The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 78

IB CD (Continued from first page) Infill tll, LreV vSfePW lit I fit it Js f-Z sS-siW iff i-ii i tP. i vfss vi I1 JM) hh PHOTO BY HAROLD RHODgNBAUGH DBaDdDlk Wcommemi StoirtteGfl Elm ESeuattinKcIky hi far-off valleys people wait cagetly for the W.P,A, Pack Horse Library JSy BETH IUIODENBAUGII spliced out with scrapboolcs. Girl Scouts and other organizations cut out children's stories from newspapers and pasted them in scrapbooks, and filled other books with material in other fields. So popular did these become that a group of mountain women decided to do a little of this work themselves. They wrote out their time-honored recipes to pass back and forth in the mountains.

Soon a book of quilt patterns was added. 63 Counties Were Without Libraries It is incredible to people in a city, where the public library is right downtown and free parking space is available in front of it, that there are places in Kentucky where a book is hard to come by. But before the Pack -Horse Library service was begun there were sixty-three counties utterly without any library service. On their trips over the mountains the carriers gather many anecdotes which illustrate their service better than any figures or generalization. One woman thinks it reformed her husband.

Until the books came he used to go out all the time now he stays home in the evenings and reads. Another mother begged a carrier, "Just leave one big one today. The young uns fight over them so. I'll just keep it myself and me or Sam, one, will read to them. The other day when you gave them young uns them books I nearly had to whop them, and Sam set right down where he was plowing and started to read." Another mother reported that her boy loved to read, hiding his book behind a picture so nobody would get it.

"It is a eight of oil," she said, "we have to buy on accounts of him reading while in bed and after dark." The library projects are administered by Mrs. Ellen Woodward, assistant administrator of W.P.A. in Wash ington, assisted by Edward A. Chapman, formerly Indiana State Librarian. The projects employ 18,000 people in thirty-eight States.

Most of these projects are supplementary to regular library services, including reading rooms in rural areas where there is no direct service. The Pack Horse Library service is administered in Kentucky by Miss Elizabeth Fullerton of Louisville, State director of the Women's and Professional Division of the W.P.A., through three district supervisors: Miss Ethel ferryman, Paintsville; Mrs. Loraine Barlow, Lexington, and Miss Cornelia Edge, Louisville. The Government Buys No Books It is possibly true that no other W.P.A. project has been so completely dependent upon the co-operation of the public in establishing itself.

For the Kentucky Pack Horse Library draws on the Government only for carriers it does not buy books or rent library buildings. Clubs and other local organizations have supplied centers for the libraries. Books and magazines have come in bundles from half the States in the Union. Recently a Californian born in Lawrence County sent the Pack Horse Library there a selection of 500 books as a memorial to his mother. The Pack Horse Library has now grown up.

It Is past the stage where its service is a drop of water in an ocean. The area is fairly well covered now, with 274 carriers working from libraries in twenty-nine counties. The crying need for books and other materials is reaching the stage where plans must be made for trained selection, for the librarian's equivalent of a balanced ration. Additional Pack Horse Library photographs are in today's rotogravure section. with small bills to distribute among his needy acquaintances.

He never turned down a request for aid. His purchases one day included a baby bed, a heating stove and several articles of clothing. He would have an attendant at headquarters go to the bank each morning for $100 in change to distribute to the needy. That was in addition to numerous charities he contributed to, and articles he would have charged to him at stores. Carried 100 Appointments In llis Head His closest associates are convinced that his later years were embittered by his inability to help those in need.

He never failed to see anyone that wanted to talk to him. He had the reputation for keeping his word strictly. In some instances where he had depended on others to carry out campaign pledges and they had failed, he would burst into tears and, after a few moments, try to find another way to meet the obligation. His principal adviser during his years of leadership was Mrs. Lennie McLaughlin, who served as secretary of the Democratic City and County Committee while Mr.

Brennan filled the specially created position of chairman of organization. While Mrs. McLaughlin supervised the actual running of headquarters and was credited with a high order of generalship, she was not so well known by the rank and file of the party. Illustrative of that was a conversation heard recently in a cafe. "Mike Brennan is all right; you can depend on him, but that fellow, Lennie McLaughlin, he's no damned good," the disgruntled one said.

Mr. Brennan frequently made more than 100 appointments a day' and kept every one punctually, without notes or the prompting of a secretary. Never Walked Alone His movements down the street were interrupted constantly. He never walked alone, and frequently was the center of a group of or eight persons. He disliked very much being alone for even a few minutes during his waking hours.

One of his favorite stories pertained to an election tabulation in the secret returns room of the Armory basement. One of those receiving the returns, in the presence of Mr. Brennan and Governor Laffoon, was speaking of percentages shown in the tabulation. "The hell with percentages!" Mr. Brennan afterward would quote the Governor.

"Give me a drink of whisky and tell me what my majority is." But while Mr. Brennan seemed to enjoy a good story and would laugh with the audience, he told very few. His diversions were companionship and politics. He rarely took part in social activities or attended entertainments. He was considered a hard fighter, but did not hold grudges.

Mr. Brennan was never considered a gambler, but in a small way liked to make bets. The only sizable bet he was known to have made in recent years was on the outcome of the primary election between Thomas S. Rhea and A. B.

Chandler. He proposed to bet $10,000 Rhea would win, but his associates believed that was for political effect. The bet was not taken. He Gave Aicay the Turkeys He attended church raffles and the like at every opportunity and took chances lavishly. Frequently, when he won a turkey or some other article, he would give it to an acquaintance with the invitation, "I want you to have Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner on me." Like Mr.

Searcy, he was much liked by newspaper reporters. In his dealings with them he never wss known to claim he had been misquoted when he got into a tight spot. Also like Mr. Searcy, he frequently faced a hostile press, but never let them interfere with his personal friendship for newspaper representatives. It was not difficult for the reader to tell from time to time how Mr.

Bernnan stood with newspapers. When he was in favor, some reporters referred to him as "Col. Michael J. Brennan." At other times, he was J. (Mickey) Brennan." While friends and foes alike referred to him a few years ago as "Mickey" or "Mike," he preferred in recent years to be known as "Colonel Brennan." He held a commission under Former Gov.

Ruby Laffoon as a Kentucky Colonel. This does not imply Mr. Brennan was pompous, for be was anything but that. His associates were convinced he preferred the more dignified title for political reasons. It is certain he always was prompted first to consider the political angle of any move.

Like Mr. Searcy again, he was a party man. His actions showed repeatedly that his first consideration was to place the Democratic Party here in a firm position. He openly acknowledged that his opposition to the Model Registration Law, aimed to forestall bossism in Louisville, was "for the good of the party." Some Thought Them Agents for Others Mr. Brennan's closest associates were convinced he gave, in comparison, less thought to the effect on the city.

State or Nation of any move he made. They do know that he weighed the effect on his party of every contemplated act. It follows that the sound administrations under his regime were brought about by sound public sentiment. When Neville Miller was making his successful race for Mayor, Republican opponents referred to members of the ticket as "Mickey's mice." Mr. Brennan laughed at that.

Whether the public, in its appraisal of Mr. Brennan and Mr. Searcy, wishes to continue that types of political leadership is an unanswered question. The facts are they were leaders who at times maintained considerable power. There is a belief on the part of many that these men were merely the agents for others, much more powerful.

There was occasion from time to time to accept the view that they were subject to the influence of financial interests, represented by both parties or neither party. The fact is that Louisville faces either a continuation of leadership by a' benevolent boss of the type of Mr. Brennan or Mr. Searcy, or party rule by the duly elected committees of the two parties. Leaders are born, not elected.

There is little doubt that should a competent leader emerge in either party, he would dominate, just as Mr. Brennan and Mr. Searcy dominated city affairs at the peak of their power. ILdDVE'S I Ftf IE IL JU IE By Ntay Christie rnHE Woman's a-comin up the creek. JUL Small children, run at her horse's heels as she guides him over the stones in the creek- bed and up the slope to the school, church or home that serves as circulation center for the WJFA.

Pack Horse Library in that Kentucky community. 'I They hold her horse and cluster around to take the load of books as she Almost before her feet are on the ground, they loosen -the buckles and pull the books out of the saddlebags. I Her job is easier now. After four years the mountain people have not only accepted, the' service-i--they re helping to add to it. Only occasionally- now does she have to convince a family that the service is free, enjoyable and The speed witb which this service has been established among the mountain peo pie Is largely due" to the Interest and assurance of the carriers, who are mountain people themselves, personally known to many of the people they, serve.

The Pack Horse Library began about four years ago, when a young Presbyterian minister in charge of a community center In Leslie County offered the center's little library if the W.P.A. could provide carriers to take the books to the county's isolated families. Investigation showed that 10,000 people lived in the county, most of them separated from highways and towns by almost impassable mountain ridges. The usual means of transportation is by horse or muleback along the stream beds. Reads Bits to the Children The already established "bookmobile" plan, in use in some States, was therefore out of the question.

The only possible plan was to send carriers on horseback or on foot into the hollows with the books. This was the basis on which the Pack Horse Library has developed. The W.P.A. assigns carriers from relief rolls to take books to specified centers in each area. The circuits are worked out so that the new books are left at Center 1, the books already there are taken on to Center 2, and so on.

After a month or so the books come back to the library, are mended and cleaned if necessary, and are transferred to another circuit. In some areas where there is no center the carrier distributes her books from house to house, reading bits from the books to teasing children, reading a story to some mother or father who cannot make it out, talking about new interests to her flock. The service was pioneered in Kentucky, and has since been established in a few other localities where difficulties of communication make it the only possible means. The reading matter is carefully edited to guard against offending the stern mountain moral code. One mother, withcut explaining, declined the service against the arguments of the carrier for some time.

Finally she agreed to read some of the books and see. The next visit of the carrier was greeted with wide smiles and enthusiasm. "Thy are all nice clean stories!" she said. The Favorite: How to Make Things But stories are not the real interest of these people. Fiction lags in popularity.

There is still a strong feeling against fiction, carried over from the days when such reading was considered almost everywhere a sinful waste of time. This public wants books' about Kentucky, narrative history without too much technicality, books of description concerning countries and other peoples. Children's books are in big demand, not only by children but also by adults who have had little practice in reading since they finished their schooling, if any. The big print is easier for them to see. They like to read about Western cowboys, and they like all kinds of religious and Biblical material.

Magazines are perhaps more popular even than books, and at the head of the class are those mechanical and practical magazines that tell how to make things. There is a wide difference in the size of the libraries and In tha amount of material circulated, of course. One of the newest ones has only 800 books; one of the older libraries has nearly 10,000. The scanty supply of books and magazines has been Awakened dreamily to hear voices on the other side of the palms. "Who's the new girl Randall brought here?" "He's a nerve to drag his sweeties to private parties!" in feminine drawl.

"She's the fourth this year. It won't last long!" Thinks About His Patients Amanda, returning from lunch with Mrs. Kimberly Delatour, found her brother at home. He had been operating all that morning. A heavy afternoon lay ahead of him.

He sought a breathing space. Quiet. Stretched on the sofa in his small study, his mind was on his patients. There was the problem of that tiresome woman, Mrs. Rules.

Beauty! She longed for beauty! Could he give back to her the measer portion of beauty that had once been hers? For heaven's sake, he thought impatiently, why couldn't women cultivate their minds? A clever, sympathetic woman who could free herself from pettiness, who could throw herself into a man's interests and ambitions, was far more attractive than the Venus de Milo herself! Few of them understood that fact. Chapter 48 Amanda stopped him as they passed her table. She ignored Moira completely. "I'll bet she's jealous," Moira ventured, as they got back into his car. He gave her an odd look.

"She's a mighty smart girl, Amanda. No one will put anything over on that young woman," he said cryptically. "I must emulate Amanda, the hard-boiled!" she thought. The Sutton Place party was fun. A hodge-podge of "the arts." A South Sea orchestra twanged behind a bank of flowers.

Men circled about Moira. There was dancing. Contract. Backgammon. Heavy gambling in the roulette room.

And lots of "sit out" places for flirtation. Presently she found herself with a pert playwright in one of these. She was beginning to feel It was nearly dawn. His sophisticated talk was hard to follow. At every pause, she found herself commenting: "But fantastic!" That was the fashionable phrase.

Awakened. By Voices "I think you need a highball. Lady." He wanted one himself. "Wait here. I'll be back in two shakes." She dozed.

Powdering, primping, preening, he was sick of women and their nonsense. Even when they were at death's door in the hospital, when one might expect their minds to be on eternity, they reached for their mirrors and powder-puffs! He liked a good-looking girl as well as the next one. He was human. But beauty he didn't rate first. His thoughts drifted, and not too happily, to Moira Carewe.

ti roods Over incident Wholesome, clean-cut in appearance, vital, and with a good mind, she had failed lamentably. Showed weakness, lack of principle. The affair of the inn still rankled. What if he had kissed her on the Hudson cruise? That was part and parcel of her tenets or rather, her lack of morale. It was the affair with Randall that stuck in his mind.

That double signature- her presence in the inn on the Sunday morning her bravado when he'd practically tackled her about it her insistence that she'd a right to "a good time" as much as a man. Seeing her again with Randall outside the theater the other night had curiously disturbed him. What was she to him, anyway? (To be continued.).