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80 Capital Jonrnat, Salem,
...
Honored for 36 Years of Service Miss Mirpah Blair, re
tiring state librarian, will be honor guest at a dinner Thurs
day night in Salem in recognition of her 36 years' service
with the library. Associates and other friends will join in
the tribute to her. (Jesten-Miller studio photo)
LEAVING A LEGACY TO OREGON
Miss Blair, 36 Years in Library,
Has Built Monument of Catalog
By CORNELIA MARVIN PIERCE
(Orrcoa State Librarian from 190S t. If?)
August first is the anniversary of the beginning of the work
of the Oregon Library commission which became the Oregon
State library when the law library took its more appropriate
name, Supreme Court library, in 1913.
On August first, 190S, I sat down to a desk in an empty room
In the old btate House with thce-
whole state, outside of Portland
practically empty space so far
as library facilities were con
cerned.
On August 1, 1913, Miss Blair
arrived thirty-six years ago.
We began an association of
fifteen years which I recall with
pleasure and gratitude.
Her training and experience
in the public library of Cincin
nati in the catalog and reference
department, and later as branch
library organizer, followed by
several years as head catalogcr
at Ohio State university library,
ideally prepared her for her
work in Oregon.
She came from the fine libr
ary of Ohio State university
where she had experience in
reference work and cataloging
an ideal preparation. She came
to a little collection of less than
6000 books, aside from the trav
eling libraries of fixed units
which were, fortunately, always
out in the state.
We could not have found
room for them in our two little
rooms on the third floor of the
old Suite House. Our "stacks'
were the shelves in a closet with
stairs winding to the roof.
Since Miss Blair came in a
spirit of adventure, the primitive
conditions of the library may
not have been a great shock to
her.
Already, we had become no
torious for innovations in the
library world for "scattering
books nil over the state without
formal requirements," always
meeting needs as they became
apparent. The new system was
designed to share the slender
resources of the library witli
readers and students throughout
a state practically without libr
ary facilities outside of Portland.
She entered into the unique
system and far-reaching plans
with enthusiasm and grew with
opportunity. Her experience
over the years has given her an
unrivaled knowledge of Oregon's
political, economic and cultural
history and changes.
She was a welcome addition
to the small group of profession
al librarians in the state: Mary
Frances Isom of Portland, Mrs.
Ida Kidder of OAC, and Mat
thew Douglass of U. of O.
She brought her mother and
made Oregon her real home.
Mrs. Blair was a friend to us all
until her death in 1935.
During the eight years before
he came, we had struggled for
legislative recognition and sup
port, which came slowly and
was a matter of education
through demonstration of ways
of being useful. We had secured
enactment of a working system
of library laws, and had put into
operation the first mail-order
library system in the United
States. There was then no par
cel post books went by ex
press so we had to keep pack
ages light of weight.
This brought about the fa
mous and "infamous" Oregon
plan of clipping reference books
and periodicals for debating
teams in high schools. They
were possible only because care
fully selected material could be
Ore., Thursday, Nov. 10, 1949
V
V
.C".
. ia.k' J
had. This made feasible wide
use of the central state library.
Miss Blair's careful work in
this field was an important ac
tivity while books were not being
added so rapidly as to require
her full time.
It is interesting to recall that
the parcel post was brought into
being through efforts of Oregon
senator Bourne and that our
Senator Steiwer pushed along in
Congress the library post. These
two measures made possible wide
use of strong central libraries.
Soon the library won recog
nition and better support, so that
books began to stream in.
From the first, we had at
tempted legislative reference
work, which I had helped estab
lish in Wisconsin. Miss Blair
early made a practice of index-
ng documents so that there was
made available essential aids
for busy legislators.
No one else has the special
ized knowledge to make the lib
rary serviceable during the hurry
and pressure of law-making.
This work should be expanded.
and Miss Blair will be needed
as consultant for years to come.
It has become a habit to "Ask
Miss Blair."
I liked the heading, "Buried
Treasure," given Mr. Upjohn's
tribute to Miss Blair in the Cap
ital Journal. It is a fitting name
for any library not made valu
able and vital by intelligent
capable librarians who know the
books and offer competent guid
ance in book selection and use.
Otherwise, borrowers waste time
on obsolete or worthless books
and they never do find the clues
to legislative history.
The catalog of a large library
supplements personal efforts. It
is the basis of all library refer
ence work. Cataloging in
great research library, properly
done, is scholarly work. It does
not consist of making a list of
books owned, but it evaluates
the contents of books.
We early began, in Oregon,
annotation of books and catalogs
so that future generations of re
search workers would have
something to build on. They
could never master the accumu
lated mass of material.
The catalog of over 700,000
cards in the central hall of the
State Library is Miss Blair's leg
acy to Oregon and her monu
menl a permanent monument
to her scholarly interests and
comprehension of the needs of
seekers after truth for genera
tions to come. This catalog and
the special classification system
worked out over the years are
fundamental tools, and they are
so well done that they serve as
a basis for all future develop
ment. Librarianship offers highly
satisfactory careers for fine
women like Miss Blair. She has
given her life generously, pa
tiently and with utter devotion.
Her richly stored mind has giv
en her rewarding contacts with
people, and she has always en
joyed lending a helping hand.
She has a quiet humor which
takes her through days of hard
work. Balance and good judg
ment, combined with learning
Miss Blair to
Be Honored
On Retirement
Fellow workers at the Oregon
State library and other friends
will honor Miss Mirpab Blair, as
sistant librarian, Thursday night
at the Marion hotel on the com
nletion of her 36 years of serv
ice on the staff. Her retirement
was effective November 1.
A scroll of appreciation will
be presented to Miss Blair by
Miss Eleanor Stephens, state li
brarian. Mrs. Cornelia Marvin
Pierce, former librarian, will
speak.
Also speaking will be Charles
A. Sprague and Miss Myrtle
Weatherholdt, Mrs. J. Strum,
vocalist and former library era
ploye, will furnish the music.
The dinner will be at 6:30
p.m.
When Miss Blair went to work
in 1913 as a cataloguer for Miss
Cornelia Marvin, the state libra
ry contained a collection of 15,
300 volumes and employed six
persons.
During those 36 years in
which Miss Blair served as ca
taloguer, assistant librarian, act
ing librarian, head cataloguer
and assistant librarian again, the
library has expanded its facili
ties and functions.
Today the library employs be
tween 40 and 50 persons, houses
approximately 500.000 volumes
and contains 700,000 cards in
the catalogue. In 1948 mail-or
der patrons alone were thous
ands greater than all the books
and pamphlets loaned by the li
brary when Miss Blair became a
staff member at the eve of the
First World War.
Then the state library was lo
cated on the top floor of the old
capitol building, destroyed by
fire April 25, 1935.
And there it remained until
space became available in the
basement and attic of the su
preme court building. When the
new state library was under con
sideration and construction, Miss
Blair was often consulted by the
architects for suggestions that
have contributed to the beauty
and utility of this structure com
pleted early in 1939.
During depression times Miss
Blair recalls that the library
filled many requests for liter
ature on gold mining and meth
ods. Today readers are eagerly
seeking books on uranium.
Some years ago a letter was
received from a widow who out
lined her attractions and in
view of her allurements request
ed a book that would inform her
of methods for another matri
monial accomplishment.
For years legislative commit
tees and interim committees
have requested Miss Blair's as
sistance in research pertaining to
many problems of state. Partic
ularly useful has been the com
prehensive and up-to-date ma
terial on taxation contained in
the state library.
During the past three decades
information on scientific and
technical has been acquired in
like proportion.
Miss Blair looks forward to
rest in retirement. She has no
definite plans for the future
though she is emphatic about
remaining in Salem. Gardening
is her hobby, and her large lot
at 875 Marion street offers in
teresting opportunities for this
diversion.
Born at Marshall, Ohio, Feb
ruary 28, 1879, Miss Blair grew
up in a suburb of Cincinnati
Ohio, where her father, James F.
Blair, was a physician. She re
ceived her education at the Uni
versity of Cincinnati and her
library training at Cincinnati
public library.
Prior to coming to her present
position at the State library.
she had been head cataloguer at
the Ohio State university libra
ry. In 1912 she had come west
with her mother to visit a broth
er in northern Washington. The
mother remained in the west and
later, when Miss Blair moved
to Salem, came here to reside
with her.
and, above all, the precious wis
dom which surpasses all learn
ing, have made her career a
shining success.
Enforced retirement of schol
ars from schools and libraries
is a tragic error. Voluntary re
tirement after years of service
is a happy occasion.
So long as she lives, Mirpah
Blair will respond to the baffled
librarian's solution "Let's ask
Miss Blair."
TASTY
FRESH!
ECONOMICAL!
HOODY'S
PIANUT
f jysnoJl BUTTER
XhJk FRESHER
fe GROCER'S!
State Librarian
To Miss Blair, Retiring Assistant
A tribute that contained the highest professional and per
sonal praise was given Thursday to Miss Mirpah Blair, retiring
assistant state librarian. Offering the verbal commendation
was Miss Eleanor Stephens, state librarian.
Miss Stephens commented
"No library was ever more
fortunate in its selection of a
first assistant than the Oregon
State library, when it acquired
Miss Mirpah Blair.
"Miss Blair's fine loyalty and
professional attitude of a high
quality has done much to build
in Oregon the type of institution
which is able to meet the book
needs of the people of Oregon.
It is rarely that one can honestly
attribute to an assistant so many
of the qualities which one de
sires in every worker.
"What a joy down the years
to do a rating sheet that reads:
'exceptionally accurate,' 'organ
izes work effectively,' 'cheerful
under most trying conditions,'
'can be relied upon even in un
pleasant situations,' 'sticks to the
job even in difficult and trying
circumstances,' 'says the right
thing at the right time, 'can
criticize or oppose without of
fending,' 'sees essentials, thinks
logically,' 'unusually high stand
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Gives Tribute
ard of work constantly main
tained.'
"Everyone on the staff at the
Oregon State library recognizes
that we can never actually fill
Miss Blair s place. We have re
organized her work so that her
duties will be carried on by oth
er persons.
"Under the staff reorganiza
tion. Miss Eloise Ebert becomes
administrative assistant, Miss
Josephine Baumgartner legisla
tive reference librarian, and
Mary Keefcr head cataloger.
"There are not adequate words
to express our appreciation for
Miss Blair's steadfast, efficient
and faithful services during her
36 years in the Oregon State
library."
The permanent secretariat
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Tennessee Site
Airline Center
Washington, Nov. 10 () The
air force announced Wednesday
selection of Camp Forrest, Tenn.,
for a $100,000,000 engineering
development center.
The project will be a research
installation for the development
and evaluation of air weapons
Camp Forrest is 66 miles
southeast of Nashville.
Air Secretary Symington said
the site was the choice of the
air force and that it had the ap
proval of President Truman, De-
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OeaiCSs IN PtlNCIAl CITIIS
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SHOP 'TIL 9:00
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ere
Clam
If Smiley Roberts is a frifn'd of
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that good clam chowder can be
made without cream.
In New England, where Smiley
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broken over tomatoes versus cream
in clam chowder. Experts say that
south of Boston the tomato reigns
supreme, but north of Boston it's
cream or elset
From where I sit, whether it
should have cream or tomatoes is
imply a matter of taste. This is
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The firm In Its last report No
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Several western states were
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I sit ...ly Joe Marsh
Chowder Can Be
Dynamite!
plain to anyone who doesnt eome
from clam chowder country.
What a great world this would
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prejudices are matters of taste
only. Some like hot coffee. Some
like it iced. Some people like a tem
perate glass of beer. Others prefer
ice-cold lemonade. My grand
mother used to aay, "Prejudice
that sees only what it pleases,
cannot see very plain."
floe hcju
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. i-40.aieJli. iHi'ilrlmelliJ
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