Monday, October 20, 2003 11:14 AM CDT
Long-time library patron 'best' substitute for time capsule
BY NATHANIEL WEST, Staff Writer
CHARLESTON -- Who needs a rusty ol' time capsule, when you've got Edna Harpster?
"She's the best time capsule we could have," said Sheryl Snyder, director of the Charleston Carnegie Public Library.
Following a months-long buildup toward unlocking a 100-year-old time capsule for the library's centennial celebration, it was learned recently the lock was more formidable than expected. The copper box is encased within the building's large cornerstone, so officials instead found duplicates of almost every item in the capsule.
Those historical artifacts -- including turn-of-the-century coins, library documents and newspapers -- will be on display at the library on Sixth Street in Charleston. Unveiled Saturday during an open house, those items still pale next to the living history of the 101-year-old Harpster, said Snyder.
Born in Humboldt in 1902, two years before the Charleston facility opened, Harpster grew up in Mattoon and regularly visited the local library. It too was funded by a grant from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who put his vast riches toward the construction of libraries across the country.
"Libraries have always played a big part in my life," she said.
Harpster recalled how her grandfather taught her to read by asking her to recite paragraphs from the newspaper. "My family were great readers, all of them," she said.
She has lived in Charleston for 55 years, and started visiting the city's library 15 years ago. She already has read each of the library's large-print mysteries and westerns, and now her granddaughter, Gena Bunch, orders books through the inter-library loan program.
"I think it's a beautiful library," said Harpster, who was named Library Patron of the Century on her March 30 birthday in 2002.
She remembers relying on the library's copies of National Geographic for school reports in her youth, and she is fascinated with the place computers now have in the function of libraries.
"They will help these children now," she said. "I'm so happy to see so many children here."
Three of them call Harpster their great-grandmother. Kai Harpster, 10, usually gravitates toward the books about reptiles, while his 8-year-old brother, Justin, seeks out the library's model train set. Their cousin, Michael Harpster, 3, takes advantage of the children's story hour.
"It has a lot of stuff you can learn about," Kai Harpster said of the Charleston library.
According to Snyder, guests at the library may record their "hopes and dreams" for the future in a special book, and they may also offer suggestions for items to accompany it in an underground vault to be sealed next spring.
She added that this new time capsule will actually be accessible in 100 years.
Contact Nathaniel West at nwest@jg-tc.com or 238-6860.
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Karen Hill, Pikeville KY wrote on Jun 2, 2007 6:15 PM: