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MBLC Celebrates 125 Years

1920

Hopkinton Town Library, 1920

Hopkinton Town Library, circa 1920. A two-story structure of Romanesque style, constructed of Milford granite by H.P. Cummings & Co. The architect was Sandford Phipps.1


TODAY: The Hopkinton Public Library received a $4.5 million Massachusetts Public Library Construction Grant from the MBLC in August 2014 to enlarge and renovate the Phipps building.2

Union meeting of New England library associations: The summer meeting of the Massachusetts Library Club was a union meeting with the other library associations of New England and took place on the Isles of Shoals, New Hampshire, from July 1-3, 1920. The hotel at Star Island was made available "for the exclusive use of librarians and their friends." Rooms were $3.50 per day, or $5.50 for a room with private bath.3

What else happened in 1920?

  • On August 18, 1920, the 19th amendment was ratified, giving American women the right to vote.4
  • In October, eight White Sox players - now dubbed the "Black Sox" - were indicted on nine counts of conspiracy related to accusations of fixing the 1919 World Series.5
  • The Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice was accepted in Geneva on December 13, 1920, establishing the international court in The Hague.6

References:
1. Digital Commonwealth [link].
2. MBLC website [link].
3. Massachusetts Library Club Bulletin, 1917-1922.
4. www.archives.gov [link].
5. www.history.com [link].
6. Permanent Court of International Justice - Wikipedia entry [link].