The Whiting Public Library - Part Two (From the Great War to the Roaring 20s )

Anthony Borgo July 2023

Florence S. Wing resigned as librarian on October 1, 1908.  Helen V. Calhoun succeeded her.  Calhoun received her library degree from the University of Illinois.  During Calhoun’s five year stay at the Whiting Public Library, the book stock increased to 7,991 items.  The library had a total of 1,200 borrowers who checked out 22,000 books annually.  During Calhoun’s tenure at the Whiting Public Library, she developed the Local History department.   

Also, during Calhoun’s leadership the grounds of the library grew.  The Board of Trustees purchased a lot directly south of the library for $900 from the Standard Oil Company.  In addition, a triangular lot in front of Ohio Avenue was purchased for $400. 

Two much larger circulation desk was purchased for the delivery room.  This same year, a small circulating collection of Slovak and Polish books were housed in the residence of Rev. Felix Seroczynski.

In February 1913 Helen Calhoun left Whiting to accept a position in Texas.  At this time, Louise Randall, a Wisconsin Library graduate, was hired.  Under Randall’s guidance the library thrived in its many and varied activities.  The total number of books reached 16,000.  Three were now 3,284 library card holders.  And, the book circulation was recorded at 64,570 items.

In 1914 the Library opened a branch at the Stiglitz Park School in response to a petition from teachers and residents of that district.  A year later the stack space of the main library had been exhausted.  Floor space in the book room was also taken up.  The only option was to go up.  Stacks were built two stories high and a balcony was added.  The second tier could be reached by means of a stairway to the mezzanine.  This new plan gave the library space for an additional 10,000 volumes.

During Randall’s tenure, the library purchased a player piano for the auditorium.  In addition player rolls began to circulate.  The library hours were also increased during this time.  The Whiting Public Library was now open from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 9. p.m.  The purpose of the increase in morning hours was to accommodate high school students for instruction in the use of a library.

The Whiting Public Library was asked to do its part to aid the soldiers fighting overseas in World War I.  The library was requested to donate books, magazines and $5 for every $1,000 of annual income.  In addition, the Whiting Public Library joined the “Do Your Bit” campaign by turning over one of the clubrooms as a sewing room for the Red Cross, where garments for the soldiers were made.  Even the children got involved when the story hours were turned into knitting clubs for boys and girls. 

The Library, also, worked in conjunction with the U. S. Food and Drug Administration by providing recipes for meatless, wheat less meals, food preparation and conservation.  Likewise, the Library participated in the Indiana State Council of Defense and the Trench Comfort Club.  Florence, Stewart, a library assistant, also served as a war correspondent. Stewart collected timely information and articles about the war and disseminated this information to the public through the library.

A branch library was opened in the heart of Whiting’s foreign district in 1917.  The library was established in a storeroom located at 405 Steiber Street.  Hazel F. Long supervised the branch.  Long was a graduate of the Wisconsin Library School, where she received her B. L. S.  Charlotte Wilk assisted her at the Steiber Library Branch. 

The book stock was very sparse at the branch library and only children’s items could be circulated.  In addition, a collection of books written in Slovak, Croatian, Hungarian and Polish, as well as, foreign newspapers were available for perusal.      However, the branch soon met opposition from the city’s older citizens.  People grew upset that the library’s foreign collection had been separated from its main collection.  Soon, a petition was started to close the Steiber Branch.  The Library Board listened to the older patrons and the Branch was dismantled on November 8, 1920.  The library’s book stock was then transferred back to the main library on the corner of Oliver and Ohio Avenue.

Louise Randall left the Whiting Public Library on August 1, 1920.  Immediately after Randall’s departure, Florence H. Stewart served as the Interim Librarian.  Stewart had been a part of Whiting’s library since 1905, when she was hired as an assistant librarian.  She continued in this capacity until her death in 1922.

Adah Shelly was hired to succeed Louise Randall.  Shelly arrived in Whiting on October 11, 1920.  She was a graduate of the Drexel library School.  Over the next four years the library continued to aid both Whiting’s youth and adult readers.  The annual report from 1923-24 showed an increase in book stock and circulation.  Likewise, 82,000 items were now being checked out each year from the library.   

In 1922 the Whiting Public Library and the Whiting Schools partnered to begin an early reading program.  The program was based on a project started by the state of Wisconsin.  Children from the 4th through the 8th grade who read and reported on 5 books from a pre-selected reading list were awarded diplomas with gold seals.  Results of the program were documented throughout a nine year span.  The study indicated that both boys and girls after completing the program were instilled with a love for reading, which should continue through their adult life.

Adah Shelly’s stay at the Whiting Public Library was short lived.  She left the library to accept a position as librarian of the Pontiac Michigan Public Library on January 15, 1924.  Hazel F. Long was then appointed Head Librarian.  Two years after Long took over the throne, the library underwent some drastic changes.