The Woman's Home formally opened. March 10. Corner-stone of the Y. M. C. A. build- ing laid. C77: HENRY ROSENBERG August 17. Sites selected for seventeen drinking fountains. October 13. Design for the Texas Heroes' Monu- ment accepted. 1897 December i i. Statue of Henry Rosenberg proposed by Sidney Sherman Chapter, Daughters of the Re- public of Texas, and collection of contributions to the fund begun. 1898 January i. The Y. M. C. A. building formally dedicated. December 4. Drinking fountains inspected and de- livered to the city. December 14. Death of William J. Frederich, one of the executors. 1900 April 21. The Texas Heroes' Monument dedicated. April 25. A Rosenberg Statue committee of citizens organized with M. E. Kleberg as chairman to obtain subscriptions and have the statue made. July 10. Charter granted by the State to the Rosen- berg Library Association. Charter signed by Ma- jor A. J. Walker, Captain J. P. Alvey, and I. Lovenberg. October 17. Board of Directors of Rosenberg Li- brary organized. Major A. J. Walker chosen President. C78] CHRONOLOGY 1901 February. Rosenberg Library Board of Directors received from Major A. J. Walker, Executor of the Rosenberg Estate, for the Library, the residue of the estate, valued at $620,529.69. May 15. Site bought for Rosenberg Library at northwest corner of Tremont Street and Sealy Avenue. August. Alfred F. Rosenheim, of St. Louis, em- ployed as consulting architect by the Rosenberg Library Board of Directors and a Competition Program issued August 23. October 3 1 . Design of Eames & Young, of St. Louis, for Rosenberg Library building selected. December 30. Goldthwaite house on library site sold to John Focke for $500. 1902 March 21. General contract for construction of Rosenberg Library building awarded to Harry Devlin, of Galveston, for $126,500. October 18. Corner-stone of Rosenberg Library laid with Masonic ceremony. 1903 July 24. Frank C. Patten, Librarian-elect, arrived in Galveston to begin his duties. C79: HENRY ROSENBERG 1904 June 2. The right to erect an addition to the Cen- tral (Colored) High School building for a branch of Rosenberg Library for the use of the colored citizens of Galveston was given to the Rosenberg Library Association by the Board of Trustees of Galveston Public Schools. June 18. Called meeting of the Board of Trustees held at the library building, at which it was re- ported that the Library was now ready to be opened. Reports were presented on the work of the Directors and the expenditures to date for site, building, furniture, and books. June 22. Rosenberg Library dedicated at 8 P.M. Building open for public inspection in the after- noon and evening. This was the beginning of the annual memorial celebration of Mr. Rosenberg's birthday at the Library. Such a celebration had been held yearly for a few years previous at the Y. M. C. A. Library opened the next morning for regular public use. November 9. Wednesday Club began holding its meetings at the Rosenberg Library. First club meeting held at the Library. November 29. Death of Major A. J. Walker, Ex- ecutor of the Rosenberg Estate and President of the Board of Directors of Rosenberg Library. [So: CHRONOLOGY December 3. Colonel M. F. Mott elected President of the Library Board of Directors; John Sealy, Vice-President; and F. L. Lee, a Director. December 8. Began an exhibit of holiday books for children. First library exhibit. 1905 January ii. The Colored Branch of Rosenberg Library opened. January 12. The City Commission decided to turn over to the Rosenberg Library the books of the Public Library and to discontinue that library Feb- ruary 28, 1905. Said to be 7505 volumes and a registration of 5468. January 12. First annual meeting of Rosenberg Library Trustees held. Full reports of Treasurer and Librarian presented. January 18. Books of Public Library accepted by Directors of Rosenberg Library. February 15. Moving of Public Library books to Rosenberg Library completed. Resulted in add- ing 3200 volumes to the Library, 1500 of which were United States public documents. March 17-21. Rosenberg Library Free Lecture courses opened auspiciously with four lectures by Jenkin Lloyd Jones, of the University Extension Division of Chicago University. HENRY ROSENBERG November 6. Death of Mayor W. T. Austin, mem- ber of the Board of Directors. Succeeded by W. T. Armstrong. November 27. First meeting of the Texas Histori- cal Society at Rosenberg Library. The valuable collection of books, pamphlets, manuscripts, and other historical material of this Society had al- ready been deposited in the Rosenberg Library in September, 1904. 1906 March 6. Rosenberg statue unveiled in front of the library building. May 2. A fine enlarged photograph of the Ruins of the Parthenon donated to the Library by the Wednesday Club. First donation to the Library of a fine work of art. November 18. Death of Colonel M. F. Mott, Attor- ney for the Rosenberg Estate and President of the Library Board of Directors. November 26. John Sealy elected President of the Board of Directors; F. L. Lee, Vice-President; and R. Waverley Smith, Director. 1907 May 25. Bust of Major A. J. Walker, first President of the Library Board of Directors, placed in the Library. CSan CHRONOLOGY 1909 March 2. President Charles W. Eliot, of Harvard University, visited Galveston and made an address at the library lecture hall on Galveston's contribu- tion to good municipal rule, the commission form of government. May I. First annual celebration of Rosenberg Day, or Founder's Day, recently established by the Li- brary Board of Directors. Made a school holiday by the Galveston School Board. Previous annual celebrations were on the twenty-second of June, the birthday of Henry Rosenberg. 1910 January. Began the publication of a Library Bul- letin of sixteen pages, to be issued five times a year. November. Alterations in basement and new shelv- ing provided storage for 20,000 volumes, in addi- tion to shelving previously placed in the basement from time to time for about 20,000 volumes. 1912 January 18. Resignation of H. A. Landes, member of the Board of Directors, on account of removal from city. Succeeded by W. R. A. Rogers. 1914 June 9. Death of F. L. Lee, Vice-President of the Board of Directors. Succeeded by R. Waverley Smith. Dr. Edward Randall elected Director. C83] HENRY ROSENBERG 1915 April i. New Children's Rooms, with fine new equipment, opened in second story. 1916 May. Lanier property adjoining the library site bought, making the library site a full half block. October. Third and enlarged edition of Rosenberg Library Handbook issued. October 11-13. Annual meeting of Texas Library Association held in Rosenberg Library lecture hall. December 21. Death of Captain J. P. Alvey, Li- brary Treasurer. Succeeded by H. O. Stein as Director and as Treasurer. 1917 May 29. Death of Mrs. Mollie Ragan Macgill Rosenberg, widow of Henry Rosenberg. October 7. Death of L Lovenberg, Library Secre- tary. Succeeded by Ballinger Mills as Director and as Secretary. 1:843 BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE The facts of the life of Henry Rosenberg are con- tained briefly in the following: "The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography," Vol. IX, pp. 523-525. Brown's "Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas," pp. 143-147- Additional matter is obtainable from the Rosenberg Library's volumes of press clippings, and from the bound files of the Galveston News. 1:85] \ Part II B E Q^U E S T S GIFTS AND BEQUESTS OF HENRY ROSENBERG FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES IN GALVESTON Eaton Chapel, about half of cost (1882) $10,000 RosenbergSchool Building ( 1 889) 75,000 Galveston Orphans' Home, for building 30,000 Grace Episcopal Church, for church building 30,000 Ladies' Aid Society of the German Lutheran Church, for charitable purposes 10,000 Letitia Rosenberg Woman's Home, for site and building . . 30,000 Galveston Y. M. C. A., for site and building 65,000 Monument to the Memory of the Heroes of the Texas Revolution of 1836 50,000 Seventeen drinking fountains for men and beasts 30,000 Residue of estate bequeathed in trust to his executors for the C89] HENRY ROSENBERG foundation and endowment of a free public library with free lec- tures. The library assets are now over $900,000, but at the time of Mr. Rosenberg's death it seemed probable the amount would be about 400,000 $730,000 IN HIS NATIVE VILLAGE, BILTEN, SWITZERLAND The village church of Bilten, for renovation (1891) $5,000 The Waisenamt (Orphanage) of Bilten, for a perpetual fund . . 50,000 The Gemeinde (Commune) of Bilten, for a perpetual fund . . 30,000 85,000 $815,000 190-2 THE WILL OF HENRY ROSENBERG In the Name of God, Amen. I, Henry Rosenberg, of the County of Galveston and State of Texas, being in good health and of sound and disposing mind and memory, do make and publish this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all other wills by me at any time heretofore made. 1. I appoint A. J. Walker and William J. Freder- ich of the City and County of Galveston, Texas, executors of this my will, and direct that my estate be administered and finally distributed without the jurisdiction or proceedings of any court; and that no action be had in the county court or in any court in the administration of my estate other than to prove and record this will and return an inventory; and I further direct that no security shall be required of my said executors and that they qualify without bond. 2. My executors are hereby vested with full power and authority to carry into effect the provisions of this my will, independent of the courts; to make sale and conveyance of any or all portions of my estate, real or personal, except that which is hereinafter specifically devised; and I direct that they shall apply to M. F. Mott, attorney at law, Galveston, Texas, who is my confidential lawyer, for all legal C90 HENRY ROSENBERG advice and assistance they may require in the man- agement and administration of my estate. It is my will that the specific legacies hereinafter mentioned shall be distributed and paid by my executors in the order named, as soon after my death as possible; but they are not to be hurried by my devisees to the extent of requiring them to sacrifice property for the pay- ment of the moneyed legacies. In case of the death or failure of either of my executors to act, the re- maining executor shall have full title, power and authority to carry into effect the provisions of this will. 3. I direct that all my just debts, expenses of last illness and funeral expenses be paid as soon after my death as practicable. . . . 8. I give to the benevolent administration Waise- namt, Bilten, Canton Glarus, Switzerland, for educa- tional and charitable purposes, fifty thousand dollars. 9. I give the Gemeinde, Bilten, Canton Glarus, in Switzerland, thirty thousand dollars for educational and charitable purposes. 10. I give to my executor, William J. Frederich, fifteen thousand dollars; to my executor, A. J. Walker, ten thousand dollars; and to my friend and attorney, M. F. Mott, ten thousand dollars; said amounts to be in full payment to my said executors and attorney for services to be rendered in and about the administration of my estate, and in lieu of com- missions and legal service fees. . . . 1:923 WILL OF HENRY ROSENBERG 14. I give to the Island City Protestant and Israel- itish Orphans' Home in the city of Galveston, thirty thousand dollars to be used by the trustees for build- ing purposes only; and I charge my executors with the duty of seeing that this fund is properly applied. 15. I give to Grace Church Parish, Episcopal de- nomination, in the city of Galveston, Texas, thirty thousand dollars, to be used for building a church on or near the lots now occupied by it for church pur- poses in the western portion of the city; and I charge my executors with the duty of carrying out this bequest. 16. I give to the Ladies' Aid Society of the Ger- man Lutheran Church, ten thousand dollars to be used by them for charitable purposes. 17. I give thirty thousand dollars to procure and furnish an appropriate building for the Woman's Home, of Galveston, or by whatever name it may be known at the time of my decease. I charge my execu- tors with the duty of executing this bequest; and whenever they have procured a suitable building and lots, and furnished the same, they shall convey, or cause the same to be conveyed, to the organization by its then legal name. 18. I give sixty-five thousand dollars for the pur- chase (or erection) of a suitable building for the use of the Young Men's Christian Association of Galves- ton. The said sum of sixty-five thousand dollars shall include cost of the ground upon which the [93 !] HENRY ROSENBERG building stands, and is also to include cost of neces- sary repairs in case a building is purchased. My executors are charged with the execution of this be- quest. Whenever they have procured the appro- priate property, they shall convey, or cause the same to be conveyed, to the proper organization or trustees of said association. 19. I give fifty thousand dollars for the erection of an appropriate monument in the city of Galveston to the memory of the heroes of the Texas revolution of 1836. The execution of this bequest is charged upon my executors, who will adopt plans and have the monument erected under their immediate super- vision. 20. I give thirty thousand dollars for the erection of not less than ten drinking fountains for man and beast in various portions of the city of Galveston, localities to be selected by my executors. This be- quest, however, is upon the proviso that the city of Galveston shall obtain an abundant supply of good drinking water within five years after my death. Failing in thus obtaining such supply of good drink- ing water, then I direct that, after the expiration of the time herein limited, one half of said thirty thou- sand dollars shall be given to the orphan asylum men- tioned in the fourteenth clause of this will, and the other half thereof to the woman's home mentioned in the seventeenth clause of this will. 21. All the rest and residue of my estate of which 1:943 WILL OF HENRY ROSENBERG I shall die seized or possessed, or to which I shall be entitled at the time of my decease, I give to my said executors in trust for the purpose following: They shall preserve and maintain the same and reinvest the income thereof for a period of two years after my death. At the expiration of said two years they shall organize and endow a free public library for the use of the people of Galveston, together with free lec- tures upon practical, literary, and scientific subjects, and such other incidents to a great public library as may be most conducive to the improvement, instruc- tion, and elevation of the citizens of Galveston; and for this purpose they shall cause an association to be chartered with such trustees and directors as they may deem expedient, under such rules and regula- tions as will best carry out this devise. In making this bequest, I desire to express in a practical form my affection for the city of my adoption and for the people among whom I have lived for so many years, trusting that it will aid their intellectual and moral development, and be a source of pleasure and profit to them and their children and their children's chil- dren through many generations. 22. It is my will that my executors carry on my banking business in the city of Galveston for such reasonable length of time — not exceeding twelve months — after my death as may enable them to wind up the same in a satisfactory manner. 1:95] HENRY ROSENBERG In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this twenty-eighth day of May, A.D. (1892) one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two. [Note. — Date following codicil is May 31, 1892.] H. Rosenberg. Signed in the presence of the undersigned witnesses by Henry Rosenberg, the testator, and they, at his request and in his presence, sign their names hereto as attesting witnesses. E. D. Garratt. H. A. ElBAND. Note. — Personal bequest clauses of the will have been omitted. 1:96: Major A. J. Walker Executor William J. Frederick Colonel M. F. Mott Executor Attorney THE ROSENBERG ESTATE EXECUTORS AND ATTORNEY Plate No. i6 THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE ROSENBERG ESTATE It became known at once after the death of Mr. Rosenberg on May 1 2, 1 893, that Major A. J. Walker and William J. Frederich had been appointed by Mr. Rosenberg as his executors, and that Colonel M. F. Mott, Mr. Rosenberg's confidential lawyer, had been appointed attorney for the estate. One week later the executors permitted the publication of those clauses of the will that contain the bequests of Henry Rosenberg for public purposes. Mr. Rosenberg's generous and philanthropic nature was known, and it was believed that, as he had no children, the publi- cation of his will would disclose handsome gifts for charitable and educational purposes, but no guesses had approximated the noble liberality of these be- quests. The broad scope of the bequests and the wis- dom of the provisions of the will, as well as the very large total of these magnificent gifts to the public, caused universal surprise and moved all hearts with increased respect and admiration. Galveston was deeply impressed ; a whole city of people became one in gratitude to a fellow citizen who, besides bestow- ing large gifts during his lifetime, had bequeathed for public purposes in Galveston alone "not less than the princely sum of $520,000." The specific bequests 1:97:] HENRY ROSENBERG for public purposes in Galveston amounted to $245,- 000, and in Bilten, Mr. Rosenberg's native village in Switzerland, to $80,000. The residue of the estate, after satisfying other bequests both private and pub- lic, was left to the executors in trust for the founda- tion and endowment of a free public library with free lectures and "other incidents to a great public li- brary." It then appeared that the residue fund for the Library would not be less than $275,000. The will was filed by the executors on July 3, 1893, in the County Court, Sidney S. Hanscom, Judge. At this time the Galveston News published a summary of each clause of the will including the personal be- quests. The will was probated and recorded on July 17. On the same day Probate Judge Hanscom ap- pointed I. Lovenberg, John Adriance, and L. C. Woodville appraisers. The appraisers reported a complete inventory of the estate of Henry Rosenberg on August 5, and it was approved by the court and ordered recorded. This inventory showed: Real Estate $316,079 Personal Property . . . 791,658 Total $1,107,737 by which it appeared that Mr. Rosenberg's estate was considerably larger than it was generally supposed to be up to the time of the publication of the will. About two-thirds had been bequeathed for public purposes, and the prospect for the Library Fund was now still more encouraging. ADMINISTRATION OF ESTATE In accordance with the twenty-second clause of the will, the executors carried on Mr. Rosenberg's bank- ing business without change for the account and bene- fit of the estate for about a year after his death, con- tinuing it under the name "H. Rosenberg, Banker," as before. The executors then transferred the busi- ness to a partnership composed of Mrs. Mollie R. Macgill Rosenberg, Theodore Ohmstede, E. D. Gar- ratt, and W. J. Frederich, who continued the busi- ness under the name of "The Rosenberg Bank." The banking interest was bought from this partnership by C. L. Beissner and J. E. Beissner in May, 1900, and continued without change of name. The same per- sons bought the building from the Rosenberg Library Association in August, 1907. This has been a bank building continuously from the time it was built by Henry Rosenberg and J. M. Brown in 1875. The bank changed ownership in June, 1913, and became the South Texas State Bank. The executors proceeded with the settlement of the estate by paying the legacies and executing the clauses of the will in the order there named, as directed by Mr. Rosenberg, the private bequests to the widow, relatives, and friends receiving first attention. The bequest for the Library being a residuary legacy, the organization of that institution was left until after the erection of the Orphans' Home, Grace Church, the Woman's Home, the Y. M. C. A,, the drinking fountains, and the Heroes' Monument. The Monu- ment to the Heroes of the Texas Revolution of 1836 C99: HENRY ROSENBERG was unveiled with ceremonies of State-wide interest on April 21, 1900, the sixty-fourth anniversary of the battle of San Jacinto. There remained now but one of all the generous bequests of Galveston's noble benefactor, Henry Rosenberg. Under the wise and conscientious management of the executors, with the efficient aid of the attorney, the noble purposes of Mr. Rosenberg were being well fulfilled and the residuary fund was increasing. After long illness, Mr. Frederich died on December 14, 1898. Circum- stances had placed the burden of the management and settlement of the estate entirely upon Major Walker, with much devoted assistance, however, from Colonel Mott. None could have labored more faithfully or with greater singleness of purpose than they in the execution of Mr. Rosenberg's loving de- signs. Much of the spirit of the great philanthropist had entered into the hearts of executor and attorney, warm personal friends of Mr. Rosenberg, in the per- formance of this noble work. Major Walker and Colonel Mott were Mr. Rosen- berg's close friends and advisers for many years, and no doubt they were well informed regarding his philanthropic intentions. Major Walker was often the business adviser and financial agent for Mr. Rosenberg, for he was a man of superior financial ability and large business experience. Colonel Mott had long been Mr. Rosenberg's legal adviser and confidential attorney. They had been friends for thirty years. It was Colonel Mott who wrote the [100;] ADMINISTRATION OF ESTATE will, and no one can tell how much weight his coun- sel may have had in the mind of Mr. Rosenberg when he established so wisely the objects and pro- portions of his public benefactions, the wisdom of which has called forth universal admiration. Colonel Mott stood high among the leaders of the legal pro- fession of Texas and among her respected citizens. The erection of the Library was Major Walker's next labor in discharging his great trust to give to the people of Galveston the realization of Mr. Rosen- berg's munificence. In planning the library organ- ization. Major Walker associated with himself not only Colonel Mott but also Captain J. P. Alvey and Mr. I. Lovenberg, leading citizens of Galveston, and secured a charter from the State for the Rosenberg Library Association in July, 1900. This charter pro- vided for a self-perpetuating life-membership board of twenty trustees and, elected from their number, a managing board of seven directors. The persons chosen to constitute the original boards were named in the charter. The estimated value of the property was stated in the Charter of the Association to be $500,000. The Board of Directors organized on October 17, 1900, and in February, 1901, received from Major A. J. Walker, Executor of the Rosenberg Estate, for the Rosenberg Library, the residuum of the estate, which by inventory was valued at $620,- 529.69, the great increase in the value of the estate under good management accruing continually to the benefit of the Library Fund. HENRY ROSENBERG Major Walker should be credited with faithful stewardship, wise and skilful management, the stern- est standard of honor, and the highest public spirit. The will provided a fee of $10,000 for his services as executor, no security or bond was required, and the only limitation upon the executors was that, to pre- vent the executors being "hurried by my devisees to the extent of requiring them to sacrifice property," the estate was not to be entirely settled up in less than two years. Major Walker believed that for the best interests of the public the various provisions of the will should not be carried out and the whole estate settled up in so short a time as two years. He could see the need of a large residuary fund, for he realized the great value in the life of the city of such an insti- tution as Mr. Rosenberg had provided for under the name of a "free public library." Accordingly he set out, in a spirit of devotion to the work, always with the advice and hearty cooperation of Colonel Mott, to manage the whole estate very carefully while the provisions of the will were carried out one after an- other. When Major Walker died on November 29, 1904, the whole estate had been completely settled up, the Library had been built, the institution had been opened for public use the previous June, and it was successfully serving the public. He had devoted nearly all his time, even though a poor man, during the last twelve years of his life to the management of the Rosenberg Estate, and he now saw a splendid public library for Galveston with total assets con- D02] ADMINISTRATION OF ESTATE servatively valued at nearly $800,000. Although a prominent citizen and a man whose financial advice was everywhere sought and whose business judgment and integrity were everywhere trusted, Major Walker was the most unostentatious of men. Certainly there has very rarely been recorded a more remarkable in- stance of quiet efficiency and devoted public service in the management of a great trust. 1^032 O X In z < X o o h CD > < O w h o 2:; THE GALVESTON ORPHANS' HOME The first bequest for a public purpose named in Mr. Rosenberg's will is contained in the fourteenth clause. This clause gives to the Galveston Orphans' Home $30,000 for a building. With the approval of the executors, the trustees erected a fine new building of cream-colored pressed brick, with a frontage of 104 feet and an extreme width of 94 feet, on the block of ground then owned by the Home on 21st Street, ex- tending from Avenue M to M^, after first moving the old buildings off. Mr. I. Lovenberg was chair- man of the building committee, Alfred Muller was architect, and Thomas Lucas was contractor. The corner-stone was laid with Masonic ceremony on October 20, 1894. Mr. W. T. Armstrong was the orator of the day. The dedicatory exercises were held at the Home on the 15th of November, 1895, Mr. Leo N. Levi being the orator of the evening. This last act in the fulfilment of Mr. Rosenberg's first public bequest was made a very important occasion and a great crowd of citizens was present to honor the memory of the donor. The Galveston Orphans' Home had its beginning in October, 1878, with the efforts of Mr. George Sealy and Mrs. E. M. Arnold. In 1879 there were about twenty inmates of the Home. A Board of Di- HENRY ROSENBERG rectors was then organized with Judge C. L. Cleve- land as President and J. S. Montgomery as Secretary and Treasurer. In 1880 a charter was obtained and Moritz Kopperl was made President; George Sealy, Treasurer; and J. S. Montgomery, Secretary. In 1 88 1 about $7000 was raised by donations for a build- ing fund. With this sum the Bolton place (the per- manent site of the Home) was bought and additions and alterations made to make the house suitable for the Home. Three more lots adjoining were bought in 1889, which gave the Home the ownership of the entire block. After the death of Mr. Kopperl in 1883, Judge Cleveland became President and Henry Rosenberg Vice-President. Judge Cleveland died in February, 1892, and Mr. Rosenberg became Presi- dent, holding that office until his death. Mr. Rosen- berg had been a generous and regular contributor towards the support of the Home from the first, and a trustee since July, 1883. To replace the storm-damaged building, a new building of St. Louis pressed granite brick was erected on the same site in 1901 with floor plans simi- lar to the old. The architect was George B. Stowe, and the builder, Harry Devlin. The building was dedicated on March 30, 1902, Mr. M. H. Royston delivering the dedicatory address. At the time of the dedication I. Lovenberg was President of the Board of Trustees, John Sealy, Treasurer, and J. S. Mont- gomery, Secretary. Mrs. H. A. Landes was Presi- dent of the Board of Lady Managers, a position GALVESTON ORPHANS' HOME which she had held for many years. On the twenty- third anniversary of the Home, November 21, 1893, following an address by Mr. Edward F. Harris, there was unveiled a fine bronze tablet as a memorial to Mr. Rosenberg, the donor of the building. In the centre of the tablet, in relief, is a good portrait of Mr. Rosenberg in bronze. The Home receives part of its support from interest on a small endowment fund of about $20,000 derived from several bequests and donations. Otherwise its support comes from voluntary contributions by Galveston people. [107] INTERIOR VIEW OF GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH Plate Xo. 19 GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH The fifteenth clause of Mr. Rosenberg's will contains his second public bequest. By this clause he gives $30,000 "to Grace Church Parish in the city of Gal- veston to be used for building a church." With this sum a beautiful Gothic church edifice of limestone (Leon whitestone) was erected on the quarter block owned by the Church at Avenue L and 36th Street, the old wood building having been moved back to make a place for the new. The church, with its heavy buttresses and massive tower with corbeled battle- ments, is in all its parts in dignified form and pleasing proportions. The edifice has a length of 109 feet, a width of 50 feet, and an extreme width, including the tower, of 78 feet. N. J. Clayton & Co. were the archi- tects, and Thomas Darragh was the contractor. The consulting architect and designer of the interior fur- nishings and the memorial windows was Silas Mc- Bee, of the University of the South, Sewanee, Ten- nessee, afterw^ard editor of the Churchtnan. On December 23, 1894, the corner-stone was laid with im- posing religious ceremony by Right Rev. George H. Kinsolving, D.D., Bishop of Texas, assisted by Rev. J. R. Carter, Rector of Grace Church, and others. The church edifice was consecrated with the Episco- pal ritual on November 17, 1895, by Bishop Kinsol- [109] HENRY ROSENBERG ving, assisted by Right Rev. David Sessums, Bishop of Louisiana, once the Rector of Grace Church, and Rev. J. R. Carter. The sermon was given by Bishop Sessums. The interior furnishings of Grace Church are of excellent design, simple and very beautiful. Perfect honesty in material and workmanship were insisted upon. What is oak in appearance is real oak, the carving is of the best workmanship, the bronze is the best bronze to be obtained. No sham was tolerated; everything is exactly what it appears to be. Mrs. Mollie Ragan Macgill Rosenberg gave about $20,000 toward the interior furnishings and the windows of the church. The reredos or altar-piece, which was described at the time of the consecration of the church as "probably the richest that has ever been put into any church in the South," Mrs. Rosenberg made a memorial to her husband. The lectern is a me- morial to Mrs. Letitia Cooper Rosenberg. A south window is a memorial to Mr. Rosenberg's parents and has this inscription: "In loving memory of the parents of Henry Rosenberg: Rudolf Rosenberg, born October 17, 1798, died July 19, 1862, in Bilten, Canton Glarus, Switzerland; Waldburg Rosenberg, born October 3, 1798, died February 18, 1856, in Bil- ten, Canton Glarus, Switzerland." Other memorial gifts by Mrs. Rosenberg were the bronze pulpit, the bishop's chair, the clergy stall and other chancel fur- niture, the chancel windows, and two windows on the north side of the church. (Rich and beautiful me- [no] GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH morials of a similar character, designed by the same artist, Mr. Silas McBee, were in April, 1899, donated by Mrs. Rosenberg to St. John's Episcopal Church in her native village, Hagerstown, Maryland.) The Grace Church organ is a memorial to Mr. Rosenberg by the congregation of Grace Church and friends. Through the efforts of Rev. S. M. Bird, D.D., Rec- tor of Trinity Church, a Sunday school was started in the western part of the city in 1874. As this re- ligious enterprise grew, $2700 was raised to buy a quarter block of ground (the present site of Grace Church), and $3100 to erect a chapel. The Bishop then assigned Rev. Jeremiah Ward to take charge, and the mission was called Trinity Chapel. In 1876 the organization became Grace Church Parish, with the Rev. Mr. Ward as Rector. Mr. Rosenberg be- came connected with Grace Church about 1883 or 1884. The church continued to grow and at the time the new church edifice was consecrated there were 220 communicants. [I'O (( ^ ^. I— ( C X z < o > a w z w c < w w d: o THE LETITIA ROSENBERG WOMAN'S HOME Mr. Rosenberg's will provided $30,000 "to procure and furnish an appropriate building for the Woman's Home of Galveston," and charged the "executors with the duty of executing this bequest." A site was bought at Rosenberg Avenue and Avenue O^A, and a fine building, Sox 120 feet, with 30 rooms, was erected in 1895. The architect was Alfred Muller, and the builder, Harry Devlin. The corner-stone was laid on April 9, 1895, the address being given by Major F. Charles Hume. The formal dedication of the Home occurred on January 22, 1896. Colonel M. F. Mott delivered the principal address, in which he gave a brief history of the institution, and for the executors of the Rosenberg Estate presented the deed of the property to Mr. Charles Fowler, president of the new corporation, "The Woman's Home." Mr. Fowler responded and then presented the keys of the building to Mrs. George P. Finlay, President of the Board of Lady Managers. The movement for a Galveston home for women originated with some charitable ladies in the year 1888. An organization was formed in the spring of 1889, with Mrs. George P. Finlay as president, and a house at 3 1 st Street and Avenue I was rented at $25 HENRY ROSENBERG a month. Small gifts from many who were interested in the project supplied furniture for the house and support for the Home. Mrs. Gray was the first ma- tron, and she was succeeded by Miss Minnie Gray. A home was thus provided for twenty-three women the first year. At the time the new building was dedi- cated there were thirteen women in the Home. Mrs. Finlay continued President of the Board of Lady Managers from the beginning until 191 5. D14D o < u o C/2 CD < < H 5 CO w a o >^ o H W L> < O w o < CL, Y. M. C. A. OFFICE AND RECEPTION ROOM Y. M. C. A. GYMNASIUM Plate No. 22 THE GALVESTON YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION The eighteenth clause of Mr. Rosenberg's will gave $65,000 "for the purchase (or erection) of a suitable building for the use of the Young Men's Christian Association of Galveston," including "cost of the ground," and the "executors are charged with the execution of this bequest." A site was bought in August, 1894, ^t the southwest corner of Tremont Street and Avenue G, for $17,500. The small build- ings on the site were sold and removed. The archi- tectural plans of Charles W. Bulger, of Galveston, were accepted in June, 1895. These plans were modi- fied later to reduce the cost of the building to about $47,000, and the contract was let to Lawrence Brothers & Mason. The corner-stone was laid on March 10, 1896, by the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. B. R. Abernethy of Gonzales acted as Grand Master; M. F. Mott, as Deputy Grand Master; Rev. A. C. Garrett, D.D., of Dallas, Bishop of North Texas, as Grand Chaplain; and Rev. J. R. Carter, as Grand Orator. A brief address by Bishop Garrett was especially eloquent and impressive. Frank B. Nichols was then Presi- dent of the Association. At the annual meeting on D153 HENRY ROSENBERG February 7, 1897, held at St. John's Methodist Epis- copal Church, Broadway and Rosenberg Avenue, a full report of the work of the Galveston Y. M. C. A. was presented, with the explanation that a fund of at least $10,000 was needed for furniture and equipment for the new building provided for by Mr. Rosenberg. A little later about $12,000 was donated for this pur- pose by three friends of the Association and its mem- bers, and the furnishing of the building was com- pleted in 1899. The formal dedication occurred on January i, 1898, seven months after the occupation of the build- ing for the regular work of the Association. Major A. J. Walker, Executor of the Rosenberg Estate, pre- sented the property to the Y. M. C. A. Board of Directors, closing with these words: "In delivering to you now the deeds of conveyance for this structure and the site which it occupies, I feel that I cannot too strongly impress upon you that the duty and obli- gation will now devolve upon you and your succes- sors of demonstrating the wisdom of the kindly im- pulse which has prompted this generous benefaction." Mr. C. F. W. Felt, President of the Association, re- sponded for the Board of Directors, saying in part: "In accepting this beautiful home the officers and membership pledge themselves to use it to its fullest capacity as an instrument for the physical, intellec- tual, and spiritual welfare of the young men of Gal- veston. . . . We will do our utmost to use this great gift so that it will forever honor the name of Rosen- C116] GALVESTON Y. M. C. A. berg." Resolutions of gratitude and appreciation previously adopted by the Board of Directors were presented by Secretary Palmer. Rabbi Henry Cohen and Major F. Charles Hume made addresses. Mr. Jens Moller closed his remarks with a surprise by presenting a paper on which were the pledges of ten persons for $ioo each for the educational work of the Association. Several months previous to this time, Mrs. Rosenberg had presented to the Association a fine portrait (an enlarged photograph) of Mr. Rosenberg. It was at the Y. M. C. A. that the term "Our Benefactor" was first applied to Mr. Rosen- berg. This inscription was framed and hung just below his portrait. The officers of the Association at this time were: C. F. W. Felt, President; James S. Brown, Vice-President; Fred W. Fickett, Recording Secretary; J. T. Huffmaster, Treasurer; Rev. Judson B. Palmer, General Secretary; Harvey L. Smith, Physical Director; and C. W. Varnum, Assistant Secretary. This was the fourth building Mr. Rosenberg had provided for among his public bequests, and it repre- sents the largest of these bequests, with the exception of the Public Library. This building was the first Y. M. C. A. building erected in Texas, and it is still one of the largest. It has 120 feet frontage on Tre- mont Street, its depth is 84 feet, and it is four stories in height. The first story is of limestone, and the stories above of buff pressed brick with red terra-cotta trimming. The first floor, fronting on Tremont ci'7n HENRY ROSENBERG Street, is used for stores. On the second floor are the offices and reception and game rooms, and, entered from this floor, there are the gymnasium, and the auditorium and lecture room with a seating capacity of 850. On the other floors are the reading rooms and library, class rooms, parlor, and other rooms. The beginning of the Young Men's Christian Association in Galveston was on the fifteenth of April, 1859, only fifteen years after the founding of the Association in London, England, in June, 1844, and less than eight years after the organization of the first Association in the United States in Boston. The Galveston Association had rooms on the second floor in the Pix building (now the Tribune building), on the northeast corner of Post-office and 22d Streets. James Sorley was President; M. F. Mott, Vice-Presi- dent; George H. Traube, Treasurer; and Clinton G. Wells, Secretary. This organization seems to have lapsed before 1866. Another association was organ- ized on the 2d of April, 1874, with George M. Courts as President. Rooms were established at 2 121 Post- office Street. One or two years later new quarters were rented from Henry Rosenberg at 21 17 Market Street. In April, 1876, George M. Steirer became President; George E. Clothier, Treasurer; Rev. J. C. Kopp and E. Stavenhagen, Secretaries ; and these, with H. B. Goodman, J. T. Hufifmaster, and others, constituted the Executive Committee. In March, 1878, rooms were rented on the west side of Tremont Street, between Market and Mechanic Streets, with C"8] GALVESTON Y. M. C. A. George E. Clothier as paid General Secretary. All service to the Association had been rendered free up to this time. After four or five months, however, all the work of the Association was suspended because of lack of support, and no active organization existed for six years. The present Galveston Y. M. C. A. was organ- ized on May 23, 1884. H. Lee Sellers was chosen President, Thomas Conyngton becoming Secretary a little later. In January, 1885, rooms were occupied on the west side of 22d Street, two doors north of Market Street, in the Alvey building. The rooms were kept open from 9 A.M. to 9 P.M. Among the volunteers for evening service were Charles R. Brown, J. M. Fendley, E. G. Littlejohn, H. Lee Sellers, George E. Clothier, F. D. Minor, C. P. Marye, H. R. Conyngton, Thomas Conyngton, and Robert Burney, Jr. In October, 1885, the Associ- ation moved to the southeast corner of 22d and Mechanic Streets, occupying two large rooms on the second floor for reading rooms and the entire third floor for a gymnasium. The membership at this time was one hundred. In order to provide for the employment of a trained General Secretary a guarantee fund was raised by subscription early in 1886. Henry Rosen- berg, W. L. Moody, R. S. Willis, W. H. Willis, J. H. Hutchings, William Lofland, John D. Rogers, J. S. Rogers, George Sealy, J. N. Sawyer, James Moore, W. P. Ballinger, Leon Blum, and M. C. McLemore HENRY ROSENBERG were subscribers to this fund at five dollars a month. Butler Jack, of Memphis, Tenn., served as General Secretary from March to September. At this time there was a membership of about two hundred and fifty. On May 24, 1886, the Ladies' Auxiliary to the Association was organized with twenty-five members. Mrs. Lavinia P. Minor was President; Mrs. John Sealy, Vice-President; and Miss Rebecca Harris, Secretary and Treasurer. The Auxiliary has contin- ued in active service ever since its organization. On November i. Rev. Judson B. Palmer became General Secretary, a position which he occupied continuously (except for nearly a year in 1898 and 1899, when he was Y. M. C. A. State Secretary for Texas) until the end of the year 191 2, when he was made General Sec- retary Emeritus and still continues to perform regu- lar duties in connection with the Association. On May 3, 1888, the Association was incorporated, with thirteen Directors, as follows: H. Lee Sellers, George Sealy, J. M. Fendley, J. T. Huffmaster, H. R. Conyngton, Frank M. Ball, C. P. Marye, Charles R. Brown, C. L. Dealey, John Hanna, W. S. Grifiin, J. P. Boone, and James Moore. The charter states that "This corporation is formed for the pur- pose of improving the spiritual, mental, social, and physical condition of young men." It came to be realized that there must be a trained and competent head for the physical department, and another per- manent feature was inaugurated when J. C. Elsom, C1203 GALVESTON Y. M. C. A. M.D., became the first Physical Director in Septem- ber, 1889. Daniel Cole followed. In March, 1892, the Association moved into more commodious quar- ters at 2203 Post-office Street, having rooms on the second and third floors. In August, 1893, Harvey L. Smith, a graduate of the Springfield (Mass.) Train- ing School, became the third Physical Director, serv- ing the Association very acceptably for about seven years, until the end of April, 1900. Mr. A. S. Hopper was the first Assistant Secretary, serving the Associ- ation from April, 1895, to July, 1897. In May, 1896, the Association, being obliged to move, occupied temporary and quite inadequate quarters pending the completion of the new building, which by contract was to be ready on July i, 1896. After long delay, the Association occupied the new building on June 8, 1897, the builders' work still going on for several months after that. The fine new building resulting from Mr. Rosen- berg's generosity greatly increased the Association's opportunity for service, and there was a correspond- ing increase in work and membership. In May, 1913, Mr. Charles C. Adams donated to the Association the lot, 120x43 feet, next west of the present building, and Mrs. J. C. League has donated $10,000. Thus a start has been made toward a much needed enlarge- ment of the building. The present officers of the Association are: William T. Armstrong, President; Fred W. Catterall, Vice-President; E. R. Cheesbor- ough, Recording Secretary; Milton S. Schwab, 1:121] HENRY ROSENBERG Treasurer; Rev. Judson B. Palmer, General Secre- tary Emeritus; L. C. Hardie, General Secretary; Charles C. Hard, Physical Director. The Galveston Y. M. C. A. has been a permanent organization for a third of a century. Willing and loyal voluntary workers have always been ready to share in its responsibilities and duties and to labor earnestly to help it to meet its opportunities, many of these citizens being very busy men and prominent in Galveston business life. Among those who have given long service on the Board of Directors are: H. Lee Sellers . James M. Fendley J. T. Huffmaster Fred W. Fickett James S. Brown Frank B. Nichols William C. Ogilvy H. B. Goodman W. T. Armstrong Valery E. Austin Maco Stewart . E. R. Cheesborough C. F. W. Felt . Dr. John T. Moore Dr. J. J. Terrill John R. Hedges Fred W. Catterall Milton S. Schwab 884-1892 886- 887-1907 889-1901 89CH-1905 891-1904 892-1912 892- 892- 893- 894- 89s- 897-1909 898-1909 904-1913 905-1913 906- 911- C122;] '""'" ^ rfii -"""'- -"" THE ROSENBERG DRINKING FOUNTAINS Plate No. 23 a C/2 z t—l < h Z O o z z Q O w pq Z o X H o Eh < THE ROSENBERG DRINKING FOUNTAINS The will of Mr. Rosenberg provided $30,000 "for the erection of not less than ten drinking fountains for man and beast in various portions of the city of Galveston." Seventeen fountains were erected by the executors. Twelve were placed in March, 1898, one in each of the twelve wards of the city. Five larger and more costly fountains were erected in October, 1898. Sherman Park, Central Park, and Morris Lasker Park each have one of these larger fountains; the two others were placed in large, open public spaces, one near the Union Railway Station and the other on 20th Street, a block north of the old City Hall. The fountains were designed by J. Massey Rhind, of New York. The material is light gray granite ornamented with bronze. Each fountain bears the inscription: "Gift of Henry Rosenberg." D23II '■"*? "*' "^3 ? y'?^ f!^'**^- ^''ffl*'" * ^"' ' ^." '' * JjS i jM^jfe' ^ HEROES' MONUMENT A Tribute from HenrN' Rosenberg to the Heroes of the Texas Revolution of 1836 Plate No. 24 > z D O >-' < Q w H Z o h z w o z o C/2 w o Pi w X h o Z o < H-) 72 CO H t:; Z o w 'A S o P iz; o o tZ krH ' — i r^ 2 „ rt CO CO W t: O ^ Pi 3 w ■J-; :i2 D 7^ h IJ fn O \^ o CO J 1 :z; < < _^ Ph +J s w CO N Z "o o OJ pli -^ P3 l-l w 3 :[: CO H o < THE TEXAS HEROES' MONUMENT By bequest, Mr. Rosenberg provided $50,000 "for the erection of an appropriate monument in the city of Galveston to the memory of the heroes of the Texas revolution of 1836." The result is the noble Heroes' Monument of granite and bronze centrally located at Broadway and Rosenberg Avenue, the widest streets in Galveston. It rises seventy-two feet high and is thirty-four feet square at the base. The story of the Texas struggle for independence is told by means of bronze panels and bronze figures about the granite base. A bronze figure of Victory, twenty-two feet high, surmounts the granite column. The sculp- tor was Louis Amateis, of Washington, D. C. The bronze figures were all cast in Rome, Italy, the larger ones by Bruno & Co., the smaller ones and the panels by Nelli & Co. The granite portion is the work of J. F. Manning & Co., monumental architects, Wash- ington, D. C. The granite is from Concord, N. H., and is like that used in the Library of Congress. The monument is efifectively placed at the intersection of Broadway and Rosenberg Avenue (the name of 25th Street since March, 1898, when it was changed by a city ordinance in honor of the city's benefactor). Looking down either street from the monument, one sees a beautiful avenue of palms and oleanders. Although San Jacinto Day, the twenty-first of [■25] HENRY ROSENBERG April, had been celebrated for many years as a Texas holiday, the sixty-fourth anniversary celebration in Galveston in 1900 had special significance on account of the unveiling of the Texas Heroes' Monument. The following invitation had been sent throughout the state by Sidney Sherman Chapter Daughters of the Republic of Texas On San Jacinto Day, April 21, 1900, the Monument will be unveiled which was presented by the great philan- thropist, Henry Rosenberg, to the State of Texas, a memorial to the Heroes of the Texas Revolution. This Monument is the result of a bequest of fifty thousand dol- lars, left by Mr. Rosenberg for this purpose, the execution of which has been under the wise direction of his executor. Major A. J. Walker, of Galveston, who has done so much toward the successful realization of Mr. Rosenberg's charities and benefactions to the City of Galveston. The bronze statuary for the completion of this splendid testi- monial to the valor, honor, courage and patriotism of the founders and defenders of the Republic of Texas was all cast in Rome, and was designed by Prof. Amateis, of Washington, D. C, one of the noted sculptors of this country. In his symbolic design he has achieved a success that is satisfying and gratifying to every patriotic Texan, and it is the earnest desire of the citizens of Galveston and of Sidney Sherman Chapter, Daughters of the Repub- lic of Texas, that the people of Texas will come to Galves- ton at that time to pay homage to this great occasion In the history of our State. i:i26D TEXAS HEROES' MONUMENT Offices of the United States, State, county, and city, and the courts were closed, also the banks and many mercantile houses and business offices. An interest- ing exhibit of Texas historical relics was shown in the large corner show-window of Garbadc, Eiband & Co., dry-goods merchants, and attracted much atten- tion. A large procession of about 2500 school chil- dren carrying flags and flowers, and a very large flower, military, and civic parade, were features of the celebration. The monument was unveiled with appropriate ceremonies in the presence of a gather- ing of perhaps 10,000 people from Galveston and all Texas. Colonel M. F. Mott introduced the speakers. In honor of the Governor's presence on the occasion, a governor's salute of seventeen guns was fired by Battery G, First United States Artillery, as the pro- gram was brought to a close. PROGRAM OF THE UNVEILING CEREMONIES OF THE ROSENBERG MONUMENT TO TEXAS HEROES, APRIL 21, 1900, 4 P.M. Prayer Rev. J. R. Carter Chorus— "Texas, Texas, Texas Forevermore" Children of the Public Schools Address— Presentation of the Monument to the State of Texas, on Behalf of Major A. J. Walker, Executor of the Estate of Henry Rosenberg Hon. M. E. Kleberg [1273 HENRY ROSENBERG Unveiling Monument . Miss Mollie Macgill Bridges Presentation of the Sculptor, Louis Amateis Col. M. F. Mott Address— Acceptance of the Monument for the State of Texas . Joseph D. Sayers, Governor of Texas Chorus— "Texas is the Land for Me," and "Away Down South in Texas," to the tune of "Dixie" . . . . Children of the Public Schools Address— "Significance of the Monument to the Youth of Texas" .... Clay Stone Briggs Oration — Acceptance of the Monument on Behalf of the Heroes of the Texas Revolu- tion and Their Descendants . Hon. J. C. Hutcheson Ode- "The Texas Star," by Mabel Place Smith, dedicated to Texas Heroes — Past, Present and Future . Read by W . T. Armstrong Chorus — "America" . Children of the Public Schools Benediction Rev. J. R. Carter salute CizS] THE HEROES' MONUMENT Views from the East Plate No. 28 THE HEROES' MONUMENT Views from the West Plate No. 29 THE TEXAS HEROES' MONUMENT {From the Galveston News of November 2, iQij) Rising in silent majesty from a Galveston esplanade of spreading palms, blossom-laden oleanders, and close-cropped grass, a great bronze figure looks stead- fastly to the north, out over the plains of Texas. One hand rests upon the hilt of a battle sword whose blade is twined with roses. The other extends the crown of laurel won when the crimson of the sword blade was that of blood — not rose petals. It is a Texas of roar- ing cities, of busy towns, of crop-bearing fields that now meets the gaze of the tranquil bronze face, look- ing over a harbor filled with ocean liners, across the coast country truck gardens, past the mid-State fields of cotton, to the horizon-bounded plains where cattle graze. It is a State far removed from the Texas of those turbulent times when the Lone Star now crown- ing the great bronze Victory first rose, half obscured by powder smoke and human blood. The steel rails that now draw together at the horizon's rim were then the trails of the pioneers. The smoke from the factory chimneys of Dallas and Fort Worth was then the smoke of burning cabins. And the granite base that bears aloft the bronze Victory bears also the names and faces of the men who wrought from that blood-stained wilderness the foundations of Texas 1:129] HENRY ROSENBERG to-day — men whose names shall last even longer than lasts the granite and the bronze. April 21, 1836, the battle of San Jacinto was fought within twenty-five miles of the spot where the bronze Victory now rears its head. Out of the turmoil of one memorable charge rose the republic of Texas. Seven years later there came to Galveston a boy who had emigrated from his home in Switzerland. The fights and names that are history now were almost news then. Sam Houston, "Deaf" Smith, Davy Crockett, Travis, Fannin, De Zavala, Goliad, San Jacinto, the Alamo, were something more than names to be memorized laboriously by school children ; some- thing more than the objective points for week-end excursions at reduced fares. All Texas yet thrilled with the sense of freedom dearly bought, and into the midst of it came Henry Rosenberg. Men there are in Texas whose fathers fought in the battles for relief from Mexican domination. Men there are in Texas whose wealth far exceeds that of the great Galveston philanthropist. But it remained for the Swiss boy who came to the young republic, and who made Texas his home for the many years during which he lived and worked, to rear one of the most magnificent and beautiful of monuments to commemorate that fighting spirit for which during his life he never lacked outspoken tribute, and which at his death he sought to place vividly before the eyes of future gen- erations. Fifty simple words did it. Arithmetically they TEXAS HEROES' MONUMENT were worth $1000 a word. Inspirationally their value is incalculable. Legally they are known as "Clause 19" of the noted Henry Rosenberg will. And these were the words: 'T give $50,000 for the erection of an appropriate monument in the city of Galveston to the memory of the heroes of the Texas revolution of 1836. The execution of this bequest is charged upon my execu- tors, who will adopt plans and have the monument erected under their immediate supervision." Simple words these, by a straightforward business man whose confidence in his associates left the details in their hands. And in truth the man whose spirit is touched at the magnificent memorial towering up at the juncture of Broadway and Rosenberg Avenue owes much to the fidelity to their trust of Major A. J. Walker and W. J. Frederich, the executors. For no small amount of praise redounds to those men under whose "immediate supervision" was launched the work that resulted in the shaft whose broad granite base now bears, deep carven, the words, "A Tribute from Henry Rosenberg to the Heroes of the Texas Revolution of 1836." It is a tribute worthy of the cause to which it is dedicated. It is a tribute unique in the history of monuments built to commemorate the heroic deeds of mankind. ,It is a tribute that in its clean-cut eloquence and wonderfully adequate simplicity would have won the approval of the man who did not wish to have one source of his inspira- tion die with him. C131] HENRY ROSENBERG Sixty-four years after Sam Houston's charge at San Jacinto, all Galveston gathered for the dedica- tion ceremonies when the Texas Heroes' Monument was unveiled. It was San Jacinto Day — April 21, 1900 — when this one of Henry Rosenberg's many gifts to Galveston was given into the hands of the people. A gorgeous parade of flower-decked floats, speeches from widely known orators in Texas, an audience ranging from the oldest who were able to attend to the ranks of assembled school children, formed the program of the dedication day. From all parts of the State came noted Texans; from other States came distinguished guests. It was a day of elaborate ceremony, of many words. The flowers that adorned floats and carriages were withered thirteen years ago. The speeches that were greeted with bursts of applause are now buried in yellowed scrap-books and in the files of the News. The company that assembled in Galveston will never convene again. But out of the mass of words, con- gratulatory and eulogistic, there yet stand the four, engraved deeply in the massive stone on which the feet of the bronze Victory rest. They bear simply and clearly to all who pass the thoughts that moved Henry Rosenberg to give lasting expression to his admiration for the qualities on which, as a founda- tion four-square, the republic of Texas rose, a nation among the nations of the world. C132;] TEXAS HEROES' MONUMENT Patriotism. Honor. Devotion. Courage. Words to conjure with are these! And while the bronze Victory stands in place they will carry their message from the granite entablature that surmounts the four great columns of the monument. They rep- resent the qualities in early Texas history that Henry Rosenberg found worth while — sufficiently worth while to endeavor to impress upon those who came after him. Great as was the message the monument was des- tined to carry, equally great is the tremendous sim- plicity with which the task is performed. Few are the memorials that as completely and beautifully tell the story of so epic a series of events as were painted on the historical canvas by the men who fought Mex- ico in the early '30s. It is virtually unknown for one monument, without a hopelessly involved mass of de- tail, to represent an entire range of events covering a struggle so noteworthy. Yet the Texas Heroes' Monument with stark realism and simple symbolism portrays the struggle of the Texas colonists in a man- ner to stir the most sluggish blood. Through sheer familiarity with the bronze and granite masterpiece, the uncommon attributes of the work have faded from the minds of many Galvestonians. Yet it is interest- ing to witness the tribute which the heroic design draws from the hundreds of strangers visiting in the city. In groups small and large, with note-books, [1333 HENRY ROSENBERG sketch-books and cameras, they are to be seen about the broad base of the monument day by day, studying the bronze panels intently or stepping back to take in admiringly the complete view of the great work. It is in these bronze panels that in high relief is shown the series of the Texas revolution's most stir- ring events. The defense of the Alamo, the massacre at Goliad, the charge of Sam Houston's troops that won the battle of San Jacinto, and Santa Anna before General Houston at San Jacinto are scenes that it is no mean task to present in bas-relief on bronze panels nine feet long and three feet wide. Yet in those four panels they have been presented with an artistry that equals the tense battle canvases of Jean Baptiste Detaille. The defense of the Alamo is shown at the moment the attacking Mexican column has broken its way through the shattered door of the bullet-pitted mis- sion. Through the splinter-strewn gateway the sol- diers of Santa Anna are rushing, the handful of wounded and exhausted Texans engaging them hand to hand. Some of the gallant group, notwithstanding the entry of the Mexicans, still hold their posts at the windows, firing into the thick of the ranks outside, where their last few bullets will do the greatest execu- tion. Bowie lies wounded on a couch in a corner, braced on one elbow, weapon in hand, to meet the last onslaught. About him crouch three women, one holding a baby close to her breast. The massacre at Goliad is a scene equally vivid. TEXAS HEROES' MONUMENT The Texas prisoners, promised the honors of war be- fore they surrendered, were marched out of the town between two columns of Mexican soldiers. Their freedom had been promised if they gave up their arms. The sculptor has shown the moment when one of the Mexican columns fell back and Santa Anna's troops poured a volley of lead into the group of un- armed Texans. One broad-shouldered Texan stands out in the foreground, every line of his tautened muscles radiating the contempt he is hurling at the Mexican troops. No less magnificent in conception and execution is the panel of the battle of San Jacinto, The charge of Sam Houston's fighters, the climax of the historic struggle, is shown with a prodigality of detail that is tense in action. Leading his men is General Houston on horseback, waving his hat at the moment he has shouted back: "Hold your damned fire!" With the concentrated ferocity inspired by the battle-cry of "Remember the Alamo!" the Texans are leaping the trenches and sweeping like a death-laden hurricane upon the Mexican ranks. In the foreground Deaf Smith, his horse shot beneath him, is rushing forward with pistol leveled at a Mexican officer. Just behind Sam Houston, General Sherman is leading the Texas cavalry. Swept from their feet by the furious charge, the Mexicans are at the point of breaking ranks and fleeing in disorganized retreat. Last of the series, the fourth panel depicts the scene after the surrender, with Santa Anna before General [135;] HENRY ROSENBERG Houston at San Jacinto. The scene has been made familiar by many prints. General Houston, wounded and surrounded by his men, is reclining beneath the live-oak tree. Santa Anna, disguised as a common Mexican soldier, is being led forward toward the blanket on which the future President of the Repub- lic of Texas rests. Wonderfully the sculptor has caught the spirit of the moment. Crowning the four granite columns is the twenty- two-foot cast bronze figure of Victory, at the time of its casting the second largest bronze figure in Amer- ica. The largest was the William Penn statue in Philadelphia. Crowned with the Lone Star, the figure rests the point of the great cross-hilted sword upon the earth at its feet. Roses twine about the blade, and the laurel wreath for the victors is ex- tended in the other hand. The conception of the rose- twined sword, signifying the beginning of an era of peace, is taken from German poetry. Victory looks out to the north, across the State of Texas and over the battle-field of San Jacinto. Symbolizing the revolt of the Texas colonists and the outbreak of the revolution, at the base of the col- umns on the east side of the monument is seated Defiance — a large bronze female figure. A lioness's pelt is thrown over her head and shoulders ; set in her zone, blazes the Lone Star. She is clad in armor, helmeted, and bears in her right hand an unsheathed sword. Sternly determined, the figure is depicted as ordering the Mexicans out of Texas territory. In the [136] TEXAS HEROES' MONUMENT stone at her feet is engraved the date of the outbreak of hostilities — October 2, 1835. Symbolizing with equal power the cessation of hos- tilities, on the west side of the monument is a large bronze figure of Peace. Majestically draped, she holds a sheathed sword in one hand. With the other hand she raises high the coat of arms of the republic of Texas. The Lone Star also crowns her head, twined with a wreath of laurel. At her feet is en- graved the date of the battle of San Jacinto — April 21, 1836. A group of bronze figures, showing the genius of war and of diplomacy, adorns the north front of the monument at the base of the granite columns. The group, backed by a flag, supports a bronze medal- lion of General Sam Houston. To the south a simi- lar bronze group supports the bronze medallion of Stephen F. Austin. Extending completely around the sub-base of the monument is a frieze of bronze medallions of Henry Smith, Thomas J. Rusk, Mirabeau B. Lamar, Sidney Sherman, James Bowie, David G. Burnet, Edward Burleson, Benjamin R. Milam, James W. Fannin, and James Butler Bonham. Engraven on a bronze shield in the frieze are the names of William B. Travis, David Crockett, Francis W. Johnson, Deaf Smith, George W. Hockley, J. C. Neill, Henry W. Karnes, and Lorenzo de Zavala. Of none of these latter heroes of the early days in Texas are there authentic portraits extant. HENRY ROSENBERG The monument towers seventy-two feet high and is thirty-four feet square at the base. The light gray granite of the base and columns was brought from the quarries at Concord, N. H. The bronze was cast in Rome, Italy. The sculptor, Louis Amateis, of Washington, D.C., and New York, though a naturalized American citi- zen, is a native of Italy. He was born in Turin in 1855, and achieved many notable works. His models, before casting, were submitted to a committee of art- ists, including G. Monteverde, E. Gallori, and G. Ferrari. Meigs O. Frost. D38] Part III ROSENBERG LIBRARY ^4 ^ < o W o THE LIBRARY BEQUEST THE TWENTY-FIRST CLAUSE OF THE WILL OF HENRY ROSENBERG "All the rest and residue of my estate of which I shall die seized or possessed, or to which I shall be entitled at the time of my decease, I give to my said executors in trust for the purpose following: They shall preserve and maintain the same and reinvest the income thereof for a period of two years after my death. At the expiration of said two years they shall organize and endow a free public library for the use of the people of Galveston, together with free lec- tures upon practical literary and scientific subjects, and such other incidents to a great public library as may be most conducive to the improvement, instruc- tion, and elevation of the citizens of Galveston; and for this purpose they shall cause an association to be chartered with such trustees and directors as they may deem expedient, under such rules and regulations as will best carry out this devise. "In making this bequest, I desire to express in a practical form my afifection for the city of my adop- tion and for the people among whom I have lived for so many years, trusting that it will aid their intellec- tual and moral development, and be a source of plea- sure and profit to them and their children, and their children's children, through many generations." [140 ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF THE ROSENBERG LIBRARY ASSOCIATION WHEREAS, Henry Rosenberg, late of the County of Galveston, has died, leaving a will which has been duly probated and recorded in the County Court of Galveston County, by the terms of which he constituted A. J. Walker and William J. Frederich independent executors without bond, giv- ing to the survivor in case of death of the other full powers to carry out the provisions of said will; and, Whereas, Since the probate of said will and his qualification as executor thereunder the said Wil- liam J. Frederich has died, leaving the said A. J. Walker sole surviving executor; and. Whereas, Further, by virtue of the provisions of the twxnty-first clause of the said will of the said Henry Rosenberg, his executors are charged with the duty of causing an association to be chartered, with such Trustees and Directors as they may deem expedient, as will best carry out the bequest for or- ganizing and endowing a free Public Library, for the use of the People of Galveston; Now, Therefore, Know All Men by these Pres- ents, That I, A. J. Walker, sole surviving executor of HENRY ROSENBERG the last will of Henry Rosenberg, deceased, and J. P. Alvey and I. Lovenberg, who are acting with the said executor and at his request, all of whom are citizens of the City and County of Galveston, in the State of Texas, and property taxpayers therein, do certify that we do, under and by virtue of the general laws of the State of Texas authorizing the formation of corporations, hereby form a corporation under the name of the "ROSENBERG LIBRARY ASSOCIATION" and adopt the following articles of incorporation: 1. The name of the corporation shall be the ROSEN- BERG Library Association. 2. A. J. Walker, M. E. Kleberg, W. T. Austin, John Sealy, J. P. Alvey, I. Lovenberg, H. A. Landes, M. F. Mott, M. R. Macgill Rosenberg, W. T. Arm- strong, J. F. Smith, Charles Fowler, J. D. Rogers, J. C. League, F. L. Lee, Geo. D. Briggs, John Goggan, T. W. Dealey, Clarence Ousley and C. L. Beissner are hereby created and constituted trustees of said corporation. They shall hold membership for life, unless the same be sooner terminated by resignation or removal from the City of Galveston, where they are required to reside. In case of a va- cancy from death, resignation, removal from the city, or from other cause, the remaining Trustees shall fill such vacancy. The number of Trustees shall be twenty, which number shall not be increased or diminished, and they shall be resident citizens of the City of Galveston, and property taxpayers therein. [144II THE CHARTER The Trustees designated in this charter, and their successors in office, in filling vacancies are requested to select men only of standing, reputation and ability, who will preserve the corporation from all political or personal favoritism and from all sectarianism, and shall administer the afifairs thereof purely and solely for the general public good. 3. The Trustees provided in Article 2, and their successors in office, shall elect annually the Board of Directors hereinafter provided for, and shall fill all vacancies in their own body so as to keep their mem- bership up to the required number; they shall have power from time to time to make needful rules and regulations for the management of the corporation; to settle any diflferences which may arise among the Directors; to instruct the Directors as to the general policy of the corporation; to see that the funds are properly invested by the Directors, the revenues thereof collected and properly applied; to renew this charter at the expiration of its limit, and from time to time thereafter to renew and extend the same under the then existing laws; and generally to have super- vision and control over the business and affairs of the Association, to the end that the bequest of HENRY Rosenberg shall be properly administered. The Board of Trustees shall be self-perpetuating, and the members thereof shall not be selected in any other mode than that prescribed in Article 2. 4. The purpose for which said Association is or- CHsn HENRY ROSENBERG ganized is to carry out the provisions of the twenty- first clause of the will of the said Henry ROSENBERG, which is as follows : Twenty-first — All the rest and residue of my estate of which I shall die seized or possessed, or to which I shall be entitled at the time of my decease, I give to my said executors in trust for the purpose following: They shall preserve and maintain the same and reinvest the income thereof for a period of two years after my death. At the expiration of said two years they shall organize and en- dow a free public library for the use of the people of Galveston, together with free lectures upon practical liter- ary and scientific subjects, and such other incidents to a great public library as may be most conducive to the im- provement, instruction and elevation of the citizens of Galveston; and for this purpose they shall cause an asso- ciation to be chartered with such trustees and directors as they may deem expedient, under such rules and regulations as will best carry out this devise. In making this bequest, I desire to express in practical form my affection for the city of my adoption and for the people among whom I have lived for so many years, trusting that it will aid their intellectual and moral development, and be a source of pleasure and profit to them and their children, and their children's children, through many generations. 5. The corporate powers of said Association shall be vested in a board of seven directors, who shall be members of the Board of Trustees of the Association, and who shall be elected annually by the Trustees out of their own number at such time and place as the D463 THE CHARTER By-Laws of the Association may direct. The follow- ing named, all of whom are resident citizens of the City of Galveston, in the State of Texas, and property taxpayers therein, shall be directors for the first year, to wit: A. J. Walker, John Sealy, J. P. Alvey, I. Lov- enberg, H. A. Landes, W. T. Austin and M. F. Mott. 6. The business of said Association shall be trans- acted in the City of Galveston, in the County of Gal- veston, in the State of Texas, where its principal office shall be. 7. This being an association organized for the pur- pose of administering a charitable bequest, it has no stock. The estimated value of its property is five hun- dred thousand dollars ($500,000). 8. The term of the existence of this corporation is fifty years, with power to extend the same from time to time thereafter under the laws then existing so as to perpetuate the same and carry out the objects of said bequest. A. J. Walker. L LOVEXBERG. J. P. Alvey. The State of Texas, County of Galveston. Before me, John Adriance, a notary public in and for the said State and County, on this day personally appeared A. J. Walker, J. P. Alvey and I. Loven- berg, known to me to be the persons whose names are C147] HENRY ROSENBERG subscribed to the foregoing instrument, and acknow- ledged to me that they executed the same for the pur- poses and consideration therein expressed. Given under my hand and seal of office this 5th day of July, A.D. 1900. [Seal.] John Adriance, Notary Public for Galveston County, Texas. Filed in the office of the Secretary of State this loth day of July, 1900. Geo. T. Keeble, Chief Clerk, Acting Secretary of State. ChS] Capt. James P. AL\iiV, Treasurer Col. Makci's F. Mott, Vice-Pr,siiicnt Isidore LovENnEKG, .SVc;?/rt>7 Henry A. I.andes Major A. J. Walker, President Wiii.iam T. Austin John Sealv THE ROSENBERG LIBRARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS 1900-1904 Plate No. 3 1 TRUSTEES AND DIRECTORS The Board of Trustees, 1900- 1903 Major A. J. WALKER Marcellus E. Kleberg William T. Austin John Sealy Capt. James P. Alvey Isidore Lovenberg Henry A. Landes Col. Marcus F. Mott Mrs. M. R. Macgill Rosenberg Charles L. William T. Armstrong John F. Smith Charles Fowler John D. Rogers John C. League Francis L. Lee George D. Briggs John Goggan Thomas W. Dealey Clarence Ousley Beissner The Board of Directors, 1900- 1904 Major A. J. WALKER, President Col. Marcus F. Mott, Vice-President Isidore Lovenberg, Secretary Capt. James P. Alvey, Treasurer John Sealy William T. Austin Henry A. Landes D49] HENRY ROSENBERG The Board OF Trustees, 191 8 John Sealy William T. Armstrong John F. Smith Charles Fowler George D. Briggs Henry P. Cooke Mrs. Cornelia Branch Stone R. Waverley Smith William R. A. Rogers Ballinger Mills John W. Hopkins Louis A. Adoue Waters S. Davis Edward Randall Robert G. Street William S. Carter J. Wharton Terry Herman O. Stein George Sealy Frank C. Patten The Board of Directors, 191 8 John Sealy, President R. Waverley Smith, Vice-President Ballinger Mills, Secretary Herman O. Stein, Treasurer William T. Armstrong William R. A. Rogers Edward Randall Librarian, 1903 to Date Frank C. Patten CiSo] TRUSTEES AND DIRECTORS Members of the Board of Trustees, 1900-1918 a complete list showing the years of service of each Major A. J. Walker' Marcellus E. Kleberg' William T. Austin' John Sealy . Capt. James P. Alvey^ Isidore Lovenberg' Henry A. Landes^ . Col. Marcus F. Mott' Mrs. M. R. Macgill Rosenberg' . William T. Armstrong John F. Smith . Charles Fowler John D. Rogers' John C. League' Francis L. Lee' George D. Briggs . John Goggan' . Thomas W. Dealey^ Clarence Ousley^ . Charles L. Beissner' Thomas J. Groce' . Henry P. Cooke, M.D. 1 Deceased. ^ Removed C15O 1 900- 1 904 19OO-1913 I 900- I 905 1900- 1900-1916 19OO-1917 1 900-191 2 1 900- 1 906 I9OO-1917 1900- 1900- 1900- 1900- 1 908 I9OO-1916 I9OO-I914 1900- 1900- 1 908 I 900- I 906 1 900- 1 903 1 900-191 2 I905-I9II 1905- from citv. HENRY ROSENBERG Mrs. Cornelia Branch Stone 1906- R. Waverley Smith 1906- Charles P. MacgilP 1907-19 1 5 William R. A. Rogers 1909- Ballinger Mills 1909- John W. Hopkins . 1 9 1 2- Louis A. Adoue I912- Waters S. Davis I9I3- Edward Randall, M.D. • I914- Judge Robert G. Street • I915- William S. Carter, M.D. I916- J. Wharton Terry . I916- Herman O. Stein . I917- George Sealy I918-- Frank C. Patten . . . I918- 1 Removed f rom citv. [152:1 TRUSTEES AND DIRECTORS Members of the Board of Directors, i 900-1 91 8 Major A. J. Walker . . . 1900-1904 President 1 900- 1904 (Died Nov. 29, 1904) Col. Marcus F. Mott . . . 1900-1906 Vice-President 1900-1904 President 1904-1906 (Died Nov. 18, 1906) John Sealy 1900- Vice-President 1904-1906 President 1906- Isidore Lovenberg . . . . 1900-1917 Secretary 1900-1917 (Died Oct. 7, 1917) Capt. James P. Alvey . . . 1900-1916 Treasurer 1900-1916 (Died Dec. 21, 1916) William T. Austin . . . . 1900-1905 (Died Nov. 6, 1905) Henry A. Landes .... 1900-1912 (Removed from city) Francis L. Lee 1904-1914 Vice-President 1906-19 14 (Died June 9, 1914) William T. Armstrong . . 1905- R. Waverley Smith . . . 1906- Vice-President 191 5- William R. A. Rogers . . . 1912- Edward Randall, M.D. . . 1914- Herman O. Stein .... 1917- Treasurer 1917- Ballinger Mills .... 1917- Secretary 1917- 1:1533 ROSENBERG LIBRARY ASSOCIATION General Financial Statement The corporate powers of the Rosenberg Library Association, which is composed of twenty trustees, are vested by charter in a board of seven Directors who are Trustees of the Association. The first Rosenberg Library Board of Directors was organized and elected officers on October 17, 1900. It consisted of the following persons: Major A. J. WALKER, Presi- dent; Colonel Marcus F. Mott, Vice-President; Captain JAMES P. Alvey, Treasurer; ISIDORE Lov- ENBERG, Secretary; JOHN Sealy; WILLIAM T. Austin; Henry A. Landes. In February, 1901, the residuum of the Henry Rosenberg estate, valued as per inventory at $620,- 529.69, was turned over to the above Board by Major A. J. Walker, the sole surviving executor. (Of this amount $51,720 was not actually transferred until later, and appears in the Treasurer's account under date of December 14, 1904.) The Board then pur- chased a site and erected a library building, and also erected a branch library building for colored people (an addition to the high school building for colored people). The library site, buildings, furniture, and books were paid for out of the funds received from the executor. The endowment fund has been in- DS53 HENRY ROSENBERG creased from time to time from the profits on stocks and real estate and from unused income. In the fol- lowing table the income shown has been derived from interest on bonds and notes, dividends on stocks, and from rents. The expenditures shown are those for library purposes only and include payments for books, current periodicals, binding, heating, light- ing, insurance, printing, stationery, supplies, furni- ture, repairs, miscellaneous library expenses, lectures, and salaries of library stafif, janitors, gardener, and clerks. Ds6] INCOME AND EXPENDITURES Library Income and Expenditures from February, igoi, to December, igij Year Income Expenditures 901-1904 $87,881.38 . . $27,059.17 1905 . 22,104.26 18,874.64 1906 23,015.75 . 18,676.04 1907 . 24,051.06 20,395.58 1908 25,527.50 . i7.572.54 1909 . 26,119.02 21,680.82 1910 27,282.00 21,900.1 I 1911 28,774.40 . 21,027.48 1912 28,400.30 22,068.80 1913 • 29,925.14 . 23.043-45 1914 . . 31,017.84 . 23.475-05 1915 • 30.917-73 • 23,113.26 1916 29-I59-43 • . 26,440.39 19:7 . 29,207.97 . 25,118.69 [■573 HENRY ROSENBERG Library Income and Expenditures for the year ending December j/, igi7 Income from interest, dividends, and rents . $29,207.97 Expenditures : Books $2,961.79 Current periodicals . . 743.94 Binding 645.81 Maintenance — Heating, lighting, insurance, print- ing, stationery, supplies, repairs, etc 5,623.43 Salaries of library staff, janitors, gardener, and clerks 13,227.72 Lectures 1,916.00 Total library expenditures . $25,1 1 8.69 [158] ASSETS Assets: The Library Endowment Fund, January i, igi8 Bonds : Galveston City limited debt, 5% . . . . $3,000.00 Galveston City grade-rais- ing, 5% .... 42,000.00 Galveston City municipal building, 5% ... 40,000.00 Galveston City sewer, 5% , 24,000.00 Galveston County sea-wall, 4% 52,700.00 Galveston Wharf Co. regis- tered, 6% .... 42,000.00 Galveston Wharf Co. regis- tered (50-year), 5% . 151,000.00 Galveston Wharf Co. regis- tered (25-year), 5% . 33,000.00 California State, 4% . . 10,000.00 New York City registered, 4% 25,000.00 New York State regis- tered, 4% .... 5,000.00 United States Liberty Loan, 4% .... 17,500.00 Mallory Steamship Co., 5% 19,000.00 Brooklyn Elevated R.R. Co., 5% .... 15,000.00 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy R.R. Co., 4% . 6,000.00 D59] HENRY ROSENBERG Chicago, Burlington & Quincy R.R.Co. reg., 4% 15,000.00 Fort Worth & Denver R.R. Co., 6% .... 15,000.00 Southern Pacific R.R. Co., 4% 16,000.00 Wichita Falls & Northwest- ern R.R. Co., 5% . . 5,000.00 Stocks : $536,200.00 Galveston Wharf Co., 717 shares at $90 . . . $64,530.00 American Power & Light Co., 47 shares . . . 4,700.00 Southern Cotton Compress and Mfg. Co., 568 shares, less liquidating dividends 30% . . . 3,976.00 T»Mi • 11 7'?, 206.00 Bills receivable: '-^^ Vendor's lien notes, 7% . $350.00 Vendor's lien notes, 6% . 2,000.00 Real estate: '^-^ Lanier property, 24th St. and Ave. I $14,912.73 ^Lots I and 2 in block 260, 2 1 St St. and Ave. H . 9,110.80 24,023.53 Cash on hand 2,866.54 Total library endowment fund . . . .$638,646.07 ^ Property owned but not here included, because outside of sea- wall: lots 3 to 14 in block 365; lots i to 4 and 8 to 14 in block 601 ; lots I to 7 in block 602. C160!] ASSETS Assets: Property used for Library Purposes, January i, igiS Main Library: Site, 1 20 X 214 feet . . $19,193.00 Building, 87 x 134 feet . 153,968.69 Furniture and fixtures . 26,452.88 Books . . 58,238.70 $257,853.27 Branch Library for Colored People : Building . . $3,587-35 Furniture and fixtures . 257.56 Books . . 2,233.57 6,078.48 Total property used for library purposes $263,931.75 Assets: Summary, January i, igi8 The library endowment fund . . . .$638,646.07 Property used for library purposes . . . 263,931.75 Total assets of Rosenberg Library Asso- ciation $902,577.82 1:1613 < o w Z W o Pi o w o h W z o u w H a l-H < o M H <: PL, LAYING THE CORNER-STONE OF ROSENBERG LIBRARY The corner-stone of the Rosenberg Library was laid on Saturday, October i8, 1902, by the Most Worship- ful Grand Lodge of Texas, A.F. and A.M., Marcus F. Mott, P.G.M., acting as Grand Master. The Ma- sonic bodies gathered at the Masonic Temple at three o'clock and marched in procession organized by Grand Marshal James J. Davis to the library site. Tiedemann's band headed the procession, which was escorted by San Felipe de Austin Commandery No. I, Knights Templar. On the platform were seated Mrs. Rosenberg and her immediate friends and family, the officers and trustees of the Rosenberg Library Association, the City Commissioners, the County Commissioners, and other prominent officials and citizens. About twelve hundred people, standing within the enclosure or on the streets, witnessed the ceremony. Immediately around the corner-stone were assembled the Knights Templar and the Blue Lodge Masons. Music by the band introduced the program. The Masonic ceremony of Laying the Foundation Stone followed. The Masonic invocation was by Rev. John K. Black, of Grace Church, who officiated as Grand Chaplain. The following were the Grand Officers C163] HENRY ROSENBERG of the M. W. Grand Lodge of Texas, acting for the occasion: R. W. Marcus F. Mott . . . Grand Master W. Frank M. Walker Deputy Grand Master W. Edward C. Pitkin . Grand Senior Warden W.Ben C. Hill . . Grand Junior Warden W. Isidore LoVENBERG . . Grand Treasurer W. Leopold Weiss . . . Grand Secretary W. John K. Black .... Grand Chaplain W. James B. StuBBS . . . Grand Orator R. W. James J. Davis, D. D. G. M. Grand Marshal W. Rowland P. Allen Grand Senior Deacon W.James M. Fendley . Grand Junior Deacon W. Dominic D. McDonald Grand Senior Steward W. John HannA . . Grand Junior Steward W. Henry C. OppeRMANN . Grand Pursuivant Bro. William R. Eaton . . . Grand Tiler During the Masonic ceremony a few grains of wheat (symbolic of resurrection), a few drops of wine (symbolic of cheerfulness and joy), a few drops of oil (symbolic of prosperity and happiness), and a few grains of salt (symbolic of hospitality and fidel- ity), were deposited in a receptacle in the corner- stone. After the oration by James B. Stubbs, Grand Orator of the occasion, a Masonic ode was sung to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne." The ceremonies came to an end with a prayer and benediction by Rev. W. H. Cooper. [1643 A CO o u h o < •J ARTICLES DEPOSITED IN THE CORNER- STONE OF ROSENBERG LIBRARY Copy of the will of Henry Rosenberg. Certified copy of the Articles of Incorporation of the Rosenberg Library Association. Photographs of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Rosenberg. Copy of the ordinance regarding the construction of the Galveston sea-wall. Copy of the Galveston News of October i8, 1902. Copy of the Opera Glass of October 18, 1902. Copy of the Galveston Tribune of October 17, 1902. Map of the City of Galveston contained in the Opera Glass of August 4, 1886. Printed copy of the Ceremony to be Observed at Laying the Foundation Stone of the Rosenberg Library. The Masonic symbols, wheat, wine, oil, and salt. Clippings from the following newspapers sent by Mrs. Mollie R. Macgill Rosenberg: Galveston News, Sunday, July i, 1888 — The corner-stone laid of the Henry Rosenberg free school. Richmond (Va.) Dispatch, November 14, 1889 — Marriage of Henry Rosenberg and Mollie R. Macgill in Grace Protestant Episcopal HENRY ROSENBERG Church by Rev. Hartley Carmichael of St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church, assisted by Rev. H. M. Jackson of Grace Protestant Episcopal Church. Galveston News, Saturday, May 13, 1893 — M^- Rosenberg's death; editorial on the death of Henry Rosenberg. Galveston News, Sunday, May 14, 1893 — Mr. Rosenberg's funeral; the remains to lie in state in the Rosenberg free school. Galveston News, Monday, May 15, 1893 — The floral offerings; the funeral ceremonies over Henry Rosenberg at the Rosenberg free school and Grace Protestant Episcopal Church. Galveston News, Tuesday, May 16, 1893 — Trib- ute to Mr. Rosenberg; resolutions adopted by the vestry and congregation of Grace Protes- tant Episcopal Church. Galveston News, Wednesday, May 17, 1893 — Action of the schools ; tributes to the memory of the late Mr. Rosenberg. Galveston News, Sunday, May 21, 1893 — ^ city's tribute; gratitude and praise to Henry Rosenberg; his name on every lip; etc. Galveston News, Thursday, May 25, 1893 — The City Council's action; eloquent resolutions to the memory of Henry Rosenberg. Galveston News, Wednesday, May 31, 1893 — People's tribute; Galveston's citizens honor [166] ARTICLES IN CORNER-STONE the name of Henry Rosenberg; mammoth mass meeting. Baltimore (Md.) Sun, ]unQ i, 1893 — Burial of the Texas philanthropist, Henry Rosenberg, in Loudon Park Cemetery. Galveston Neivs, Friday, February 15, 1895 — Beautiful snow; it fills the air and the earth below; business suspended; etc. Galveston News, Sunday, January 5, 1896 — Rosenberg, poem by T. Talbot. Richmond (Va.) Ti7nes,]\i\y 12, 1898 — A pub- lic benefactor; Frank Leslie's dwells on the philanthropy of the late Henry Rosenberg. Hagerstown (Md.) D^x/Zj- M<2z7, Monday, April 24, 1899 — To blessed memories are splendid donations placed in St. John's Protestant Epis- copal Church by Mrs. Mollie R. Macgill Rosenberg, in memory of her husband, Mrs. Letitia Rosenberg, her parents, her sisters, brothers, and grandparents. Galveston News, April 22, 1901, and the Satur- day Review, April 20, 1901 — Mrs. Mollie R. Macgill Rosenberg's gift to Veuve Jefferson Davis Chapter No. 17, U.D.C. All of the above clippings are wrapped in a letter received by Mrs. Rosenberg from Governor Joseph D. Sayers, April 14, 1900, and placed in an official envelope of Veuve Jefferson Davis Chapter No. 17, [167] HENRY ROSENBERG U.D.C., with an official sheet of paper of the general association of the Daughters of the Confederacy, of which association Mrs. MoUie R. Macgill Rosenberg is first vice-president. In the envelope is also a Jef- ferson Davis monument fund subscribing member's button. Ci68] mmsmmimiBKS^- ROSENBERG LIBRARY Galveston, Texas, in 1906 Northwest Corner Tremont Street and Sealy Avenue Building dedicated June 22, 1904 Size, 87 X 134 feet; cost, $155,000 Plate No. 34 THE DEDICATION OF ROSENBERG LIBRARY The Rosenberg Library was dedicated on Wednes- day, June 22, 1904, the birthday of the founder. The whole building was finely decorated with palms, ferns, flowers, and the flags of the United States, of Texas, and of Switzerland, Mr. Rosenberg's native country. A large portrait of Mr. Rosenberg occu- pied the place of honor in the spacious corridor in the centre of the main floor. The building was open for inspection during the afternoon, and many came to see and admire the new Library, for Galveston was congratulating herself upon now possessing a beautiful and dignified library building, one of the largest and finest in all the South. And Galveston was very proud that this splendid gift was from one of her own citizens, and she was very proud and grateful that this last and largest bequest of Henry Rosenberg had enabled the wise and faithful execu- tor, Major A. J. Walker, and the Board of Directors thus to establish an institution with a large endow- ment that might sometime develop into one of the most important libraries of the South. The people of Galveston had looked forward for years with high hopes to this day when their new Free Public Library should be fully established and thrown open for pub- 1:169] HENRY ROSENBERG lie use. For the evening exercises at eight o'clock a large and representative intellectual audience assem- bled in the library lecture hall on the second floor for the program in celebration of this great event in the life of Galveston. Mr. Henry F. Dickson, Presi- dent of the Carnegie Library of Houston, and other trustees of that library and the librarian, were pres- ent at the celebration in the lecture hall and the re- ception which followed. William M. Prather, Presi- dent of the University of Texas, was expected to de- liver an address, but was at the last moment prevented from coming, much to the regret of all. PROGRAM Ballp:t egyptien Lutgini St. Cecilia Orchestra Address Vice-President M. F. Mott (a) "How Sweet the Moonlight" . . . Calcott (b) Daffodil King Hal Sextet from the Ladies' Musical Club Address Hon. M. E. Kleberg Largo Handel St. Cecilia Orchestra Address Hon. Arthur Lefevre State Superintendent of Public Education Haberina Redla St. Cecilia Orchestra [170II DEDICATION OF LIBRARY On the Reception Committee were the following: W. R. A. Rogers, Chairman R. Waverley Smith Charles Fowler Dr. Edward Randall J. H. Hill Sealy Hutchings H. A. Griffin Judge Lewis Fisher I. H. Kempner Major A. J. Walker, President of the Board of Directors, presided at the dedication exercises. Colonel M. F. Mott, Vice-President, reviewed the work of the Board of Directors and gave a brief sketch of the life of Henry Rosenberg. He paid a tribute to Galveston's other benefactors, mentioning George Ball, John Sealy, and others. He spoke of the good and careful work of the contractor, Harry Devlin, in the erection of the building. And he made special mention of the faithful stewardship of the Rosenberg Fund rendered by Major Walker, the executor of the Rosenberg Estate, under whose skil- ful, conscientious, and public-spirited management during eleven years the fund had greatly increased, thus making possible the present splendid library prospects. It is greatly to be regretted that Colonel Mott's fine address was never written out. [ryi] ADDRESS AT THE DEDICATION OF ROSENBERG LIBRARY BY HON. MARCELLUS E. KLEBERG A TRUE and sympathetic appreciation of a function fraught with so much benefit and benevolence to the people of this community as the opening and dedi- cation of this Library requires of those who partici- pate in its ceremonies an effort akin to its lofty dig- nity. I am painfully conscious of my deficiency in this respect — a deficiency which is multiplied by lack of opportunity for deliberate reflection and careful preparation by reason of the many pressing and incessant engagements upon my time and leisure. In the outset, therefore, I solicit your generous indul- gence. The completion of this Library and its dedication to the public mark an epoch in the educational prog- ress of this city. For the first time in the history of our city there is offered to the public, without fee or price, the invaluable aid which a public library affords to a high and liberal self-culture. I know of no institution outside of a good system of public schools that contributes so largely to the general cul- ture of a community as a carefully furnished and regulated library. In our country religious training must ever find its stronghold in the church and fam- 1:1733 HENRY ROSENBERG ily, but mental training has its beginning in the schools, colleges, and universities, and finds its most ample opportunities for enlargement afforded by the public library. The great influence of public libraries upon the progress and civilization of mankind was recognized by the polite and virile nations of antiquity, and the barbarous fate of the great Alexandrian Library and those of imperial Rome will always evoke the invol- untary sigh of scholar and statesman. During the long intellectual night which followed the subversion of Greek and Roman civilization, and which pre- vailed during the period of the Middle Ages, the great treasures of ancient learning, in so far as they escaped the ravages of time and torch, were pre- served to us by monk and priest in monastery and cloister. Within the walls of these sacred asylums the lamp of learning continued to burn with a steady light, and books and manuscripts which had escaped destruction were not only carefully preserved, but were so amply multiplied by transcription as to be placed beyond the peril of loss or extinction for all time. The mighty influence of the library upon the de- velopment of the people in every field of human endeavor is amply attested by the marvelous national libraries throughout the civilized world and the numberless institutions of this kind found in great and small cities, and even in villages, wherever civi- lized man finds a habitation. Millions are expended [>74] DEDICATORY ADDRESS for the preservation and maintenance of public libraries, and the proudest achievements of genius in architectural and decorative art find congenial ex- pression in the construction of library buildings. The public library is essentially the school for the grown-up. It presents equal opportunities for rich and poor, old and young, for the learned as well as for those of more modest literary acquirements. All may here partake of the "intellectual heritage of the centuries" and drink deep of the "Pierian spring." Public libraries add so vastly to the happiness of the great masses of our population who lack the means of providing intellectual nourishment, that we should all rejoice in their establishment and bless the mem- ory of those who give of their sustenance for that purpose. Hours of leisure, instead of being wasted in expensive idleness, may be spent in happy com- munion with the master minds of the ages. Good books are our faithful and unvarying friends. Time and circumstances do not change their affections, and in them we shall ever find counsel, comfort and com- panionship. "In the best books great men talk to us, give up their most precious thoughts and pour their souls into ours. God be thanked for books! They are the voices of the distant and the dead, and make us heirs of the spiritual life of the past ages. Books are the true levelers. They give to all who will faithfully use them the society and spiritual presence of the best and greatest of our race. No matter how poor I am, [175] HENRY ROSENBERG no matter though the prosperous of my own time will not enter my obscure dwelling, if the sacred writers will enter and take up their abode under my roof, if Milton will cross my threshold to sing to me of Para- dise, and Shakespeare to open to me the worlds of imagination and the workings of the human heart, and Franklin to enrich me with his practical wisdom, I shall not pine for want of intellectual companion- ship and I may become a cultivated man, though ex- cluded from what is called the best society in the place where I live." Yet, aside from all these considerations which ap- ply to all public libraries all over the world, it seems to me that in our country the public library fulfils a yet higher and greater mission. Ours is a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people." Its very life depends upon the intelligence, virtue, and patriotism of its citizens. By the exercise of the elective franchise any citizen may influence its policy or perhaps its very institutions. How all-important that in the discharge of this high civic duty the citi- zen should equip himself with an intelligence equal to its momentous obligations! The public library will furnish him with the best thought and discus- sions on the great constitutional and economic issues which demand a solution at the ballot-box, and enable him to reach a decision by intelligent investigation, rather than by prejudices aroused by appeals to his passion and morbid political bias. A more intimate acquaintance with our National Constitution and the i:'763 DEDICATORY ADDRESS theory of our government by the masses of the people will eliminate the social and governmental heresies which at times blur our public life, and will work for the perpetuity of our free institutions. My friends, we stand upon hallowed ground — doubly hallowed as the temple of literature, art, and science, and by an exalted altruism embracing within its sphere the people of this city for all time. A good and noble deed never dies. It is of the essence divine. And though beneath the sweep of centuries this stately building may crumble into dust, the blessed charity of Henry Rosenberg will live on in the hearts of the children of men. The last and greatest of the charities founded by Mr. Rosenberg stands com- pleted, a luminous monument to his benevolence and to his memory. His name will ever be kept in grate- ful repute by the people of this city, and the sen- timents which throb in our hearts to-day will be transmitted from generation to generation. Involuntarily these sentiments strive for expression in speech and embodiment in enduring pillar or monument as a testimonial of a noble and beneficent life. This is both natural and just. In every true and honest heart there dwells a desire to commemo- rate the deeds of those who have brought honor and blessings upon their kind. The good people of Gal- veston will not forget to honor the memory of their illustrious benefactor and thereby avow that benevo- lence is of the grandest of human virtues. But in a larger sense we cannot do anything to D77] HENRY ROSENBERG enrich or exalt such a life. Its glories are written and its monuments reared in the blessings of these noble charities and in the unbidden acclaim of a grateful people. Howe'er it be, it seems to me, 'Tis only noble to be good. Kind hearts are more than coronets. And simple faith than Norman blood. C178: < O w o o H H < PL, ROSENBERG LIBRARY IN 1910 ROSENBERG LIBRARY IN 1913 Plate No. 36 -J" ^iK^^SS ROSENBERG LIRRARY-East End ROSENBERG LlBRAR\~Suuth Side Plate No. 37 x^.5^^ c W c o u Pi < pii a w w en o Pi o •J ROSENBERG LIBRARY-Looking North on Tremont Street THE BRANCH LIBRARY FOR COLORED PEOPLE This is an addition to the Central (Coh)red) High School Building Colored Branch addition shown at right Plate No. 39 THE ROSENBERG LIBRARY BUILDING On the fifteenth of May, 1901, the Directors of the Rosenberg Library Association bought as a site for the Rosenberg Library building a plot of ground, 120 X 215 feet, consisting of five lots at the northwest corner of Tremont Street and Sealy Avenue, the pur- chase price being $18,500/ In August, 1901, the Board of Directors employed Alfred F. Rosenheim, of St. Louis, as consulting architect for advice and assistance during the preparation of a competition program and the selection of a design for the Rosen- berg Library building. The program issued on August 23 called for a fire-proof building with two stories and basement, to cost $100,000, the building to contain rooms for the usual library departments with a capacity of 60,000 volumes, and also to contain a lecture hall to seat 500 or more people. The competition was limited to Ackerman & Ross, of New York; Eames & Young, of St. Louis; Thomas H. Kimball, of Omaha; and Galveston architects. The unsuccessful non-resident competitors were each ^ The large house on the site was sold for $500, moved off in January, 1902, and made into the two houses at 1401 and 1405 24th Street. This house was originally the residence of George Ball, who built it in 1857. A number of years later it was owned by P. J. Willis, Sr., and after that by J. G. Goldthwaite, who made extensive additions and repairs in 1881 and resided there until the latter part of the year igoo. HENRY ROSENBERG to receive $250. The two resident architects produc- ing the best designs were also to receive each $250. A decision was reached on October 31, 1901, and the design of Eames & Young was accepted. The best two designs by resident architects selected by the Board of Directors to receive prizes were those by George B. Stowe and Conlon & Koeppe. William S. Eames and Thomas C. Young, the successful com- petitors, have designed some of the very large and fine buildings of the United States, among which are the United States Custom-house at San Francisco and the Educational Building at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904. Eames & Young were members of the Commission of Architects of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, and members of the St. Louis City Plan Commission. Mr. Young's design for the Rosenberg Library building called for a brick, stone, and terra-cotta structure, 87 x 134 feet in size, to have two stories and basement, with a height of 58 feet. Working drawings and details were prepared, and bids for construction were called for by advertisements in the latter part of February, 1902. The general contract for the construction of the building was let to Harry Devlin, a Galveston contractor, on March 21, for $126,500. The completed building cost about $155,- 000, and with its book-shelving and furniture about $175,000. The building was constructed at a favor- able time, as the prices both for material and labor were then low. A few years later it would have cost LIBRARY BUILDING many thousands of dollars more to construct the same building. The corner-stone was laid with Masonic ceremony on October i8, 1902, and the building, com- pleted and furnished, was dedicated on June 22, 1904, the birthday of the founder. The Library has its principal front on Tremont Street, one of the best streets in the city. It is cen- trally located, in the edge of the residence district, quite near the business district, and not far from the principal public buildings. The public high school is only two blocks away. The Rosenberg Library building is one of the finest library buildings in the South. It is fire-proof and of very thorough, honest construction. It is used exclusively for library pur- poses. Its architectural style is late Italian Renais- sance — a very suitable style for a library. The struc- ture is massive and dignified and presents an appear- ance of great stability and distinction. The building is situated on extensive grounds, fifty feet back from Tremont Street and twenty-five feet back from Sealy Avenue, the grounds being elevated several feet above the street. The rows of palms along the sidewalks, the finely kept lawn, the architectural terrace on the Sealy Avenue side of the building, the Rosenberg statue, the large electroliers, and the imposing steps on the Tremont Street side, and the contrasting efifect of the light gray brick and cream-white terra-cotta of the exterior walls with the green tile roof, make the general appearance of the building very beautiful and stately. The building is admirable in the sim- HENRY ROSENBERG plicity of its outline and ornament, and it is especially successful in its proportions. Its beauty and dignity as a piece of architecture grow upon one as it is seen from year to year. Galveston is very proud of her fine library building. The building has concrete foundations 4 feet 10 inches thick. The outer basement walls are 3 feet 2 inches and the walls above are 2 feet 8 inches in thickness. The framework of the building is of very heavy structural steel. The lower course at the base of the building and the steps of the approaches are of light gray granite from Llano County, Texas. Above this, extending up to the windows of the main story, are courses of bufif Bedford, Indiana, lime- stone. The face brick of the exterior walls is light gray in color, made by the Hydraulic Press Brick Company of St. Louis. Cream-white, semi-glazed, and hard-burned terra-cotta is used for the architec- tural trimming of the doors and windows, and for the arches, the entablature, etc. In appropriate places in the terra-cotta surfaces palm leaves, oak and laurel wreaths, the cornucopia, and other designs are used as ornament. The cornice has a row of tiger heads, and each window gable has a book and scroll. Large ornamental panels next to the architrave at the tops of the brick piers have the names of these thirteen authors: Homer, Virgil, Dante, Shakespeare, Mil- ton, Moliere, Hugo, Goethe, Schiller, Irving, Bry- ant, Emerson, Longfellow. For the pitched portion of the roof green Ludowici tile is used. Copper is [■823 LIBRARY BUILDING used for the cresting, the gutters, and the top portion of the cornice. The building has very high stories, the doors and windows are very large, and the rooms are large and open, — all made suitable for this warm climate. The building is heated with steam and lighted by electric- ity and gas. A house telephone system connects the different rooms. All pipes and conduits are concealed in the walls and floors. The floors are of concrete with a finished surface of the best Southern yellow pine. Italian marble ("English vein") is used in the main story for the walls of the vestibule, wainscoting of the corridor and stairways, front of the lending counter, and for the front room mantels. Georgia marble (Kenesaw Mountain) is used in the basement. For the interior finish oak is used in the first and sec- ond stories and hard pine in the basement. Oak fur- niture is used throughout. The trimming hardware and fixtures are of bronze. The same simplicity of ornament and excellence of proportions are to be seen inside the building as outside. The main entrance is from Tremont Street between dignified electroliers, up the stately granite steps of the approach, through finely carved oak doors and marble vestibule into a spacious corridor with white plastered walls, large square pillars and pilasters, deep ceiling beams, marble wainscoting, and marble floor. The two large front rooms opening off the corridor without partitions are used for reading rooms for Ci83] HENRY ROSENBERG current periodicals. They have paneled oak walls, carved oak pilasters, oak ceiling beams, and marble mantels. Opening from the south and north sides of the corridor through carved oak glazed doors with Florentine glass are the library offices and work rooms with vaults and closets. These rooms have light-colored oak wainscoting, paneling, and furni- ture. Centrally located at the end of the corridor is the lending desk, the library headquarters for informa- tion and public service, and for oversight. Beyond the lending desk, opening from the corridor without partition, is the general book room, occupying the whole west end of the main story. This room is used both for the lending department and the reference department. The children's department also was here until the growth of the Library in size and use compelled its removal in 191 5 to the larger quarters in the second story originally designed for this pur- pose. The electric lighting in the corridor and gen- erally throughout the building is from lights with reflectors placed near the ceiling. Two stairways with marble steps, beautiful newel posts, and wrought- iron railing lead from the north and south sides of the corridor to the second story. The second story corridor has a large leaded-glass skylight of simple geometric design in colors. Open- ing from this corridor are the children's rooms, class room, special collections room, and the large lecture hall. The children's rooms occupy the whole east end D843 LIBRARY BUILDING of the second story, the entrance to which is through an oak grille partition. These rooms have beautiful carved oak mantels, oak pilasters with carved caps, oak ceiling beams, and specially designed oak shelv- ing and furniture. The story room has specially de- signed book-cases with glass fronts for the finely bound and illustrated books of the Library, drawers and cabinets for pictures, and benches for story-hour time. The partition separating the story room is largely of oak grille work, needed in the long sum- mer to admit freely the sea breezes. Transoms and heavy shades running in grooves serve to shut off the room during story-hour or the meeting of a study club. The exhibit cases are a special feature of the children's rooms. From the second story corridor the lecture hall is entered through a vestibule with three pairs of double doors. Pilasters with Ionic capitals ornament the walls. The ceiling has very heavy beams and panels and a large and beautiful decorative skylight of col- ored leaded-glass in geometric and other designs. Comfortable opera chairs are arranged in a semi- circle, with the floor sloping toward the platform with its anterooms at the west end. The acoustic properties are good. With the gallery space there are about seven hundred seats. The hall is equipped with a stereopticon, opaque screen, and heavy black window shades for darkening the room in the day- time. The basement has the boiler room and shop, the C185: HENRY ROSENBERG public toilets, packing room, work rooms, and rest room for staff use. Most of the basement space is used for shelving for books, pamphlets, periodicals, and newspapers. Space in the attic is used for stor- age purposes. I'm V2 < -1 -3 5 Z < < ^ ^ 2 MAIN CORRIDOR Plate Xo. 41 PERIODICAL READING ROOMS AND CORRIDOR Plate No. 42 BOOK ROOM Showing Reference Desk Plate No. 43 BOOK ROOM Showing Card Catalog and Lending Counter Plate No. 44 OFFICES OF LIBRARIAiN AND FIRST ASSISTANT Plate No. 45 1 . 1 -t iMilHii mm SI- 1 l^^l ^^r^^^ fl ^W|^' I^H '^■P 1 CATALOGING AND WORK ROOMS Plate No. 46 >^ o H Q ;z; o u w zn o h t-H < h CO o LECTURE HALL L\ SECOND STORY Plate No. 48 CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT-Entrance CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT-Reading Room Plate No. 49 CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT-Readins Room e HILDRICN'S DEPARTMENT-Story Room Plate No. 50 Alice and Her Pig The March Hare Old Mother Hubbard Jack the Giant Killer WOOD CARVINGS ON SETTLES IN CHILDREN'S READING ROOM Plate No. 51 o o Z w Q u u O O o TfiE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ROSENBERG LIBRARY BY FRANK C. PATTEN, LIBRARIAN By the will of Henry Rosenberg, merchant and banker of Galveston, who died on the twelfth of May, 1893, provision was made for the organization and endowment of a free public library in Galveston under wise and liberal conditions that led to the foun- dation of a library on a broad basis. About a week after Mr. Rosenberg's death the executors permitted the publication of an account of his munificent public bequests. This account showed that Mr. Rosenberg had provided that his residuary legatee should be a free public library, and it was expected, from the size of his other bequests, that the amount that would be left for the public library would be much larger than that for any other purpose. In the minds of the peo- ple of Galveston there were aroused great anticipa- tions of the future public library that was to be estab- lished as an institution of large usefulness and one that would be the pride of the city. THE BEGINNINGS Many years elapsed before the large estate of Mr. Rosenberg had been so far settled that steps could be taken for the establishment of the Library. On July [1873 HENRY ROSENBERG lo, 1900, a charter was granted by the State of Texas to the Rosenberg Library Association. The charter had been signed by Major A. J. Walker, the executor of the estate, and Captain J. P. Alvey and I. Loven- berg, prominent citizens of Galveston, whom Major Walker had associated with himself and Colonel M. F. Mott, attorney for the estate, in organizing the Library. The charter provided for a self-perpetu- ating board of trustees of twenty members, each elected for life, and in the articles of incorporation the original twenty members were named. The char- ter also provided for a managing board of seven di- rectors to be elected by the trustees from their own number at their annual meeting each year, and the persons to compose the first Board of Directors were named as follows: Major A. J. Walker, Colonel M. F. Mott, Captain J. P. Alvey, L Lovenberg, John Sealy, H. A. Landes, and W. T. Austin. This Board of Directors organized on October 17, 1900, with Major A. J. Walker as president; Colonel M. F. Mott, vice-president; Captain J. P. Alvey, treasurer; and I. Lovenberg, secretary. In February, 1901, Major A. J. Walker, as executor of the Rosenberg estate, turned over to the Board of Directors, for the Rosenberg Library, the residue of the estate, which was by inventory valued at $620,529.69. In the fol- lowing May a site was purchased, in August a com- petition program for the building was issued, and the plan was selected in October. Following advertise- ments in February, 1902, the general contract for the DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY building was awarded in March, and in October the corner-stone was laid. On July 24, 1903, Frank C. Patten, of the Lenox Library, New York City, who had recently been chosen librarian by the Board of Directors, arrived in Galveston to take up his duties. The work of making plans for the organization of the new institution was immediately begun. During the next few months the members of the library staff were chosen, the work of selecting and buying books entered upon, and plans made for the necessary shelv- ing and furniture and for the system to be adopted for the new Library. PLANNING THE LIBRARY SYSTEM The new library building was large, dignified, and beautiful, and was surrounded by fine grounds. The new furniture was simple and pleasing, in keeping with the beautiful library interior. All was so planned in design and arrangement as to make the rooms attractive and somewhat homelike, avoiding both the uninviting formality of many public build- ings and the domestic aspect of a room in a home. There was thus produced an appearance that would be very suitable for a library, conducive to the appro- priate atmosphere of welcome, and suggestive of the quiet, studious, working place that a public library should be. In these attractive rooms we were about to open a 1:1893 HENRY ROSENBERG new library with an encouraging prospect for future growth, and it was important to start right. The Library must be made a really useful public institu- tion. In making plans for such an institution there must be a systematic foundation for a large future sufficient to build on for many years to come. There must be a thorough and complete organization, one that would prove adequate with the growth of years, and so elastic that the system would grow naturally with the growth of the Library in size and use; yet it must be as simple an organization as possible, with no more machinery than would be really necessary to accomplish its purpose. Such a library as ours would not only contain books and current periodicals, but there would be pam- phlets, maps, charts, photographs, pictures, prints, manuscripts, and articles of historic, scientific, and artistic interest. These would come to the Library not only by purchase, but by donation and exchange. Books and other articles for purchase must be care- fully selected and ordered, and there must be careful attention to receiving, checking, and accessioning in a businesslike manner. There must be a cataloging system that would be adequate for the Library of a hundred thousand volumes and more that we ex- pected some day to have, a system that would not break down in a few years. The cataloging must be done intelligently and accurately by expert assistants, so that the catalog would not become confused with blunders and errors and the work all have to be done [190;] DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY over again a few years later. Donations and ex- changes must be properly acknowledged. Binding and mending must receive careful attention. Books would wear out, and there must be withdrawals. Losses and thefts must be guarded against. Current periodicals must be provided and placed in the read- ing rooms and later filed away promptly and prop- erly. There must be a suitable plan of registry and guarantee for borrowers. Books loaned for home reading must be properly charged and their return recorded, with necessary fines for overtime, injury and loss. Such a library as ours would be a reference library as well as a lending library and it would be for chil- dren as well as for adults. There would be exhibits on a small scale from time to time. And in addition to the usual library activities, instructive, popular free lectures were to be a special feature of the work of our Library. All this would mean various depart- ments, such as lending, reference, children's, periodi- cal, order, catalog, and lecture. All these needs would require suitable records in appropriate form on cards, on sheets, or in books. Many printed forms would be required. The necessary supplies for the whole organization would have to be provided, sys- tematically kept in a stock room, and replenished at the proper time. We were beginning not only with a beautiful new building, well located, and with fine new furniture, all very desirable, but our books and other printed 1:190 HENRY ROSENBERG matter would all be new, carefully selected, and all valuable. We aimed to have the services on the library staff of people of good education, expert knowledge, experienced in the library profession, people of culture and wide knowledge of books and subjects. We were starting with everything new and with a new foundation to be laid, and not with an old library with an old organization to be built upon. Our library system could be planned in the light of the best library experience of the day, unhampered by an old building and equipment, dead books, and outgrown plans that the older libraries find so diffi- cult and expensive to modernize. Besides the new building, equipment, and books, there was a growing endowment fund for support. Thus our new Library would begin its course of public usefulness under favorable circumstances. And the library manage- ment was very desirous to proceed wisely, for we wished to meet the expectations of a hopeful public and to realize a satisfied and responsive public. THE LIBRARY OPENED On the twenty-second of June, 1904, the birthday of the founder, at a large public meeting held in the library lecture hall in the evening, the Rosenberg Library was dedicated as a free public library, in accordance with the will of the founder. On that D92] DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY day the Library was open for inspection, and on the following day it was open for regular public use. The Rosenberg Library opened with bright pros- pects, in a beautiful and stately building centrally located and well equipped. The cost of this fine building, with its equipment of furniture and books, had been up to this time about $200,000, and there was a growing endowment fund that at this date amounted to nearly $500,000. The people of Galves- ton had looked forward eagerly for years with high expectations to the time of the opening of their pub- lic library, and now they beheld the beginnings of an institution nobly realizing their hopes and having great promise for the future. In time it seemed that this institution might become one of the most impor- tant public libraries of the South. GETTING THE LIBRARY STARTED The institution opened with a library stafif consisting of the librarian and five assistants and a janitor. The Library began with about 7000 volumes and with shelving for 20,000 volumes, and the periodical read- ing rooms had about 125 current periodicals. On the first day 106 borrowers were registered and 91 books were loaned. The open hours were at first short, being from 9 to 5 on week days, except Thursdays, when the Library was open from 9 A.M. to 9 P.M. During the next two years, as the work of the Library grew, these hours of opening were gradually extended HENRY ROSENBERG to twelve hours on week days and three hours on Sun- days and holidays, the latter for reading only. A large building had been planned in order to pro- vide for future growth; therefore the first arrange- ment of the departments was somewhat temporary. The lending desk was made the central point of over- sight, and, in order to provide for giving readers access to all the books of the Library, the room de- signed for the book stack was used as a general book room. Here was to be concentrated the work of the lending department, the children's department, and the reference department until such time as the growth of the Library should demand an expansion into other parts of the building not at first occupied. The front rooms were used for reading rooms for current periodicals. Living rooms were provided in the basement for the janitor's family, to be so used until it should become necessary to occupy the base- ment as the library book stack and for shelving for periodicals and pamphlets. A handbook of information and rules had been issued in readiness for the opening, in order to give a general description of the library rooms and the pur- poses to which they were to be put, to describe the li- brary privileges and facilities, and to tell how to use the Library. We expected of the public such conduct in the Library as people of good manners everywhere observe in a public building such as a library, a school, or a church, in contrast to such a public build- ing as a store, a hotel, or a railway station. We ex- DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY pected the public to help us to keep the Library rea- sonably quiet at all times in order that it might serve its main purpose, that of providing educational oppor- tunity. We kept everything about the building clean and orderly. Our clean city streets and clean sea air, in contrast with conditions in a smoky manufacturing city, and our new books furnished us an exceptionally good opportunity to start well in the care of books. The Library took special pains to keep its books clean, well bound, and in good repair (daily exami- nation, with all necessary cleaning and mending, is specially emphasized in this Library), and readers were asked to take specially good care of library books in cooperation with our plans. Much care was used in the selection of books for the Library. It was expected that when some ten or twelve thousand volumes were on hand they would constitute a good all-round popular library. On account of the necessity for haste in preparation for the opening of the Library, a temporary catalog was all that was possible at first, and books were kept arranged on the shelves by authors until such time as the classification could be completed and the books arranged in the more convenient plan by subjects. This arrangement was kept until 1909, when the books were rearranged in class order by Cutter's Ex- pansive Classification System and the card index catalog was placed in a public position. On November 29, 1904, the Library sustained the loss by death of its highly valued President, Major HENRY ROSENBERG * A. J. Walker. Colonel M. F. Mott, Vice-President, was then elected President, John Sealy Vice-Presi- dent, and F. L. Lee a Director. In December there was held the first library ex- hibit. This was a display of holiday books for chil- dren, the purpose being to help and encourage par- ents in their efforts to select the best books as gifts to children at Christmas time. At the end of the year 1904 the first public report was issued on the work of the Library. There were then over 13,000 volumes, about 2300 of which were books for children. The Library had already re- ceived by donation over 1000 volumes. There were 3500 pamphlets, the beginning of a valuable collec- tion. There were 150 current periodicals, and the periodical reading rooms were having a large and growing use. Borrowers had been registered to the number of 2670, about half of whom were children. For the six months that the Library had been open the loans for home reading had been over 28,000, an average of 182 per day. As a public catalog to use instead of the full index card catalog that was to be prepared for future use, the Library made use of the American Library Association printed catalog of 8000 volumes. The Library had tried the plan of giving the readers and borrowers free access to the library shelves, and it had proved to be very success- ful and very pleasing to the public. The work of the Library was now started auspiciously, and the people of Galveston were gratified. 1:196] DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY BRANCH LIBRARY FOR COLORED PEOPLE OPENED By agreement with the Board of Trustees of the pub- lic schools of Galveston, the library Board of Direc- tors arranged to provide for a branch library for the colored citizens of Galveston by erecting an addition to the Central (Colored) High School building. On January ii, 1905, the colored branch of Rosenberg Library was opened for public use with about iioo volumes and 21 current periodicals. The building, equipment, and books have cost about $6000. The branch at first was open about four hours a day. The branch library was popular from the start, and the open time was later increased to about six hours a day and an additional number of books and periodi- cals were provided. Conditions in Galveston re- quired that the use of library privileges by the colored citizens should be separate and distinct from their use by the white people, this being the same kind of separation of races that is observed in the public schools everywhere in the South. It was by means of a branch library that the Rosenberg Library Board of Directors attempted to meet the problem of the proper way to furnish library facilities to the colored people. So far as we know, this was the first branch library for colored people to be established anywhere in the country. The plan has proved a decided suc- cess with us. Since our branch was established sev- eral other branch libraries for colored people have been established in other cities in the South. L1971 HENRY ROSENBERG THE OLD PUBLIC LIBRARY ABSORBED On January 12, 1905, the Galveston City Commis- sion voted to offer to turn over to the Rosenberg Li- brary all books of the existing Public Library^ and to discontinue that library after February 28, 1905. There were said to be 7505 volumes in the Library and a registration of 5468. The Directors of the Rosenberg Library accepted the offer of the City Commission, and the moving of the books to the Rosenberg Library building was completed on Feb- ruary 15. A very large number of the books of the Public Library were too much worn to be of further use. About 1700 volumes, however, were found of sufficient value to be added to the Rosenberg Library ; and besides these, as many as 1500 volumes of United States public documents were used to form the begin- ning of a collection of public documents in the Rosen- berg Library.^ ^ The Galveston Public Library, as it came to be known in its later years, had its inception on September 13, 1870, in resolutions adopted by the Galveston Chamber of Commerce. These resolu- tions created a library department whose object should be "to es- tablish and foster a mercantile library and reading room in this city for the use of all persons subscribing thereto." The library depart- ment of the Chamber of Commerce was to be managed by a com- mittee of three. Shortly after this the committee was appointed and organized with J. S. Thrasher as Chairman, James Sorley as Secretary, and John Focke as Treasurer. This committee planned well for the new Library; they established a Founders' Library Fund to be made up from voluntary subscriptions of two dollars per month for the term of twelve months. The citizens of Gal- veston responded readily to their appeal for funds and for donations of books, pamphlets, etc. On January 19, 1871, an entertainment DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY THE LIBIL^RY MAKES PROGRESS The will of Mr. Rosenberg mentioned free lectures as one of the features of the institution he desired to found. Therefore, in addition to the usual library departments, the plans of the Board of Directors em- braced a system of free instructive popular lectures "upon practical, literary, and scientific subjects," as stated in the will. The people of Galveston looked forward enthusiastically to the Rosenberg Library free lectures and were eager to have them begin. In the winter of 1905 an arrangement was completed with the University of Chicago to send a man from their University Extension Department to begin our courses of free lectures. This first series of univer- sity extension lectures was given by Jenkin Lloyd Jones, of Chicago, beginning on March 17, 1905, and ending on March 21. The series consisted of four literary lectures on Hugo, Ibsen, Tolstoi, and Sidney celebrating the opening of the Library was held in Casino Hall, at 2120 Avenue G, a building that has in recent years been repaired and improved to form a church building for Immanuel Presby- terian Church. The next day, January 20, the Galveston Mercan- tile Library vt^as opened to the public. The librarian was Mrs. Emily F. Carnes. The Library was housed in the Hurlbut Build- ing, 2214 Post-office Street. The Library published its first bulletin in January, 1871. This publication outlines briefly the history of the formation of the in- stitution and its purposes and privileges. The resolutions adopted by the Chamber of Commerce on September 13, 1870, which con- stituted the "Organic Law of the Galveston Mercantile Library," were published in this bulletin. A list of the subscribers to the Founders' Library Fund and donors is included, and also the rules of the Library and reading room. In the announcement to the [199I] HENRY ROSENBERG Lanier. The lecturer was introduced by Colonel M. F. Mott, President of the Board of Directors, and each evening at eight o'clock the lecturer was greeted by an audience of about five hundred people. Every- body was greatly pleased, and this first series of lec- tures was a decidedly successful beginning of the work of our lecture department. Other lectures were public there is the following statement: "The liberality of the mer- chants of Galveston enables us to offer you the first public standard and circulating library established in Texas." This bulletin shows that nearly 2000 volumes had been donated to the Library. The terms of membership subscription were established at ten dollars a year. A series of lectures is mentioned as a coming possibility.. A second library bulletin was published in July, 1871. This bulletin shows that the Library had already outgrown its original quarters and the Chamber of Commerce had provided more ade- quate space by leasing for five j^ears the old Ryland Chapel, the first Methodist church erected in Galveston, located on the north- east corner of 22d and Church Streets, where the Scottish Rite Cathedral now stands. The Chamber of Commerce had thus rec- ognized the usefulness and popularity of the Library, and it had even gone so far as to suggest a fund for a library building. The statement is made that 682 volumes had been purchased since the publication of the first bulletin, and that the I^ibrary now had more than 5500 volumes. This bulletin records and catalogs the dona- tion by General T. N. Waul of the "Waul Collection," comprising more than a thousand volumes of standard and carefully selected books in various branches of literature. Many other donations beside General Waul's are also recorded. The list of "serial literature" for the reading rooms makes very interesting reading in our day, reminding us of such familiar old-time names as the Galaxy, Godey's Ladies' Book, Chimney Corner, Hunt's Mer- chants' Magazine, North American Review, Oliver Optic's Maga- zine, Scribner's Monthly, Southern Reviezv, and Yankee Notions. There are in all fifty-seven current periodicals on the list. Some of these are familiar to-day ; a great many of them belong only in the dead past. An interesting feature of this bulletin is an appeal for material relative to the early history of Texas. Contributions of books, pamphlets, and other matter pertinent to Texas history II2OO] DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY given the same season, and the following winter a still larger number was offered to the public. Be- ginning with an expenditure of about $500 a year, the lecture department work was extended gradually so as to provide each year more and more free public lectures. On March 6, 1906, a most interesting event in the are earnestly solicited. In this bulletin is published a revised list of subscribers to the Founders' Library Fund, containing 129 names. The name of Henry Rosenberg is in this list with many prominent Galveston citizens. Both of these bulletins show wise and careful planning for the young Library. The bulletins show that counsel was asked of Justin Winsor, Librarian of the Boston Public Library; of A. M. Palmer, Librarian of the New York Mercantile Library ; and of other prominent librarians. At the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce on Decem- ber 9, 1873, a committee consisting of W. P. Ballinger, John Sealy, T. N. Waul, J. S. Thrasher, and A. N. Hobby was appointed to consider a plan for converting the Mercantile Library into a free public library. It seems that by this time the Library had grown until it possessed some 9000 volumes. At a called meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, held on January 3, 1874, the committee on a free public library reported as follows : "The movement you have initiated for the establishment of a truly public and free library is both wise and opportune. . . . No city should be without a public library. It is impossible that any private collection of this charac- ter can command even a fair proportion of the immense number of books now forming our literature, which is constantly increased by the teeming thought of the nineteenth century. Some access to this stream of knowledge is needful to every community whose citizens share in the progress and culture of their age. Libraries are the crown of every system of education. In schools and colleges the young learn the use of books and of the faculties of the mind. The intellectual fruit of their own age can be attained only by constant study. Education is thus continued from the cradle to the grave." The outcome of these meetings was that the Chamber of Com- merce offered their library as a free gift to the city of Galveston, provided that it "shall be made a free library for the use of all the citizens of Galveston forever," and that certain other simple condi- HENRY ROSENBERG history of the Library took place, A bronze statue of Henry Rosenberg, by Louis Amateis, of Washing- ton, D. C, which had been erected by voluntary con- tributions from the people of Galveston under the auspices of a committee of citizens, was unveiled in its position in front of the library building. Many business houses closed their doors in honor of the tions should be met. By city ordinance approved on November 1 8, 1874, the City Council fulfilled the conditions and accepted the gift of the Library from the Chamber of Commerce, establishing the new Library under the name of "The Galveston Free Library." The sum of $250 a month was appropriated for "maintenance, preservation, and increase." The ordinance established a managing board of nine trustees, three of these to be aldermen appointed by the Mayor, three to be citizens elected by the City Council, and three to be members of the Chamber of Commerce elected by the Chamber of Commerce. The first meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Galveston Free Library was held on December 12, 1874, at the office of Ballinger, Jack & Mott. The members of the board were as follows: Aldermen — Mosebach, Sealy, and Marlow; citizens — Ballinger, Waul, and Quin; members of the Chamber of Com- merce — Hobby, Walthew, and Beers. W. P. Ballinger was elected president and Mr. Beers secretary. For lack of funds for its sup- port, the Library had been getting into debt, and in January, 1875, the books were moved to the first floor of the Ballinger & Jack building at 221 1 Post-office Street, a building that is now a part of the store of Garbade, Eiband & Co. Here the Library was reopened about the first of March. Soon after this time over a thousand dollars was raised by citizens by means of two amateur theatrical entertainments. In this and other ways the debts of the Library were paid and it went on prospering. The Library was supported by appropriations from the city until April 17, 1878, when an ordi- nance was passed by the City Council repealing the section of the former ordinance under which the support of the Library had been provided, and it was then closed to the public. On April 28, 1879, the books were moved to the City Hall. On August 7, 1879, the Library was opened to the public in the City Hall, with the city clerk as custodian. On May 5, 1880, the City Council instructed C202;] DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY occasion, and a notable address was given by Judge Robert G. Street. On May 2, 1906, a fine enlarged photograph of the Ruins of the Parthenon, secured from a noted art dealer in New York, was donated to the Rosenberg Library by the Wednesday Club. This was the first of a series of donations to the Library of artistic and the city auditor to catalog and arrange the books. This cataloging seems, however, not to have been done. In April, 1881, an enterprising organization of the city, com- posed of young men known as the Galveston Lyceum, requested the City Council that they be given charge of the books of the Library, under the supervision of the Library Committee of the City Coun- cil. The City Council consented to this arrangement and granted the Lyceum thirty dollars a month to be applied toward the support of the Library. The books were then moved from the City Hall, beginning on May 13, 1881, to the Ballinger & Jack building. On October 12, 1881, the Library was again opened under the name of the Galveston Public Library, and now was in charge of the Galveston Lyceum. There were at this time 8155 books and 3241 pamphlets. Mrs. Mary C. Felton became librarian, an office which she held until March, 1902. About 1884 the Galveston Lyceum secured larger quarters for the Library and moved it to the second floor of the Masonic Temple. Henry Rosenberg was a member of the Library Committee of the City Council during his term as alderman in 1885. Although the City Council continued to furnish some money for the support of the Library, the provision was inadequate. On April i, 1889, a committee from the Galves- ton Lyceum induced the City Council to make a special appropria- tion of $500 for library support. Many donations of books were received during these years. About the year 1890 the City Council again took complete charge of the Library. In January, 1892, a printed catalog of the Library, containing seventy-eight pages, was issued. Through the following years the support of the Library granted by the city was very inadequate. Miss Lulu Shearer fol- lowed Mrs. Felton as librarian. The Library remained in the Masonic Temple until 1905, when it was transferred to the Rosen- berg Library. C203] HENRY ROSENBERG historical value. This first donation established a fine standard for further valuable works of this character to be placed in the beautiful Rosenberg Library building. On November i8, 1906, occurred the death of Colonel M. F. Mott, attorney for the Rosenberg Estate and president of the library Board of Direc- tors. John Sealy was then elected president of the board, and F. L. Lee vice-president. On May 25, 1907, a bust of Major A. J. Walker, first president of the library Board of Directors, was placed in a prominent position in the southeast read- ing room of the Library. This fine bust of white Carrara marble was donated by the sculptor, Louis Amateis. During this same year a portrait in oil of Colonel M. F. Mott was also hung on the wall in the same room. In January, 1910, the Library began publishing for free distribution a bulletin of sixteen pages, which has from that time been issued five times a year. In the bulletin are printed lists of books added to the Library, the annual reports, and other information for the public. By 1914 the space in the book room had become greatly overcrowded; more room was much needed both for readers and for books. It was, therefore, decided to fit up new quarters in the second story and remove the children's department there into the rooms originally assigned to that department. New shelving and furniture were designed at an expense C204;] DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY of about $6000, and beautiful and convenient rooms were opened on April i, 1915. This removal of the children's department relieved somewhat the over- crowding in the book room, leaving more space for adult readers and for the books of the open-shelf lending and reference departments. From time to time shelving for a book stack had been added in the basement until space for about 40,000 volumes had been provided. In October, 1916, the annual meeting of the Texas Library Association was held in Galveston. This meeting was held in response to the invitation by the library Board of Directors to hold the meeting in the library lecture hall. The delegates declared the con- vention to be one of the most successful ever held in the State, and all were pleased at the results of the meeting. THE GROWTH OF FOURTEEN YEARS Beginning with a collection of about 7000 volumes of popular books ready for public use at the time of the opening, the Library has increased in size, by purchase and gift, until it now has over 62,000 vol- umes. The pamphlet collection has grown to 38,000 and has become a valuable one, especially in the de- partments of social and historical sciences. The number of current periodicals regularly received has been increased, as their use has grown from about 125 at the time of the opening of the Library until [205:] HENRY ROSENBERG the number is now about 375, about half of which number are donations either from the publishers or from friends of the Library in Galveston. During the first six months of public use of the Library, the loans for home reading were 28,738, averaging 182 a day. The use of the Library has steadily increased until at the present time the average is about 300 loans a day. (The largest day was March 10, 1917, 546 loans; the largest month, March, 1917, 10,482 loans; the largest daily average in a month, March, 1917, 403 loans.) The increase in the use of the Library has been en- tirely an increase in the use of books other than fiction. The actual number of loans of books of fiction is about the same now as it was at the begin- ning. The proportion of loans of fiction was in the early months about 70% ; now this proportion is about 53%. The use of books other than fiction needs especially to be cultivated; fiction, except the very best of it, gets even more than a sufficient use, pro- portionately, without special library effort to promote its use. The loans for home reading aggregate now over 90,000 a year, and the total number of these loans since the Library was opened is about 1,000,000. The registration of borrowers for the first six months was about 2700. The total registration has now be- come more than 21,000, with additions to this num- ber of some 1500 a year. In its work of serving the public through the pro- motion of the reading of good books, the Library has always employed methods that have been well estab- 1:206:] DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY lished by the experience of well-conducted libraries elsewhere. The library management proceeds con- servatively, making no pretense to originality or nov- elty in its undertakings, plans, or methods. BOOK-BUYING CAREFULLY MANAGED In acquiring books for the Rosenberg Library from year to year, we have built up a valuable working col- lection of books of all classes intended to constitute a well-proportioned popular library, all of which have been selected with great care to secure the best books representing a wide range of subjects, in order that the institution may serve as well as possible the needs of all classes of people in the community. In adding about 3000 volumes to the Library each year, we have opportunity to acquire the most important new books, although our Library does not buy as much new fic- tion as many libraries do. Our needs are mainly for books in the English language, although we have considerable collections of literature in French, Ger- man, Spanish, and other languages. The Library having been established so recently as 1904, our col- lection is largely new, and only a very small number of books have become out of date, and but few that are added are of temporary value. Thus we have a good working library with very little dead material, a library that is more useful to the public than many an older library of much larger size that has on its 1 207 '2 HENRY ROSENBERG shelves a considerable accumulation of old and dead books. Special needs in connection with library lectures, or subjects of current interest, or subjects that need to be more fully represented in the Library, and the special needs of study clubs or classes of people, and the purchase suggestions of interested readers, are all carefully considered. Many very much needed books are out of print and can be obtained only at second hand. There are opportunities to secure desirable books at special prices through lists of remainders and second-hand books. It is necessary to duplicate many books to supply the large demand, or for use in both lending and reference libraries. All these con- siderations must be taken into account in the efifort to build up a good library w^orthy the attention of all thoughtful and earnest people. This Library is to be regarded as a popular rather than as a scholarly library, but it is possible for us to be of service also to the scholar, the specialist, and the investigator. To some extent, expensive works can be bought that the private citizen can seldom afford, but which it is often of great value to have always available in a public library. In buying books for the Library, we aim to create desirable demands as well as to meet existing demands, in order that breadth of interest among our people may be fostered. The beneficial results of careful book-buying are shown by the con- stant calls upon the Library for books on subjects of the most varied character. DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY MANY DONATIONS RECEIVED From the friends of the Library in Galveston and elsewhere many valuable donations of books, pam- phlets, periodicals, maps, pictures, and historical and art objects have been received. Since the begin- ning of the Library in 1903, over 8000 volumes have been donated, and also practically our whole important collection of 38,000 pamphlets. Among the donations, besides the many very valuable and costly books, special mention may be made of a con- siderable number of early printed books, some quite rare; a sixteenth century illuminated manuscript on parchment (a duodecimo volume), consisting of the Psalms in Armenian; a bound file of the Galveston News for over thirty-four years, in 131 volumes; the manuscript records of the Howard Association, an early Galveston benevolent organization that did a great work in the yellow fever times ; and a large amount of material of local historical value. Par- ticular mention is made elsewhere of the bronze statue of Mr. Rosenberg placed in front of the library building, and of the marble bust of Major Walker. Special mention should be made of donations of two clocks, one a large pendulum wall clock and the other a fine Howard mantel clock. Especially appreci- ated are donations of three large framed pictures: The Ruins of the Parthenon, a photographic enlarge- ment; A Reading from Homer, by Alma-Tadema, a C209] HENRY ROSENBERG large photographic reproduction of the painting; and Santa Anna before General Houston at San Jacinto, a copy in oil of a painting of historical interest by W. H. Huddle, located in the capitol at Austin, Texas. Most of the donations have been received from residents of Galveston, an evidence of growing appre- ciation of the service we are trying to render to the people of our city, and of the growing disposition to help the Rosenberg Library to be still more service- able. These donations are gladly received, system- atically cared for, and carefully preserved in our per- manent fireproof building, where they are always available for the use and enjoyment of those inter- ested, including the donor himself. The donations of books have been too numerous for any special men- tion in this place. Many are very valuable, and from some Galveston donors large numbers of vol- umes have been received. The Library has gathered and is carefully preserving a very valuable and al- ready quite extensive local collection of Galveston historical material, consisting of books, pamphlets (such as reports, year books, programs, and other printed matter of churches, schools, societies, lodges, clubs, corporations, and other organizations), news- papers, magazines, leaflets, prints (such as theatre and concert programs, circulars, announcements, handbills, placards, posters, etc.), maps, blueprints, manuscripts, engravings, photographs, pictures, relics, and other historical material. This interesting and valuable Galveston historical collection has re- DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY suited almost wholly from donations by Galveston friends, and every year it grows by further donations, all of which are appreciated by the library manage- ment. THE REFERENCE DEPARTMENT The reference department of the Library has re- ceived more than usual attention both in building up its collections and in the service rendered to readers and inquirers. The reference library has been in- creased by important additions until now fully half of our collection of books belongs to the reference library. There are, in addition to the most used reference books such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, year books, atlases, and reference books on special subjects, many standard works, and good collections of periodicals, public documents, pamphlets, maps, etc. There is a valuable local collection of Galveston material, consisting of books, documents, newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, maps, blueprints, charts, prints, clippings, engravings, photographs, manu- scripts, relics, historical objects, etc. The collection of books and other material relating to Texas is an important one. The Library has a considerable col- lection of fine books, including those in architecture and the fine arts and other finely illustrated books and fine editions, and there is a good collection of pic- tures. The current periodicals have been carefully selected, our subscriptions including the best general magazines and newspapers and special periodicals 1:211: HENRY ROSENBERG embracing an extensive range of subjects, both popu- lar and technical. The importance of current peri- odicals and pamphlets is seen when it is realized that in recent times the results of the best work and thought of the present time often appear first in peri- odicals and pamphlets. These must be used in order to keep up to date in one's own field as well as to keep up with current general information. There has been an unusually large and continually growing use of our Library in the building — books, pamphlets, and current periodicals. The studious use of library opportunities is very noticeable. The habit of coming to the Library is growing. The Library has taken special pains to furnish to readers and students experienced and educated ser- vice in helping them to find the best books, pam- phlets, or magazine articles for use in their studies or investigations. Through the expert service of the reference department we endeavor to serve more and more efficiently the serious wants of the people of our city. The ability of the Library to furnish skilful service to our readers has resulted, after these years of steady growth, in bringing to us a very exten- sive range of questions relating both to popular and scholarly subjects. They consist of all sorts of pub- lic questions of a sociological, educational, govern- mental, reform, labor, economic, and financial na- ture. There are scientific, historical, geographical, literary, and art questions in abundance. All sorts of technical, industrial, and business questions are [212] DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY brought, relating to commerce, agriculture, mining, engineering, transportation, merchandising, military and naval affairs, the trades, house building and fur- nishing, etc. There is an increasing call upon the reference department each year for helpful service in connection with the study clubs of the city. For the use of these clubs, collections of books are often put out in the reference room on special shelves, in order to facilitate study by the members. The same service has been rendered to the public school teach- ers, to the high school students, to the Sunday school workers, and others. Every year there is an increas- ing call upon the Library by the business men of the city in order to get answers to questions that arise in the daily business life of commercial men, merchants, bankers, brokers, engineers, contractors, mechanics, manufacturers, and others. With a general library of over 62,000 volumes, we are generally able to bring forward the printed page that will help any inquiring reader toward the answers to his questions. EXHIBITS AN INSTRUCTIVE FEATURE One of the features of the work of the Library is that of exhibits. For years it has been the library practice to install from time to time interesting temporary exhibits of limited extent. The materials of these exhibits have been placed in showcases and on screens and bulletin boards in the library corridor, in glass- [^213] HENRY ROSENBERG front wall cases, and in the swinging frames of our large exhibit stand. Just a few of the subjects of these exhibits are as follows: Shakespeare rare prints and souvenirs. Old and rare books and interesting bindings. History of the art of writing. Holiday books for children. Edwin A. Abbey's Holy Grail. Reproductions of great paintings. Work of Frederic Remington and other artists. Chateaux of France. Luther and the Reformation (four-hundredth an- niversary). Flags and dolls of various countries. Photographs, prints, and posters relating to the Great War. Local history (books, prints, maps, and relics). Birds of Texas. Our national parks. These exhibits have been of interest in a variety of ways, literary, artistic, historic, geographic, and gen- eral. They have often been especially timely because relating to affairs of current interest, or to the subjects of the library free lectures. There is always an active interest on the part of the public in these small tem- porary exhibits, which are in every case intended to serve an educational purpose. II2143 DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY THE LECTURE DEPARTMENT As in all the work of the institution, the primary aim of the lecture department is educational. It is in- tended that these free lectures shall embrace a wide range of subjects of general interest, and be of such a high order of merit as to attract and interest the thoughtful and the studious. Our lectures are in- tended to be instructive, real food for the intellectual life, and are not to be regarded as entertainments; yet they are intended to be interesting and popular in the best sense. It is regarded as of special importance that a lecturer should first of all have something to say that is worth while, and also important that he should, in addition, know how to say it in an interest- ing and reasonably acceptable manner. We aim to enlist in the library service as lecturers able men of university standing and other men of distinction and power. We aim to invite to our lecture platform eminent men of high qualifications in the various de- partments of human effort, whose study and experi- ence qualify them to bring authoritative information, and strong men of broad outlook, who can bring to us intellectual stimulus and inspiration. The Library encourages reading and study in connection with the lectures by displaying its books on the lecture sub- jects, including books purchased for the occasion, on special shelves in the reference room, and also by printing lecture announcements with carefully made HENRY ROSENBERG notes and reading lists. Lectures are often illustrated with the stereopticon or otherwise. Whenever possi- ble, a question and answer discussion follows the lecture. The lectures (now some twenty-five or thirty a year) are given during the winter season, in the library lecture hall, seating seven hundred people, generally in the evening at eight o'clock. Some of the afternoon lectures have been given for children. That these lectures are highly valued is abundantly shown by the well-sustained interest and large atten- dance during all these fourteen years. It is very encouraging to the library management that the Gal- veston public has come to expect and demand so good a standard of merit in the library lectures, and it is very gratifying that so many take pains to read on the lecture subjects both before and after the lectures in order to profit more by what they hear from the lec- ture platform. The Library has had during the four- teen years about 125 different lecturers, and about 310 lectures have been given, with a total attendance of over 145,000, averaging more than 450 at each lec- ture. This attendance is unusually large, the lecture hall being often overcrowded. The instructive public lecture constitutes an important phase of adult edu- cation, a subject now much discussed. The free lec- ture system has grown to be a very important depart- ment of the work of the Rosenberg Library. [216:1 DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY THE children's DEPARTMENT The children's department began its service at the opening of the Library in 1904 with about 1600 vol- umes. There are now over 6000 volumes. For sev- eral years this department had limited space in one end of the general book room. Since April, 191 5, it has had much larger space in its new home on the second floor. Here its reading room, book room, and story room have been made beautiful and very attrac- tive with new tables, chairs, carved benches, shelving, exhibit cases, special drawers and cases for pictures, and with wall pictures, pottery, and plants. The work of the department has been broadened and extended. The loans for home reading have espe- cially increased since the department was established in its new rooms with larger space and more con- venient equipment. The larger number of books and the weekly story-hour to encourage their use, the reference collection of fine editions, the large school collection, the large collection of pictures to lend to the schools, the special numbers of the Library Bulle- tin, the exhibits, the annual Christmas displays of fine holiday books suggestive of presents to children, now more extensive and successful than ever before, as well as the convenient equipment and the beautiful new furniture, have all served to promote the popu- larity of the department and greatly increase its use. The story-hour is made use of as a means to increase HENRY ROSENBERG the use of the best children's books. It is not con- ducted as an entertainment feature, but as a means of promoting the use of books and providing culture for the imagination and the moral life. The exhibits in the children's department have in all cases been used as a means of directing attention to good books. The reading clubs also are conducted so as to work toward the same end. The loans to children for home read- ing in 1917 were 45,263, a 32^0 increase over the pre- vious year, and 49% of the whole number of library loans for that year. The complete separation of the children's depart- ment from the lending department, with its separate system of registration and separate catalog, has in- creased the expense of maintaining the children's department, but has added much to its usefulness and has been fully justified. In the space of fifteen or twenty years the reading habits of a town may be very materially improved through earnest effort at the Public Library in behalf of the children of the town. Children soon grow to be adults, and we con- fidently expect to find after a series of years that the work the Library does for the children of Galveston will have a marked effect in bettering the reading habits of our city. We regard the children's depart- ment as one of the most essential departments of our work. Nothing that we can do is of greater impor- tance. [2i83 DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY FOR PUBLIC SERVICE It is the purpose of the library authorities to build in Galveston, under the noble legacy of Mr. Rosenberg, an institution worthy to be considered an important educational centre of the intellectual life and the higher interests of the community. It is true that a public library has other functions also, but it must be recognized as first of all educational if it is to occupy a really worthy place of service to its city. It is reasonable that the people of Galveston should ex- pect to see the Rosenberg Library develop as an edu- cational institution with a constant effort to help and foster every enterprise making for the best interests of the community, so far as they come within its scope. While at first the modern library, with its multi- plying activities and liberal facilities for meeting the needs of both the student and the man of affairs, had to struggle for recognition because thought by many to be a superfluous institution, now, because its useful- ness has been so abundantly proved by practical experience, it is fast coming to be recognized as a necessary part of the educational system of every community. The extent of the really valuable and necessary printed matter has in our time become so great that the private library cannot to-day satisfy the reasonable requirements of the well-informed and cultured man. The larger collection in the pub- C219II HENRY ROSENBERG lie library embraces all subjects in its scope and has many books and periodicals on each subject, general and technical, popular and scholarly, thus supplying variety of treatment to meet the various needs of readers. The public library aims to have the latest revised editions of its books, the latest annuals, the latest current periodicals and pamphlets, the latest printed material of whatever kind — the latest word — on each subject. The public library has extensive works in many volumes, it has costly books finely illustrated, and it has exhaustive special treatises. For this world of printed works, the universal tools of modern life, the public library is the repository, the laboratory, and the workshop of the whole com- munity. Such a collection and such working facili- ties must be available to the well-informed and cul- tured man. The private library is too limited to sat- isfy him: he must depend on the public library to meet his requirements. It is the aim of the library management to estab- lish at the Rosenberg Library an ideal of willing and efficient public service. This Library should be a progressive library of active service to all classes of people rather than the older kind of library serving mainly as a storehouse for books. Neither building nor books can take the place of competent, high- minded personality as the principal element making for a worthy success. There must be a capable, ef- ficient, and energetic library staff, enthusiastic with the true professional spirit for the interests of the C220] DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY institution and the service of the public. Of more value even than building, books, and all other equip- ment is the personality that is charged with the daily duty of making that equipment serve its high purpose with real efficiency. Year by year, our Library becomes larger and more completely organized for the service of the pub- lic, and year by year, as new needs and new oppor- tunities arise, we strive to increase its efficiency as an educational power in our city. Some growth and increase in power can be measured in figures, but the best of the service that the Library renders to the public is of an intellectual and spiritual kind that cannot be thus expressed. As the Library grows in size and use, we are gratified in being permitted to feel that there is in our city a growing appreciation of library facilities. The evidences before us indi- cate that the Library, during these fourteen years of service, has grown into a place of high standing in the estimation of our people. The success of this institution should mean such wide and beneficent ser- vice in many of the things that pertain to the higher life of the community, that all may feel as justly proud of its work and accomplishment as they are of our enduring library building, which is so beauti- ful and dignified. A library is one of the most permanent institutions of civilized life, and to be built well must be built carefully and slowly. In this educational enterprise there are fruitful possibilities. As time goes on, [221] HENRY ROSENBERG opportunities for usefulness open out in various di- rections, and, among the many needed undertakings of high value, the few most important things must be singled out to be done, and all others postponed, sim- ply because there is not means enough for all. No worthy educational work ever has financial resources enough for all its needs. [222] ROSENBERG LIBRARY HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL SUMMARY 1893 Henry Rosenberg, merchant and banker of Galves- ton, who died in 1893, provided in his will that the residue of his estate should be used for the founda- tion and endowment of a free public library. 1900 Rosenberg Library Association was chartered under the laws of Texas, with a self-perpetuating board of trustees composed of twenty life members and a managing board of seven directors, elected annu- ally by the trustees from among their own number. Major A. J. Walker chosen President of the Board of Directors. 1901 Major A. J. Walker, Executor of the Rosenberg Es- tate, transferred to the Board of Directors of the Rosenberg Library the residue of the estate, valued at $620,529.69. Library site bought at Tremont Street and Sealy Avenue and design of Eames & Young for the Li- brary adopted. C2233 HENRY ROSENBERG 1904 Rosenberg Library dedicated and opened as a free public library, both lending and reference. Begin- ning of the annual celebration of Founder's Day. Cost of property used for library purposes: Grounds, including grading . . $20,000 Building i55)000 Furniture and books (7000 vols.) . 25,000 Total cost at time of opening . . . $200,000 1 90s Galveston Public Library discontinued and the books donated to Rosenberg Library. About 3200 vol- umes, including 1500 volumes of United States public documents, added to Rosenberg Library. The Colored Branch of Rosenberg Library opened. Rosenberg Library free lecture courses begun auspi- ciously. Jenkin Lloyd Jones, of the University Extension Division of Chicago University, first lecturer. 1906 Rosenberg statue unveiled in front of the library building. Resulted from a popular movement un- der a committee of citizens. 1910 Publication of a sixteen-page Library Bulletin be- gun. Issued five times a year. C224;] SUMMARY 1915 New children's rooms, with new equipment costing $6000, opened in the second story of the building. 1916 Lanier property adjoining the Library bought, mak- ing the library site a full half block. Income from interest, dividends, and rents, 1917 $29,207.97 Expenditures for the Library, 1917 . . . 25,118.69 Value of property used for library purposes, 1918 $265,000.00 Amount of the Library Endowment Fund, 191S 635,000.00 Total assets of Rosenberg Library Associa- tion, 1918 $900,000.00 Number of volumes, 191 8 62,000 Volumes added, 1917 2,993 Number of pamphlets, 191 8 .... 38,000 Pamphlets added, 1917 2,500 Current periodicals received, 191 8 . . . 375 Total number of borrowers registered, 1904-1917 20,841 Borrowers registered, 191 7 . . . . 1,689 C225] HENRY ROSENBERG Books loaned for home reading, 1904-1917 992,459 Loans for home reading, 1917 . . . 92>533 To adults . . . 47>27i 51% To children . . 45,262 49% Total loans . . 92,533 100% Historical classes . 6,430 7% Sciences and arts I3>i54 14% Literary classes 24,022 26% Fiction and chil- dren's stories 48,927 53% Total loans . . 92,533 100% Average loans per day, 1904-19 1 7 . . . 243 Average loans per day, 1917 . . • • 3^5 Number of loans for home reading: Largest In any month, March, 19 1 7 . . 10,482 Largest In any day, March 10, 191 7 . . 546 Largest daily average In any month, March, 1917 4^3 Number of volumes in Colored Branch, 1918 2,966 Colored Branch loans for home reading, 1905-1917 42,947 Colored Branch loans, 1917 .... 45537 Children's story-hour attendance, 1 909-191 7 23,800 Story-hour attendance during the season of 1917 7i300 Attendance at 285 lectures, 1905-1917 . . 133,000 Attendance at 30 lectures during the sea- son of 1917 i5j500 1:226]