History
(Editor’s Note: Stratford
Librarian, Barbara Darbutt,
has prepared this history of
the library to present our
readers during National Li¬
brary Week, April 5-11.)
Stratford Branch Library
had its beginnings in 1928,
when Mrs. Edna Kissick start¬
ed a small lending library in
her home in Lynchburg. By
1930, a shift in population and
establishment of oil refineries
in the Highlands area (then
called Elena) caused Mrs.
Kissick to terminate her li¬
brary.
Rather than abandon the
Of Highlands Library Presented
library altogether,' Mts. M. L.
Doss, postmaster, asked if the
library could be located where
the old post office was lo¬
cated; ?t the rear of a grocery
on Main Street. Bookshelves
were installed and Mrs.
Doss’s wish was granted.
Miss Acquila 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 commu¬
nity of the town of Highlands.
Frank B. Stratford was then
mayor of Highlands. He per¬
suaded C. A. Fortner to
donate some space for the
library in a building he owned
not far from where the library
was housed. So, in 1936,
Highlands Library was. re¬
located for the third time.
The newly organized High¬
lands Garden Club, under the
scrutiny of Mr. and Mrs. 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 and
literally canvassed the entire
town. They raised an impres¬
sive $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 as a site for the
building. He matched funds
dollar for dollar that was
i*aised from the fund drive and
with the' £um of $1 ,000 pro-
ceded to obtain J. L. North-
rup, architect, of Houston to
draw up plans for the new
structure 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 volumes and was open
21 hours a week. The Garden
Club resumed responsibilities
of the library’s bills until 1946
when Harris County agreed to
pay for its upkeep.
Early in 1963, a building
site on Kerry Ave. in High¬
lands was given to the Garden
Club by Thomas and J. W.
Garth. It was rumored that a
new library was to be con¬
structed on that site. County
Commissioner, V.V. Ramsey,
recognized a need for better
facilities and made a proposal
to the Commissioner’s Court.
After much deliberation, the
Court recognized this need
and agreed.
Land was donated by Anna
For Library Week
Stratford for a public park and
recreation facilities about the
same time. The County de¬
cided a portion of that land
was to be used for the new
library building. It was late in
1965 when a bid of $16,600
was accepted for construction
of the present building. The
1,200 square foot building
located at 509 Stratford, was
dedicated, honoring Anna
Stratford, on March 27, 1966.
As a community park build¬
ing, its rest rooms were
located on the outside of the
building with no entrance
from the inside of the library
building. In the early 1970’s
when new playground equip¬
ment was granted for the
adjacent Stratford Park, that
problem was eleviated when
proper facilities were built by
the park. Harris County began
to make plans to renovate and
convert, the building into
workable library space. A
workroom and children’s area
were later converted from the
existing rest rooms.
Past librarians who gave
time and talents to the Strat¬
ford Branch Library have been
in addition to Miss Norris:
Miss Roselle Harris, Mrs. A.
C. Merchant, Louise Davis,
Mrs. Doris Davis, Mrs. Rex
Wolfe, Eleanor Ann Sewell,
and Mrs. Martha Fellabaum.
The present librarian, Mrs.
Barbara Darbutt, concludes,
“This library strives to give
the citizens of Highlands and
neighboring communities the
best possible service. We can
virtually get any book through
our system wide exchanges.”
The library is open 40 hours a
week and hosts story times,
films, programs, and current
best sellers. It haswer 13,000
volumes. The library’s hours
are Monday through Thursday
9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 1 to 6
p.m. and on Saturday 9 a.m.
to 1 p.m.
Fire Department Has
18 Calls For Week
The fire whistle blew a total
of 18 times over the reporting
week with a variety of calls
answered. Ambulance calls
predominated.
An auto fire called HVFD.
gency treatment but died later
in the evening.
Both the ambulance and
fire trucks made a 6:46 p.m.
call to 1615 East Wallisville on
April 1. This was the scene of
‘-~J-4ont, but no
The Highlands Star
Highlands-MPearl Of The San Jacin to"-Nor th Gateway To The Tallest Monument In
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