Memories of Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall

James MacManus remembers our library

  

In our brief conversation at the open house you asked me to give my memories of the library and what it meant to me. My first thoughts were of the book reports that we were assigned to do for English class. This gave me the love of reading which I still have to this day.

I assume you know that the library's gym was run by the Carnegie Athletic Club which we could join for a small fee. We played basketball and participated in tournaments at the gym at the Harding School. The fellow who was in charge was Dick Gardner, whom I looked up to. He was very well liked by all who came in contact with him. A big bonus in the gym were the showers since we had nothing like that at home. By the way, I only played in one game, and we lost.

Looking back I find that although we had little money during the depression, the library more than filled our needs.

Thanks to the Historical Society of Carnegie Pa for finding the picture on this page. The picture shows some of the members of the Carnegie High School basketball team in 1927.