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 There’s a new addition at the Spring City Free Public Library. Two granite benches rest in the shade of the front lawn, offering an inviting place for library patrons to sit and read.
The benches were donated by the Spring City Women’s Library Club in memory of two longtime, very active members who died recently, Jean Merroth and Anne Tudor. The benches were dedicated in an afternoon ceremony in early June.
About 40 people attended the dedication, which was held mostly indoors due to the extreme heat of the day. Welcoming the assembled guests, Terry McCarthy, president of the Spring City Free Public Library board, noted they were gathered “to dedicate those two gorgeous benches to two very dedicated local women who truly cared about libraries.”
Club member Connie Megay shared memories of Jean Merroth. “She always had a sparkle and a joy in her life,” she remarked. “She was each and every one of your friends.” Megay noted that Merroth never said a bad word about anyone. She always saw the good in people, and never the bad, Megay said.
“She never said ‘I can’t do it’ when we asked her to help,” Megay remarked. She added that Merroth will especially be remembered for her cinnamon buns at Easter and holly at Christmas. Her positive attitude was an outstanding trait, Megay recalled, explaining that even while going through chemotherapy, Merroth never complained.
Offering memories of Anne Tudor, Barry Shafer said it was “difficult to say just a few words about Anne Tudor.” Shafer knew Tudor for 41 years as a fellow member of First United Church of Christ, Spring City, and for 36 years as a fellow Spring-Ford teacher. Tudor taught third grade for more than 30 years at Spring City Elementary School.
Shafer described Tudor as “a dear lady who just loved her church family and her community.” Although Tudor and her husband Nick had no children, she always said, “my children are for 180 days a year, and then I send them home for the summer,” Shafer recalled. “Teaching was her life,” he added.
East Vincent Township Manager Mary Flagg said of Tudor, “She lived her life in such a way that was an inspiration to others. She truly gave of herself and led a life we could all emulate.” Tudor served on the East Vincent Township Historical Commission.
Spring City Mayor Michael Weiss remarked, “What I really admired about Anne … she had an incredible zest for living. It’s a good thing to live life to the fullest as she always did.”
Before moving the program outdoors for the actual dedication of the benches by the Rev. Erick Kern, pastor of First United Church of Christ, Spring City, McCarthy offered a summary of happenings at the library from its opening in 1910 to the present and future.
When the library was first opened, it consisted of 1300 books housed in one room of the Spring City Reformed Memorial Hall. Today the library has about 1600 square feet with about 20,000 items.
“We’re jam packed,” McCarthy said. “We’re definitely out of space.” A building committee began meeting several years ago and determined it would be more economical to relocate than to attempt to expand at the current site. Plans were drawn up for a new 5500-square-foot facility, about three and one-half times the size of the current library on Broad Street.
The new library is expected to be built on borough-owned land at Wall and Brown streets, near the Spring City Pool. McCarthy assured the guests that the benches are in the plans for the relocation to the new site.
“A lot of exciting things are going on here,” she commented. She urged people to use the library to “help perpetuate the dreams of these two women.”
Deb Woolson, from Sen. Andrew Dinniman’s staff, presented a book to the library in memory of Merroth and Tudor. The book, “A Special Challenge,” tells the story of the state capitol murals by Violet Oakley.
Following the dedication, members of the Women’s Club served tea sandwiches and cookies.
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