Let there be light....
Books. That word alone gives you warm thoughts. But imagine a world without Andrew Carnegie. His rags to riches story is the stuff from which fables are made. And having made his fortune, he set about to give it away. Which is why there were 2,500 free public libraries created worldwide.
This one is in Manor Park, and his bust is mostly ignored in a niche high on the side wall. Manor Park is just the area full of immigrants for which Carnegie created these libraries. You can see the inscription above the door here, more general view here. (Mind you, looks to me as if Brian has borrowed a few books - I wonder if he brought them back?) It was LDP regular Olive who asked about them here.
More about Carnegie's socialogical background here.
posted by Ham at 00:02 --
Comments here: 4
Comments on "Let there be light...."
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breadchick said ... (01:02) :
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Cheltenhamdailyphoto said ... (09:22) :
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Olive said ... (03:18) :
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John Nez said ... (20:48) :
post a commentI grew up in mining town in the Upper Pennisula of Michigan that had a Carnegie Library. Carnegie made his millions from the iron ore pulled out of the ground around my little town and the library, the town hall and the opera house are all there thanks to his giving it back. The library has this great 2nd floor that you can look up into a dome painted with the Muses of the Art, Music, Literature, and Philosophy. Many an afternoon was spent reading and doing my school work there. I had no idea that he had given for libraries outside of the US. Thanks for showing me this Ham!
What a wonderful thing to do; i didn't know about all this. Thanks Ham!
I just saw this!! The one day I don't check your blog!
I feel like I become smarter everytime I read one of your entries. Thanks fro putting this up, Ham.
Yes, we have dozens of Carnegie libraries here in Seattle too.
I guess Bill Gates is trying to do the same thing... give away his billions to better mankind.
It's a pity that all CEO's aren't so civic minded. Most of them just want to lavish it all on themselves.