Stratford Branch Library History, 1981

STRATFORD BRANCH LIBRARY HISTORY 1-19-81 Stratford Branch Library had its beginnings in 1928, when Mrs. Edna Kissick kept a small lending library in her home in the adjacent community of Lynchburg. By 1930, a shift in populationjand establishment of oil refineries in the Highlands area (then called Elena) caused Mrs. Kissick to abandon her library. Rather than get rid of the library all together, Mrs. M.L. Doss, pbstmaster, asked if the library could be located where the old post office was located: at the rear of a grocery store on Main St. Bookshelves were installed and Mrs. Dossfs wish was granted. Miss Aquila Norris was the first paid librarian. She was paid $5.00 to keep the library open two nights a week. More space was needed for this rapidly growing community of the town of Highlands, Frank B. Stratford was then mayor of Highlands. He persuaded C.A. Fortner to donate some space for the library in a building not' far 1 from where the library was then housed. So in 1936, Highlands Library was re-lacated for the third time. The newly organized Highlands Garden Club under the scruntiny of Earl Barnett adopted the library as its project. Clearly, the library needed a home of its own. The Club organized a door-to-door fund drive ani literally canvassed the entire town. They raised an impressive $600 but more money was needed if a new building was to be built. The late Harry K. Johnson, Sr. came to the rescue and offered a lot for the building. He matched the funds dollar for dollar, and with the sum of $1,000 proceded to attain J.L. Northrup, of Houston, to draw up plans for the building* at the corner of Magnolia and San Jacinto Streets. Of English design, the new Highlands Library was opened to the public in April 1937. The library had 2,572