Centennial News Release

On April 1, 1915 the new Carnegie library in
Fayette first opened its doors for business.
The public had already gotten a view of
the building at a public reception in February.
The initial viewing was a gala
celebration with balloons, music, speeches and a
general air of excitement.
The Howard County Library Board hopes to
recreate that same excitement at a ceremony and
open house on April 1, 2015.
A brass ensemble from the high school under the
direction of Josh Myers will get the program
started.
Girl Scouts from the local Girl Scout
troop will present the colors and the band will
play the National Anthems.
Howard
County Library Board member Peggy Guest has
prepared a time capsule which will be dedicated
at the ceremony.
Several dignitaries including Howard County
Presiding Commissioner Sam Stroupe, Fayette
Mayor Kenneth O’Brien. Armstrong Mayor Harley
Owens and New Franklin Mayor C. Frank Frevert
will offer birthday wishes.
Barbara Reading will bring greetings from
the Missouri State Library and Shari Arni will
represent the Glasgow Public Library.
Friends of Library President Tony Cook
will also take part in the celebration.
Following the ceremony everyone is invited to
come into the library for library-shaped cookies
and punch.
Visitors may inspect the new windows and
doors which the board had installed in time for
the dedication.
They may try out the rocking chair
donated to the library by members of the Fayette
Book Club
as a hundredth birthday present and may
admire the library quilt designed and created by
three members of the club.
The renovated Board and Genealogy rooms in the
basement of the library will also be open for
viewing.
The ceremony is the first of a series of events
commemorating the library’s birthday including a
children’s story hour, a coloring contest, a
movie night and the dedication of the Betty and
Glenn
Collier
Genealogy
Center.
Members of the Book Club donated this rocker to
the library in honor of the library's hundredth
birthday. Three members of the club,
Jacque Schaller, Diana Westfall and Ronda
Thiessen made the quilt.
Pictured are Schaller, Bonnie Potter, Margie
Keeling, Westfall and Thiessen.