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LRB093 23537 CSA 54020 r






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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the 
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State of Illinois wish to congratulate the Timothy B. 
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Blackstone Library, 4904 S. Lake Park Avenue, in the Hyde Park 
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area of Chicago, Illinois, on the occasion of the celebration 
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of its 100th anniversary, which was celebrated on September 18, 
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2004; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The Blackstone Library, the first branch in the 
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Chicago Public Library system, was opened in 1904 as a tribute 
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to the late Timothy B. Blackstone by his wife, Isabella; and
 
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    WHEREAS, For 100 years, the library has been a beacon of 
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learning in the Hyde Park area; and 
 
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    WHEREAS, Many hundreds of people have made it possible for 
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the ideas and hopes that first went into the building to come 
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alive through all these years; and 
 
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    WHEREAS, The library has been one of the architectural 
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crown jewels of the Hyde Park-Kenwood community, having been 
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designed by Solon S. Beman as a replica of the 450 B.C. Greek 
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temple "Erecthion" in Athens; and
 
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    WHEREAS,  In 1939, an addition was built to house the 
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Children's library and a substantial restoration of the entire 
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building was completed in 1980; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The 100th anniversary celebration drew current 
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and former Hyde Park residents, some of whom are distinquished 
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community leaders, authors, and public servants; and
 

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    WHEREAS, The Blackstone Library has been a wonderful asset 
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for the community, and those who grew up using the library have 
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expressed their heartfelt gratitude; and
 

 


 






HR1236
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LRB093 23537 CSA 54020 r




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    WHEREAS, One of the participants in the celebration, State 
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Representative Barbara Flynn Currie, grew up at the Blackstone 
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Library, as did her children, Stephen and Margaret, and today 
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her six-year-old granddaughter, Katie, and three-year-old 
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grandson, Davey, are regulars at the Blackstone Library; and
 

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    WHEREAS, Addressing the crowd at the celebration, Friends 
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of Blackstone Library President Dina Weinstein said "there's 
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something about feeding the mind and imagination and the love 
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of books that is so universal"; therefore, be it
 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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congratulate the Blackstone Library on the occasion of the 
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celebration of its 100th anniversary; that we extend our 
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sincere appreciation to the Friends of Blackstone Library for 
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their interest, generosity and continued support of the 
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library; and be it further
 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the Blackstone Library.