When a cultural feature of our community exists longer than any of us have been
around, it is easy to take for granted the facilities it offers without thought to how
they came into existence or how such activities are maintained or paid for.
The Bonne Terre Memorial Library is one of the important features of our local culture.
It has furnished good material for research as well as pleasurable reading to the
citizens of the Lead Belt and Bonne Terre for these many years.
Its origin was humble. It was started in the late 1860s or early 1870s when Mr. J.
Wyman Jones and Dr. Charles Bunyan Parsons placed parts of their personal library in the
St. Joe offices and loaned them to the employees and others who might want to read them.
After each annual meeting of the directors and stockholders of the Company, which were
held in Bonne Terre in the early days, these people shipped boxes of books to augment the
growing collection.
When the collection had grown to some seven hundred and fifty books, it was housed in a
building that stood on the corner of Main and Young streets. The original building
consisted of two rooms, the front room contained the books while the other room was a
reading room, stocked with newspapers and magazines. This was in the early 1880s.
During 1889, the Natatorium was built back of the old library building and the two front
rooms were occupied by the library.
Mr. J. Wyman Jones followed the development of the library with great interest but as
comes to all men, he passed away on October 27, 1904. His son, Dwight A. Jones,
succeeded his father as President of the Lead Company and followed his father's interest
in the library and helped form the Bonne Terre Memorial Library Association and on January
5, 1905, a charter was granted by the State of Missouri.
Mr. Dwight A. Jones, at his own expense had a magnificent and substantial building erected
on a beautiful site at the corner of Main and School Streets. It was built of heavy
Bedford limestone and magnificently appointed on the inside, essentially as it is today.
On November 5, 1905, shortly after the anniversary of the death of his father, Mr.
Jones turned the building over to the Bonne Terre Memorial Library Association without any
ceremony.
The Library has existed for these many years almost entirely on the annual contribution of
three thousand dollars for operating costs and maintenance of the building. In
addition, they have made many contributions of time and labor to finance repairs and
redecorating.
With rising costs of labor and purchase of books, additional help has Ben necessitated.
Fortunately, considerable interest has been shown by the public. Donations of
money and books in memory of deceased friends and relatives is becoming more frequent and
greatly appreciated by the Library Association. Organizations such as the local
American Legion Post, the Bonne Terre Garden Club, and the Bonne Terre Farming and Cattle
Company, as well as the annual solicitation of Mr. Meyer Nuell, have contributed much to
increase the facilities and maintenance of the building and grounds of our Library.
Mrs. Jakobe and Mrs. Settle, our librarians, are interested in helping the public in
finding the books or references they are searching for. Seldom does anyone go away
empty-handed from their search for knowledge.
Note: The above article ran in the Bonne Terre Register, Bonne Terre, Mo. on July 9,
1964 during the Centennial Days Celebration.
HUNDREDS GATHER FOR BONNE TERRE LIBRARY'S
GRAND OPENING
By TERESA RESSEL\Daily Journal Staff Writer
March 11, 2002
The wind and the colder weather didn't keep hundreds of people from
attending the grand opening of the Bonne Terre Memorial Library.
For some, it was the first time they had stepped inside the brand new 4,200 square foot
addition and the remodeled original library.
Mayor Sue Wilke was very pleased with the addition, which was designed by Lou Chiodini and
Paul Luzecky of Chiodini and Associates.
"They did such a magnificent job of creating an accessible and user-friendly, 21st
century addition that blends so beautifully with the beauty of our original
building," Wilke said.
The state librarian was also impressed with the library addition and the arrangement of
the library's new computers from the Gates Foundation.
"I love the way they've blended the old library and the new library together,"
said Sara Parker, the state librarian.
Wilke also recognized Brockmiller Construction for the construction of the building and
Brad Robinson, who coordinated the construction effort. Wilke also recognized those who
donated their time and money to make the project possible.
"Speaking on behalf of the city council, I thank all of the people who made this day
possible," Wilke said. "The city accepts this remarkable gift with gratitude and
pride and pledges a faithful stewardship of the generous outpouring not only of dollars,
but of a new vision and commitment to the town that means so much to all of us gathered
here today, as well as those absent who contributed to this incredible fund raising."
Wilke said the building could possibly be the largest privately funded effort undertaken
in this area. The addition was constructed without using any city funding.
Jack Lawson, chairman of the library's fund-raising campaign, announced they had raised
more than $870,000 for the library addition.
An initial $500,000 gift was provided by Joyce and Howard Wood. The Woods remained active
throughout the project.
"They have been the heart and soul of this project, which would quite simply never
have happened without their generous gift in excess of a half million dollars, without
their interest and input throughout the project," Wilke said.
Howard Wood said he was pleased with the way the addition turned out. He believes many
people gave to the library campaign because of fond childhood memories and the legacy of
Lucie Jakobe, who had been librarian for 37 years.
"She loved people, she loved to talk, and she loved to read," said her son,
Henry George Jakobe who attended the celebration.
Lawson said many people liked Jakobe because she took such a personal interest in helping
students.
A reading room was named for Jakobe through a donation made by Margaret Conrad Johnston.
Other rooms include the Estella Perrier McDaniel and Maria McDaniel Heyssel Reading Room,
a gift from Dr. Robert Heyssel; Ethel Malugen Children's Room; and the Bill and Maggie Haw
Programs Room.
Becky McClure, the library director, asked for volunteers.
"The city will be under financial stress for the next couple of years and we will be
running the library on the same budget," McClure said. "We won't have enough
paid staff to a good job."
McClure said people have already volunteered to answer the telephone and teach computer
classes.
"I believe the people of the town will rally around for the library, so our fairly
restricted budget won't cramp our style too much," McClure said.
Mar 11, 2002/Daily Journal
BONNE TERRE LIBRARY CELEBRATES 100TH YEAR.
By TERESA RESSEL\Daily Journal Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 1, 2005
The Bonne Terre Memorial Library opened its doors at the corner
of Main and School streets 100 years ago on Nov. 5, 1905.
It was in 1867 that a “St. Joe Reading Room” collection began.
BONNE TERRE - The Bonne Terre Memorial Library will officially turn 100 years old on
Wednesday.
Doris Smither, director of the library, said they will have an open house at noon
Wednesday to celebrate the anniversary. Cake and punch will be served and pictures of the
library over the years will be on display.
Smither invites everyone to see the addition that was built in 2002, if they haven't
already seen it, and share their memories.
100 years of history
Smither said it was about 1867 that J. Wyman Jones, president of the fledgling St. Joseph
Lead Company, and Dr. Charles B. Parsons, the mining superintendent, brought civilization
to Bonne Terre by contributing their books for a library and having boxes of books shipped
from the other directors and stockholders of the company in New York.
In the early 1880s the collection, then called the St. Joe Reading Room, was moved to a
building at Main and Young streets.
Some years later the “Natatorium” (the old swimming pool) was built and the
library was moved into that building. The room on the left of the entrance was used for
the books while across the hall was a reading room. The library was open every day except
Sunday.
When Jones died in October 1904, his son, Dwight A. Jones, succeeded him as president of
the company. In his father's memory, Dwight Jones contributed the funds to erect the
now-historic library building.
The existing library was built of Bedford limestone and placed in a park-like setting
enclosed by a low stone wall. The fireplace mantel in the Reading Room is a massive piece
of oak supported by oak columns, with a marble facing and a brick hearth.
In 1907, Mrs. Dwight A. Jones presented a clock, made in England in the 1800s to the
library. The clock still stands in the entrance and keeps fairly accurate time.
Wyman Jones' picture hangs over the mantel in the reading room.
In January 5, 1905, the state of Missouri issued a charter to the Bonne Terre Memorial
Library. On November 3, 1905, Dwight Jones formally presented to the library association
the limestone building of the Bonne Terre Library as a memorial to his father and the
doors opened for the first time.
The St. Joseph Lead Company supported the library until the mines closed, and in 1976
operations were deeded to the city of Bonne Terre, which funds the library through the
general operating budget, with no special tax imposed on city residents.
In December of 1998, Howard and Joyce Wood donated more than $500,000 to build an addition
to the existing limestone building housing the Bonne Terre Memorial Library. Friends of
the library and others raised an additional $300,000 to complete construction and to
furnish the addition that tripled the size of the library in 2002.
Included in the fund raising were two computer grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation valued at more than $50,000. Before the end of 2005, these computers will be
replaced by an additional 25 percent matching grant from the Gates Foundation.
Librarians who served from 1905 to 1942 include Frankie Stevens, Olive Sellors, Nannie
Hobbs, Edith Low, Mildred Wellman and Esther Frenzel.
Lucie Jakobe served as librarian for 37 years, from 1942 until her retirement in 1979. She
was a memorable personality and her name is one that most people who grew up in Bonne
Terre associate with the library. She is still revered by the people of Bonne Terre,
especially students who she mentored.
Following Jakobe as library directors were Diana Blackwell (1979-1995), Sharon Roberts
(1995-1999), Becky McClure (1999-2002) and Smither (2002-present).
