The renowned philanthropist Andrew Carnegie emigrated with his family from Dunfermline to Pittsburgh in 1848 when he was twelve. Through immense industry, self-discipline and astuteness, he went on to make a fortune in the iron and steel industries. He was to become famous in his homeland as well as in America for many charitable endowments, but above all for his championing of public libraries, the first of which he founded in Dunfermline in 1881. (He established 2,508 libraries in all, and gave away approximately $350 million in his lifetime.) As a teenager living in Allegheny he was frustrated by the lack of books. He was delighted when a library of 400 books owned by a Colonel Anderson opened on Saturday afternoons, purely for the use of local working boys. When the library was expanded and moved to new premises, the librarian asked Carnegie to pay a subscription fee since he was no longer an apprentice but a salaried employee of the telegraph company. Carnegie was incensed, arguing that he believed the Colonel would want those who had previously enjoyed his library to continue to do so for free. He wrote to the Pittsburgh Dispatch to complain, and won the day.
Allegheny, May 9th, 1853
Mr Editor:
Believing that you take a deep interest in whatever tends to elevate, instruct and improve the youth of this county, I am induced to call your attention to the following. You will remember that some time ago Mr Anderson (a gentleman of this city) bequested a large sum of money to establish and support a Library for working boys and apprentices residing here. It has been in successful operation for over a year, scattering precious seeds among us, and although fallen ‘by the wayside and in stony places,’ not a few have found good ground. Every working boy has been freely admitted only requiring his parents or guardian to become surety. But its means of doing good have recently been greatly circumscribed by new directors who refuse to allow any boy who is not learning a trade and bound for a stated time to become a member. I rather think that the new directors have misunderstood the generous donor’s intentions. It can hardly be thought that he meant to exclude boys employed in stores merely because they are not bound.
A Working Boy
though not bound.