Dr. Perry
Lovenskiold:
After La Retama Library had been housed about two years in the first
home—the one room upstairs in the Lovenskiold Building, the enthusiasm of
its friends began to wane, and the owners of the library (the girls of La
Retama Club) became increasingly aware of the fact that their beautiful baby
had to be housed, and fed regularly. But like some young parents, they were
incapable of
of supporting their
child. Each time the girls assembled to a pleasant club meeting, they were
confronted with the same old worry—how were they going to pay the rent? Sad
to say as each thirty days ran around, the girls found themselves deeper in
debt.
Then they came up with a plan, that suggested economy. Again, they stopped
meeting at homes of the members where refreshments were always in
order and moved their meetings to the bare library which had just two
chairs. It then became necessary to buy some chairs and each of the 35
members bought one (price $1.75), thus furnishing the library with an
impressive circle of chairs and creating the impression that there were too
many chairs for the space, and too few books on the shelves! Presently, the
girls found that giving up the weekly round of sweets and coffee would not
pay the library’s small bills, much less pay the rent! Again they set to
worrying.
Then, suddenly the load
slipped from their backs. Early one afternoon, Mamie Carroll went up the
stairs to open the Library for the biweekly service to the public and
stopped on the threshold dumbfounded! Her surprise was caused by seeing a
large new rug covering the ugly, dusty floor.
In great excitement she rushed across the hall to the office of Mr. Thomas
B. Southgate. Then she learned that the donor of the gift was no one less
than the landlord-Dr. Perry Lovenskiold! – the good friend of La
Retama Library!
Once the surprise was over the doctor’s goodness of heart ----forgotten and
the girls continued to gather happily, each Wednesday never giving a serious
thought to that nightmare,--the rent.
Some years afterward, on hearing this tale of La Retama’s methods of
muddling through, one listener was moved to ask –“Did Dr. Lovenskiold ever
collect his rent?” In one voice, the group enjoying to the fullest the
telling of the tale, chorused, “Of course not! Why La Retama was never
a jump ahead of current months expenses. After all some one had to support
the Library.”
La Retama Library during the first years of its
existence was opened twice weekly from two to six, the members of La Retama
Club serving as librarians each in turn - and also as janitresses. In those
years the streets were shelled with oyster shells and the horse drawn
vehicles and wagons created a great deal of dust. Although the two windows
and door of the library were promptly closed after occupancy, the place was
always covered with dust and this fact created a serious problem. In other
words, the young ladies did not like to sweep and mop, especially when they
were "dolled-up" for the afternoon. However, they did face up to the job-but
reluctantly. Little by little the girls enthusiasm waned and more and more
did they find the biweekly task of opening the Library an unbearable chore,
especially did they rebel against dusting-when they might have been chatting
with the callers. Finally the Club decided the only way they could make
themselves comply with this self-imposed duty was pay a fine of $1.00 for
forgetting to report! Of course, the fine could be forgiven, if one could
get another member to substitute.
Soon Mamie Carroll became the Club's pet
substitute. She loved books, and could you-------, loved to make the
dust fly! During the summers of 1908, 1909, 1910 (when she was president
of La Retama Club) she served as librarian more than 50% of the time.
During those summers, the town was crowded with summer visitors from all
over Texas, and life at the "Beach" was very gay. Besides, high-five was
the popular card game, and everybody was entertaining for her house
guests, with card parties, bathing and supper parties, and the girls
just had to go.
Mamie Carrol loved books better than she
loved cards, and so she was satisfied to substitute for her friends-to
take her dip in the bay before sun up each morning and to accept
invitations to cards parties only after tea, and be satisfied at the
bridal showers at the last gun's fire. Membership in La Retams Club led
directly to the Altar, and the turn over in membership was great. La
Retama Club was organized as a young girls club, but gradually it beame
a married woman's club, as the members refused to part with friends just
because they married. |
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