History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

269

The old Methodist church was bought and was used by the society till
1893, when a lot on one of the main corners of Birmingham was bought
and a building erected at a cost of thirty-five hundred dollars. Money
was raised by the women in every conceivable way by holding baby
shows, fairs, balls, dramatic entertainments, dinners, banquets, etc., till
there were twenty-five hundred books on the shelves. In I907 the society
offered their property to the village provided a tax of one-half mill on a
dollar was voted for the support of a free public library. Miss Martha
Baldwin, who had served many years as secretary of the society, offered
to give to the village a mortgage of twenty-five hundred dollars, held by
her upon the building. After a hotly contested election, the library won.
The decision was carried to the Supreme Court and there the library won
again. It was not till August, I907, that it was catalogued under the
Dewey system and opened to the public. Its success has far exceeded
the expectations of its friends. It is now open four times a week with a
skilled librarian in charge. It was the first public library in the county.
It now numbers four thousand volumes and many magazines and papers
are on the reading tables.
Birmingham is proud of its library and it is also prouder of the women
who worked for it and of the men who voted for it. A list of those is
kept in the library records.
Miss Baldwin has been president and Miss V. Post, secretary of the
board since its organiaztion.
The present board is composed of the following: President, Miss M.
Baldwin; vice president, Mrs. Mary Cooper; secretary, Miss V. Post;
treasurer, Dr. J. Rainy; Mrs. J. A. Bigelow and Mrs. Lena Wilson.
BIRMINGHAM LITERARY CLUB
The Women's Literary Club of Birmingham was organized in I890.
It is a member of the county and state federations. Mrs. Helen Brey is
president; Mrs. Stanley Todd, secretary; Mrs. William H. Poole, corresponding secretary.
GREENWOOD CEMETERY ASSOCIATION, BIRMINGHAM
In September of 1881, two women were strolling through the village
cemetery. Dr. Raynale, who had done so much for its care and preservation, had finished his labors and was at rest within its limits and there
was no one to carry on the work.
The younger woman was loud in her praises of the good conditions
of a neighboring ground. The older one said nothing, but thought "what
they can do, we can do, and more." Within a week a dozen women were
called together and an association formed. The yearly dues were placed
at fifty cents. The grass was mowed and the grounds cleaned.
In 1885 the society was incorporated under the laws of the state and
two and one-half acres of adjoining land were bought at a cost of $50o.
This was platted according to the landscape gardening plan. The dues
were raised to one dollar per year. In I901 and I904 further additions
were made; a new tool house was built, water pipes laid, a gasoline en