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State and Local News i
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Page A-10	-	✓?/./	Monday	Morning,	June	28,	1976	j
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New library facilities praised for Bay St. Louis, Waveland area
By BILL GAUDET
SPECIAL TO THE SUN
BAY ST. LOUIS — Rep. Trent Lott (R-Miss.), declaring that “the mark of a growing community is its library,” Sunday formally dedicated Hancock county’s new $366,000 library facilities here on U.S. 90.
“I have a very special interest in this library,” Lott told an overflow audience that crowded into the new 9,800 square foot building.
“To me,” Lott said, “libraries are equally as important as a good educational system and the most important thing is that they should be used by a community. Mark Twain once said a great educated man who never has time to read a book has no advantage over the man who can not read.”
Lott was introduced by Circuit Judge J. Ruble Griffin who noted that the concept of public libraries was originated in the United States and is a “mark of our bicentennial heritage.” Officials representing the county, and the cities of Bay St. Louis and Waveland were present.
“Europe had libraries before the United States," Judge Griffin said, “but these were exclu-
sively for the use of scholars and not for the general public. It was not until 1803 when the first library was built in the United States that libraries were open to the public,” Griffin said.
It was in this spirit that John McKenna, director of the Hancock County Bicentennial Committee, gave the Hancock County library the key to a chest containing various historical artifacts, one including a key to Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
Judge Griffin as master of ceremonies recognized those who contributed to the development of the new library, includ-
ing Mrs. Evelyn Griffith, Mrs. Linda Haas, and others.
Miss Mary Love, director of the Mississippi Library Commission in Jackson who will retire in three days, said she was j indeed happy that Hancock ' County has the new facility. “This was a wonderful climax to my work with the library commission,” Miss Love said. Mrs. Frances McDonald, current president of the library board of trustees, participated in the ceremonies.
Invocation, dedicatory prayer and benediction were said by Rev. Nathan Barber, Father Charles Johnson and | Father Kenneth Brown.	\