UP TO DA TE. 521 



"Which is conducive of the most happiness, the married or 

 single state?" 



"Which takes the most comfort, the miser or the spendthrift?" 



It was not possible in those days for men to buy daily 

 papers for a penny or two, in which an army of news 

 gatherers presented the world's affairs and sufficient dis- 

 cussions upon them ; therefore this custom of a town 

 debating society, which is now almost obsolete in our 

 nation, was a necessity. 



But to return to the library. The day came when the 

 town itself, instead of a private club, was persuaded to 

 furnish a treasury of reading matter for its inhabitants. 

 For about thirty years the old Social Library had fallen 

 into disuse, when in the year 1878 the superintendent of 

 schools, Rev. Joseph Osgood, incorporated in his annual 

 report a strong plea for a town library. The State 

 Legislature had already passed acts authorizing towns to 

 undertake this public function, and our town meeting 

 appointed the following five men to canvas the matter : 

 Rev. Joseph Osgood, Edward E. Tower, Levi N. Bates, 

 Philander Bates, and John Warren Bates. 



It was clear that not over one tenth of the people in 

 town would avail themselves of the reading matter in a 

 public library, and it seemed necessary to rely therefore 

 partly upon private enthusiasm for the support of such an 

 institution. The next year three hundred dollars were 

 appropriated on condition that an equal sum be raised by 

 private subscription. Nine trustees * were appointed to 

 administer the affairs of the Cohasset Free Public 

 Library. 



The place provided for the library at first was a part of 

 the lower floor of the town hall next to the schoolroom, 



*FOR ONE YEAR. FOR TWO YEARS. FOR THREE YEARS. 



Rev. Joseph Osgood. Rev. Granville Yager. E. Pomeroy Collier. 



John Warren Bates. Lot Webster Bates. Mrs. Fannie H. Tower. 



Mary Lewis. Sarah S. Pratt. Abbie N. Bates. 



