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Page 8THE WORLD. WEDNESDAY, JULY 2x,Scoville laid library foundaiBy JEAN (it ARINOJames Wilmarth Scoville would un doubtedly shake his head in amaze ment if he could see the Oak Park Public Library today Even without the second floor addition, the modern building is a far cry from the old Sco ville Institute, a bulky Romanesoue structure he provided for Oak Park’s first library.Actually, Scoville Institute, which was completed in 1888, was not thehe would donate $75,000 for the formation of a library that would also serve as a cultural and civic center A committee of 14 prominent men was named to oversee the project Arfilt; les of incorporation were taken out and architects submitted bids Norman Patton s plans for a Roman esque building of Bedford stone were accepted and the cornerstone was laid on Sept 1, 1886 By the time the building was dedicated in Oct. 1888, Scoville's gift for the building andinstructor, and the first year the gym netted a profit But the project was short lived and in 1897 the equipment was offered to the high school The offer was rejected and eventually the equipment was given away and the gym converted to office and meeting space.During the “Gay Nineties,” Scoville Institute served as the nucleus of the village with more than half a dozen diverse social and cultural groups meeting there weekly. One of thesefrom such neglt view recorded ti homely sweetne He is quite an e tations are irres While the pop stitute was incn parent that the not sufficient tc rapid growth of the terms of Set could be made use of the buildi(frrni/tn rfid t Kj
Newspaper Details
Forest Park World
Forest Park, Illinois, US
Wed, Jul 28, 1976
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Oak P.
IL, USA 08 Aug 2023
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