A Narrative History of The People of Iowa with SPECIAL TREATMENT OF THEIR CHIEF ENTERPRISES IN EDUCATION, RELIGION, VALOR, INDUSTRY, BUSINESS, ETC. by EDGAR RUBEY HARLAN, LL. B., A. M. Curator of the Historical, Memorial and Art Department of Iowa Volume IV THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Inc. Chicago and New York 1931 CHARITON PUBLIC LIBRARY. Probably no other institution is a better index of the cultural standards and activities of a community than its public library. In this respect Chariton is justly proud of the building and the service represented in its free public library. A group of public spirited citizens made a determined campaign and organized a library in 1900. For three years the collection of books was housed in a downtown building. Help was obtained from the Carnegie Library Fund to the extent of $12,000, and with this, supplemented by the provision for grounds and the maintenance by local taxation, a splendid new library building was completed. The library has been in a very proper sense the civic center of Chariton. In its club rooms public meetings are held several times a week, being used by the Woman's Club and other organizations of a civic nature. The library itself comprises about 15,000 volumes, including 2,500 well selected reference books. The best gauge of a library's usefulness is its circulation, and the Chariton Public Library has an annual circulation of 41,000. Besides the books the library takes in about fifty periodicals. The librarian since 1920 has been Mrs. Ida R. Leonard, a woman devoted to her work, cultured and highly educated. The library takes special pride in the work of its children's department. CHARITON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. The school system of Chariton represents an institution in the aggregate of which the community is justly proud, and provides educational opportunities for about 1,500 students. Of these approximately 500 are in the high school department, and about a hundred are graduated annually, ready to go on to college or take up practical careers. The high school building was erected in 1922, at a cost of about $250,000. The high school is fully accredited, being a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Preparatory Schools. The Chariton school system employs fifty-six teachers. Since 1927 a two year junior college has been in operation, and it is also fully accredited by the state's higher institutions of learning. http://www.iagenweb.org/history/index.htm posted at this site with Debbie's permission