Mrs. Andrew Carnegie Visit Worcester, Massachusetts Andrew and
Louise Carnegie spent three hours in Worcester on March 26,
1913. Andrew helped lay the cornerstones for the three branch
libraries that he helped to fund. The local newspaper coverage
of the events, both before and after, makes for interesting
reading. Andrew used a specially-inscribed silver trowel to
spread the cement. He had to stop in mid-route to buy a pair of
rubbers because his shoes were getting wet. And of course, a
certain amount of official "speechifying" carried the afternoon.
But most interesting of all is the attitude and dedication these
people showed toward libraries and life-long learning. (Imagine
a mayor wanting them so badly that he sailed to Scotland to
hand-deliver the funding request to Carnegie's secretary!) We
rejoice at hearing the library referred to as "one of the
creative agencies of civilization" and "the organ of triumphant
democracy." In retrospect, their efforts are now even more
thought-provoking. Of those three