The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 45, July 1941 - April, 1942 Page: 277

                                
Texas Collection

of Texas, but because they were built slowly, without fanfare
or publicity, they are important, far more important than occa-
sional volcanic explosions which people go to see but seldom
make use of.
The great trouble with Texas Collection is that people use it.
Texans from  everywhere come to it to learn of their own
history, their own ancestors, their own communities. They
take the books out by the hour and by the dozen. They break
the spine, thumb the pages, dog-ear the leaves; they literally
wear them out. The books are there for use, and they ought
to be used. Texas Collection was very much in need of just
such an extra library of Texas books as it has now acquired.
These should be preserved as they are, and they doubtless will be.
The Philpott books comprise 2,500 to 3,000 volumes and with
them are some pamphlets, booklets, magazines, and prints. The
proper housing of these books renews the old and troublesome
problem of lodging the whole Texas Collection. It has recently
been suggested that it should be removed to the east wing of the
Library. This is little doubt that the east wing would be most
appropriate, and since the present quarters are now overrun,
some action is now imperative. Those who are most vitally
interested desire that the Philpott books, and other additions,
be maintained as a part of the existing Texas Collection.
The acquisition of the Philpott books was made possible
through the generosity of Miss Blanche McKie of Corsicana.
The Regents supplement Miss McKie's gift to provide for the
purchase. This is the second time that Miss McKie has con-
ferred a benefaction on the University and on the state. Several
years ago she set up an endowment of $25,000 in honor of her
father, Judge W. J. McKie, known as the McKie Gift Scholar-
ship Fund in Law. The members of the Association and all
students of Texas history are indebted to Mr. Philpott for col-
lecting these books and to Miss Blanche McKie and the Board
of Regents for making them available to us all.
Andrew F. Muir, Master of history at St. Luke's Episcopal
Church School, Austin, submits the following three news notes:
The Texas State Gazette, published at Austin during the fifties,
contains two references to a camel experiment on the Great

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