On this Date in WPL History: April 5, 1960: WPL Holds Centennial Banquet

On Tuesday, April 5, 1960, Worcester Public Library held its centennial banquet in honor of serving the Worcester community for 100 years. Now of course, an esteemed organization such as ours cannot have a mere quiet meal to honor a momentous occasion. Nay, we must celebrate in style! So what did the banquet entail? Read on to find out!

Invitation to the 100th Birthday Party of the Worcester Free Public Library. 
Note the birthday candles on the image of the Elm Street library building

You may have read in previous blog posts (ex. When the Worcester Public Library Came to Town) that the City of Worcester established Worcester Public Library in 1859 with a gift of books from Dr. John Green and donations of books from the Worcester Lyceum and Library Association. The library officially opened to the public on April 30, 1860 on the third floor of the bank block at Foster Street and Main Streets and moved to the Elm Street location the following year. Nearly 100 years later, the Library Centennial Committee members decided to hold a celebratory centennial event on April 5 to coincide with National Library Week (April 3-9, 1960).

"Open Wonderful New Worlds...Wake Up and Read," National Library Week Poster, 1960 Source: https://archon.library.illinois.edu/ala/?p=digitallibrary/digitalcontent&id=2730

One feature of the centennial banquet would be a short play written by Mrs. John Herron entitled "Greener Pastures, or Twelve Books in Search of a Library." The characters of this play came from books that were added to the library's collection for each decade of the library's existence as well as characters from the original book donations by Dr. Green and the Worcester Lyceum. Characters included Sherlock Holmes, Eliza Doolittle, Madame Defarge, and Hamlet. According to the March 20, 1960 edition of the Sunday Telegram, the Drama Club of the Junior League and the Worcester Players Club worked to stage the play. 

"Rehearsing Skit for Library Celebration," Sunday Telegram, March 27, 1960

First page of short play, "Greener Pastures"

"Library Banquet Plan Under Way," Sunday Telegram, April 3, 1960

The banquet was held at 7pm on Tuesday, April 5, 1960 at the Bullock Memorial Hall of the State Mutual Life Assurance Company of America building (now Hanover Insurance's headquarters at 440 Lincoln Street). Over 600 people attended the banquet, with a post-event report by the Library Centennial Committee announcing that 72 dinner tickets went to distinguished guests, members of the City Council, the play's cast, and 25 library staff members. General tickets to this event cost $3.25 or almost $29 in today's money.  

Program for Worcester Library Centennial 1860-1960 Anniversary Dinner April 5, 1960

The program kicked off with an introduction by Toastmaster, Gabriel A. Namen, followed by an invocation by The Rev. Wallace W. Robbins, Minister of the First Unitarian Church, and remarks by Matthew R. McCann, President of the Library Board of Directors. Mr. McCann even read a cablegram from President Dwight D. Eisenhower congratulating the library on 100 years. Cartoonist and creator of the Li'l Abner comic strip series, Al Capp, was the main speaker for the evening's festivities. The highlights of the banquet included the presentation of an oil portrait of Dr. Green by his grandniece, Miss Mary Chandler Stone, to Matthew R. McCann Jr., and of course, the performance of "Greener Pastures."

"Portrait of Library Founder is Presented at Library Centennial Dinner. 
From left Miss Mary Chandler Stone, Thurston Taylor, and Matthew R. McCann Jr." 
Worcester Telegram, April 6, 1960

Other notable guests in attendance included Head Librarian Thurston Taylor, City Manager Francis J. McGrath, author Esther Forbes (most known for Johnny Tremain), Chandler Bullock (businessman, director of many local boards, and former library trustee), and U.S. Representative Harold D. Donohue. The Worcester Telegram and the post-event report by the Centennial Committee deemed the event a success! 

"At Library Centennial Banquet," Worcester Telegram, April 6, 1960

In 2020 we virtually celebrated 160 years of Worcester Public Library with images relating to our history throughout the years; blog posts by Local History and Genealogy librarian, Joy; and lists of 160 books that mean something to our librarians. Even though the people who celebrated the 100th anniversary are no longer present to share their stories, we still have evidence of that event in our Worcester Room and around our building. In fact, we currently have the Dr. Green portrait in our Green Room on the 4th floor of the Main Library! We look forward to celebrating 175 years in 2035!

Portrait of Dr. John Green

Additional Reading

"Al Capp to Be Speaker At Library Centennial." (1960, March 20).  Sunday Telegram.

"Library Banquet Plan Under Way." (1960, April 3). Sunday Telegram.

"Rehearsing Skit for Library Celebration." (1960, March 27). Sunday Telegram.

Kingsbury, Billings. (1960, April 6). "600 Mark Library's 100th Year." Worcester Telegram.