Civilizing early McCook -- libraries

Dr. Byron Bennett

In those early days of its existence, McCook must have been a very lonely place -- especially for the wives. There were no organizations for fraternization, and even church was something that the very early settlers had to forego. No radio; no TV; even mail service was sporadic, so communication with the outside world (back East) was infrequent, but those letters were something that all of the McCook's new citizens eagerly looked forward to.

The earliest McCook "reading room" and "library" was an outgrowth of a temperance meeting, held during the fall of 1885 -- conducted under the auspices of the local chapter of the W.C.T.U. (Women's Christian Temperance Union.) The room was furnished with chairs, tables, and racks, which were supplied with (reasonably) current newspapers and periodicals.

In 1886, two drug stores in McCook maintained circulating libraries. For a small fee the reading public might be supplied with literature at Green's Drug Store and at Spalding Drug.

Milicent Slaby

But there were efforts already in the community to have a real library in McCook, led by a number of McCook's leading citizens. One of these leaders was Dr. Byron Bennet Davis, one of McCook's early doctors. In February 1887, Dr. Davis, wrote to his fiancé in Omaha: "The Directors of the Library Association just had a meeting here in my office and decided to give a Banquet in about two weeks, to be the highest toned entertainment ever held in McCook. Tickets three dollars per couple, and only the crème de la crème to be admitted at that. It devolves upon Mr. Thos. Colfer, a lawyer and myself to arrange the toasts of the evening. It ia hoped to make it such a success that an annual Banquet of the kind will become a feature of the town -- besides replenishing the exchequer of the Library." (Dr. Bryon Bennett Davis later had a stellar career as Chief Surgeon, and Chief Professor of Surgical Pathology at Omaha Medical College -- now the Medical College of the U. of Nebraska.)

In June, 1902, McCook received the contract to build a new, first class library -- a Carnegie Library. However, it was not until 1907 that the library was actually built.

In 1901, Andrew Carnegie sold out his interest in US Steel, one of the largest businesses in the US, to a J.P. Morgan cartel for some $500 million, instantly making him the single richest man in the world. and enabling him to embark upon what became his life's greatest work (and what he always referred to as the most enjoyable time of his life.)

He immediately retired from a life as a businessman and spent the rest of his life, until his death in 1919 in giving that fortune away. His activities were varied, even to giving to a movement that would have simplified the spelling of the English language. He helped Universities. He built college buildings and churches. But his passion was the building of some 2000 Libraries, in his native Scotland, and throughout the English speaking world, but primarily in the United States, where he built almost 1700 Civic Libraries. He built some 69 libraries in Nebraska.

The Carnegie Libraries in the United States were built in a variety of architectural styles. Some, like the Library in Pittsburg, were ornate Greek Temples. Many, like the library in Plainview, NE were identifiable square, plain, upright, dark brick structures. A few, like ones in Ohio and a few in Nebraska (including McCook) had a definite Southwestern theme. Any city could apply for the funds to build a library. There were few restrictions, but one that was always followed, "The Library had to be Free to the Public." .

McCook actually was one of the first communities to take advantage of Andrew Carnegie's offer of a free library. For many years the McCook Library (now a part of the High Plains Museum, on Norris Avenue) served the community in a variety of ways. First and foremost, of course was to provide the community with books, all sorts of books, including resource books -- to empower the McCook public, so anyone with the will could improve himself, and recreational books to provide wholesome entertainment -- all at no cost.

But the McCook Library, in addition to the books, served the community in a variety of ways. The library served as a meeting place for Boy and Girl Scouts and other civic groups. For a long time the library was the voting center for that part of McCook. And for long-time resident of McCook, Russ Dowling and his 1930s classmates, it was a romantic spot. In the evenings the girls would congregate at the library to study. Usually, the boys would drift across the street to the YMCA, but at 9 p.m., when the library closed, the boys managed to return to the library in time to walk the girls home. At the end of the semester, the girls who stayed at the library and studied, got A's, while the boys, who hung out at the Y, got C's.

No story about McCook's early libraries would be complete without mentioning Milicent Slaby. From 1928, until her retirement in 1953, Miss Milicent Slaby was "The Librarian" at the McCook Carnegie Library. She was both beloved and feared. She ruled her domain with an iron hand. Patrons of the library, who had been boys and girls during her reign, remember her as stern (No hanky panky in her building), but also, someone who was always very willing to steer a student to a certain book that was needed to complete a class assignment. She was always available to assist an adult library patron, whether to advance in his own business, or to explore opportunities in other fields, or to recommend a novel or periodical that she believed that patron might enjoy. In short, Milicent Slaby was helping her library to do exactly as Andrew Carnegie intended.

Miss Slaby loved her job. She loved her books. She loved her patrons. She also loved the Carnegie Library, as shown in this poem she penned, which was discovered after her death:

The Library --

My Spanish Castle on the hill is really home to me.