library readers. Children's hands were inspected when they came into the library, and those with dirty hands were not allowed in
the building. No child was permitted in any area except his own
part. 50
Mr. Vail was on the track team which was to compete on
Memorial Day, an event postponed until the following Saturday
because of rain. He asked for the afternoon off. ("The first,
last and only time," he said.) It was grudgingly given, and then
he was criticized for not coming back until 7:30, and that was
without eating anything all day. First because he couldn't eat
and race, and second because he rushed to get back. He resigned shortly afterwards and took a bank job in June 1902.1
Lastly, hand written by Mr. Vail on Grace Bennett's typed sheet was his note that he believed that the doors to the stack
room were there just in case the idea of open stacks did not work
out satisfactorily.z
Grace Bennett's final typed comments in her history were
about Mary K. Van Keuren. She wrote, [ Mary K. Van Keuren)
"served the 11brary and the city for thirty-nine years, and those
who remember her speak glowingly of her devotion to the library, her efforts to keep it weil managed and the methods up-to-date,