Memorial Library Keys Today
Simple Ceremonies Mark Opening This Afternoon
of the Elaborately-Outfitted Room In Hopedale High School
Hopedale -- With simple ceremonies the elaborately outfitted Memorial Library in the General Draper High School at Hopedale was dedicated today in memory of her father, General William F. Draper. Present were members of the family of the Princess, Hopedale school committeemen and town officials.
Following the brief exercises the room was open for inspection to the residents of Hopedale, Milford and Mendon, who also had the privilege of looking over the magnificent new school building, which now boasts of a library equaled in no other community except in colleges and private schools.
Princess Boncompagni was given deserved praise from all for her generosity in giving the library, which has been equipped and furnished, regardless of the cost, with the main objective being to provide every comfort and convenience to the students during their final educational courses in Hopedale.
The ceremonies this afternoon included brief remarks by Princess Boncompagni, who then presented the keys of the room to Frank J. Dutcher, veteran chairman of the Hopedale school committee, the latter accepting the handsome donation in behalf of the committee.
Princess Boncompagni had intended to have a program of entertainment in connection with the dedication, coupled with more elaborate exercises, but the recent death of Mrs. E.L. Osgood, her aunt and father's sister, caused her to alter the arrangements. She plans, however, to have the pleasure of entertaining her friends in the community at the High School at a later date.
All who gathered at the school this afternoon were given an opportunity to meet the Princess, who made plans to remain at the building until after 5 o'clock.
The Memorial library is situated at the northwest end of the school building and has two entrances; one from the main corridor and the other on the west side from the English classroom. The room is done in American English finish hand carved by Irving & Casson, leading decorators of the country and whose interior work adorns many large churches. It is a Georgian room, with the Georgian shell carved over each of the corner shelves.
The floor is of Italian marble, which is used also in the construction of the large open fireplace, from which electric heat is radiated through magic coal and creates a most cheerful atmosphere. the floor is practically hidden by an expensive Persian carpet from England, with English embroidery, while colorful draperies are hung along the north windows.
Over the fireplace is a huge copy of an oil painting of General William F. Draper with a frame handcarved to match the general decorating scheme. The original painting was the work of Robert Hickey, a New England artixt of renown, and its copy was the effort of Leslie Thompson, a Boston artist.
All the books, numbering 1094, from the original library of General Draper, each beautifully bound and rare editions, are in position at the Memorial room and Princess Boncompagni has added many volumes, including two illuminated manuscript books.
There are three chairs from the General Draper library in the room, together with a Dante statue and other effects from the old library at the Draper home. The furniture is of special design and is upholstered in deep red English morocco leather and needle point finish.
Special articles in the library are a desk lamp from England and a large vase purchased in France. There are also two small end tables of a neat pattern to be used in connection with the reading chairs. There are open and closed shelves for books on both the east and west sides of the room. The lighting system is of an indirect nature.
The seating capacity is in excess of the usual ratio for a library in school having the same enrollment as Hopedale High. On either side of the corridor door are memorials of General Draper, each in a large frame. On the right as one enters are his degree from Washington and Lee University, at Lennox, Va., appointment as Ambassador to Italy under President McKinley's administration during the reign of King Humbert, a letter from John Hays of the Department of State and one from the then Minister of Affairs. Milford Daily News, April 6, 1929
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An article titled Princess At Library Dedication, written by Gordon Hopper in 1994, tells largely the same story as seen above, but has the following information on early Hopedale schools not included in the 1929 story.
During the course of his remarks in accepting the keys of the Hopedale Memorial Library from Princess Boncompagni, Frank Dutcher, chairman of the School Committee, stated that in December 1854, a private school for older persons was opened on the same site as that on which the new Hopedale High School stands, from which the General Draper Home was removed.
At that time, the property was included in the town of Milford from which Hopedale was set off in 1886. It was known as the Collegiate and Classical Institution and it was in operation for several years.
It was succeeded by what was known as the Hopedale Home School on the site near the Town Hall formerly occupied by the American Legion quarters. [Now the site of the police station. The Legion home was purchased by Robert Mallard, moved, and attached to his home behind the post office.]
The school was in charge of Mr. and Mrs. William S. Hayward, Mrs. Hayward being the daughter of the Rev. Adin Ballou. Material used in the preparation of this feature item was supplied by Paul Curran of Milford. Milford Daily News, September 17, 1994
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