Education. 



145 



Nature." It continued in operation until 1891, when the pro- 

 prietors gave their books to the Hingham Public Library. 



Both of these libraries were small as compared with collections 

 of the present day, but the books were well selected for the pur- 

 poses of miscellaneous reading rather than for reference. 



Other small libraries have existed in town from time to time, 

 such as masonic, circulating, agricultural, and Sunday School 

 libraries, and all have served to elevate the tone of Society and 

 disseminate information. They have been valuable aids to the 

 general education of the community through many generations. 



THE HINGHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY. 



Destroyed by fire, Jan. 3, 1879. 



But valuable as these early and smaller libraries were in their 

 day and generation, the founding of the Hingham Public Library 

 presents itself to our notice as a more important and permanent 

 benefit to the town. Its history has been told in two printed 

 pamphlets and there is little need of extended remarks upon its 

 usefulness beyond a record of the facts herewith presented. 



At the annual town-meeting held March 7, 1870, the follow- 

 ing communication was presented to the town by order of the 

 Trustees : — 



To the Inhabitants of Hingham, in Town Meeting assembled: 



The Trustees of the Hingham Public Library avail themselves of the 

 first annual meeting for the transaction of business relating to Town 



VOL. I. — 10* 



