Wooden library pins were lures to keep kids reading

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published 06:00 a.m., November 3, 2007

Back in the late 1940s and 1950s, kids ventured to the public library near the intersection of North Union and West Cavour in Fergus Falls, all four seasons of the year. During the summer months there was a good incentive to take part in the reading program when regular school was not in session.

That incentive was a wooden pin that each youngster received after reading at least 10 books over the summer months.

Examples are a wagon from 1949, clown from 1950, cowboy from 1953, Liberty Bell from 1955, canoe from 1956 and wooden earth (globe) figure from 1957. Others included bookworms and other wooden emblems, with FFPL denoted on some of the pins.

“I still have my wooden pins,” Fergus Falls resident Mary Jo Melby Christenson said. “I brought our sons to the Library to enjoy story hour as preschoolers and then they participated in the summer reading program as well. They also have reading pins but theirs are button style. I like mine better.”

Many baby boomers, as they approach retirement, remember those days in the children’s section at the lower level of the public library. Entrance was on the north side of the building down the hill along Cavour Avenue.

“Entering the public library at the lower children’s entrance was really fascinating for me,” Christenson said. “We walked down into the children’s area and on the side walls along the stair casing was the mural depicting the book ‘Paddle to the Sea.’ I loved looking at it both entering and leaving.”

She said that Miss Grina, the children’s librarian, always was pleasant and encouraging.

“She would read us a story and then help and encourage us to find books of varying interests and at our reading level,” Christenson said. “The earliest books I remember checking out were ‘Curious George and Farmer Small’ and ‘The Little Family.’ It was fun being an early reader.”

For Fergus Falls native Marlene Nelson Walton, a teacher in the Twin Cities, her fondest memories were of all the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. Christenson said she also appreciated the new set of stories by Wilder.

Walton said she can clearly picture Miss Grina, to whom she would give a short book summary.

“Then she would record the book title on a given card,” Walton said. “I still remember the unique architecture of the library prior to the addition. The tiled roof made the building stand out from the other public buildings in Fergus Falls.”

Another popular series, Christenson said, was the “Bobbsey Twins.” She also enjoyed were those by Louisa May Alcott, “The Little Women” series, “Eight Cousins” series and the “Nancy Drew” and “Hardy Boys” series.

Christenson said that when kids grew older they looked forward to the time when they would be able to go upstairs inside the old public library.

“Once upstairs there was the adventure and fun of going up the spiral staircase to the upper stacks,” she said.

“Going to the library was a popular thing to do during our Junior High days. I only went for research — but many kids went regularly to study and meet their friends.”

Christenson said a visit to the public library always offered a sense of stepping out of one’s busy world and into timeless peace and tranquility.

“That still holds true today,” she said.

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