Polytechnic Society of Kentucky

From 1876 to 1913, the Polytechnic Society of Kentucky was an educational, cultural and scientific organization based in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The creation of the society was to serve as a funding source for the Public Library of Kentucky which had gone bankrupt. The society operated on Fourth Street, inside Library Hall, until 1901.

Overview

A lottery that was meant to be a major funding source to start a library for the city of Louisville was a scam that placed a $30,000 debt on the organization. On January 11, 1879, the debt of the old library was paid by seven new members. In turn they asked to be in trusted with management for five years. Dr. Stuart Robinson, one of the new members, became the president of the society.

Now that the society had been created from the ashes of the old Public Library of Kentucky, it had acquired all the assets that it once possessed. This included Library Hall, which featured an art gallery, museum, classrooms, lecture halls, two theaters and 60,000 books. The society was divided into five academies: literature, science, art, philosophy, and technology. The Polytechnic Society's new purpose was to help provide literary and scientific knowledge to the public while keeping the library free for all.

History

The Polytechnic Society's primary founder was the librarian of the Public Library of Kentucky, Paul Allen Towne. On April 30, 1875, Towne inherited the Library of Kentucky and all its assets from the board of trustees, including the Central Market Building located on 4th St.

In February 1876, Towne hosted lectures to raise money for the library. By that summer, Professor Pepper of the Polytechnic Institute of London spoke for a series of lectures with his lantern slide projector, which at the time was high technology. Several other lectures were also held by scientists and artists of Louisville. These lectures brought in hundreds of people as well as financial assistance for the library.

In December 1876, Towne invited Louisville's leading citizens to help organize a new establishment. He purposed a way that could make it profitable to re-open the library by creating a society of science, literary and art for the public. A constitution was drafted based upon the Maitland Club of Scotland. The members of the society were divided into the five academies with their own presidents, vice-presidents and secretaries. The Polytechnic Society of Kentucky was named after a lantern slide projector bought from Professor Pepper. The projector was in the room during the naming of the organization. Dr. Theodore S. Bell was elected as the first president. On April 10, 1878, the Polytechnic Society of Kentucky was chartered.

Many members of the Polytechnic had misgivings about Towne's innocence in regards to his involvement in the Public Library of Kentucky's lottery scandal. On Dec. 13 1878, Towne was discharged as librarian of the Polytechnic for insubordination for refusing to surrender his safe and card catalog to the council. A new council was elected in Jan. 1879 in exchange for paying off the lingering debt left over by the Public Library of Kentucky. Rev. Dr. Stuart Robinson became president, a position he would hold until his death in Oct. 1881.

In Nov. 1881, Bennett H. Young becomes president of the society.

Twice a month the society held sessions with subjects including philosophy, religion, science and politics. Its Academy of Art received the highest attendance. 40 art classes were organized, including drawing, painting, wood carving, medieval lettering, and decorative design. Classes on prehistoric, ancient and modern art were also held.

The Polytechnic Society reached its peak in the mid-1880s with 715 members.

In 1887, a section of the Polytechnic Society building was leased out to Kaufman-Straus department store, to increase revenues. A new building was erected and opened in 1903. The Polytechnic Society continued to operate from the fifth floor until the new location on York Street was completed in 1908.

Col. Bennett H. Young becomes known as "the father of the Louisville Free Public Library."

In 1908, the new Louisville Free Public Library building opens to the public.

By 1912 membership of the Polytechnic Society had decreased to 37.

On January 9, 1913, the Polytechnic Society held its last meeting and relinquished its property to the Louisville Free Public Library.

Librarians

• Paul Allen Towne, 1873–1878
• William L. Hickman, 1878–1879
• Annie Virginia Pollard, 1879–1913

Museum curators

• Philip Lee Shane (1862–1943), until his retirement due to ill health at the end of the 19th century.
• Susan Belle Shane (1858–1943), Philip's sister; curator until 1942

Publications

"The Public Library of Kentucky and the Polytechnic Society of Kentucky," by Paul Allen Towne, first and only librarian of the Public Library of Kentucky, published serially in the Louisville Monthly magazine in 1879.

See also

• Reuben T. Durrett
• Bennett H. Young
• The Filson Historical Society

Further reading

• Kentucky, United States Work Projects Administration (1944). Libraries and Lotteries: A History of the Louisville Free Public Library. Hobson Press. OCLC 624454548.