HISTORY OF THE SCHWENKFELDER LIBRARY AND HERITAGE CENTER
A New Building
Wayne c. Meschter,
President of the Board of Publication
also the Schwenkfelder Library's first president
The Schwenkfelder Library
The museum collection on the second floor of the Carnegie Library
Wayne C. Meschter, president of the Board of Publication, was the power behind the effort to erect a new building for the book and manuscript collection. In December 1944, he delivered a check for $7,500 to the Board of Publication, and in April showed a willingness to give up to $100,000 when needed, provided the Board of Publication would assume responsibility of maintenance of the building project, the General Conference would approve separate incorporation of the library and the land would be owned by the corporation so that the library would be a “perpetually independent” institution.
The Board and Conference accepted and approved this move and in November 1946 the library became incorporated. In May 1947 articles of incorporation were approved and bylaws adopted. Mr. Meschter was elected library’s first president; Malcolm Schweiker, vice president; Wayne Rothenberger, treasurer; Lester Kriebel, secretary. In October 1947 the library’s property was deeded from Perkiomen School to library. The location chosen was a lot on the Perkiomen School campus approximately 250 yards from the Carnegie Library.
The new building was dedicated on October 27, 1951. Earlier that year title to the collections, endowment funds and rights of occupancy to designated areas of the Carnegie Library were formally transferred from the Board of Publication to the Schwenkfelder Library. The contents of the vault had ben moved in September and the rest of the library collection was moved as time permitted. The museum collection remained in the Carnegie building and was given over to exhibit space for the artifacts. Over the years this collection grew and more thought had to be given to consider suitable space for its storage, display and protection.
Through the generosity of Wayne C. Meschter, the efforts of the Schwenkfelder Board of Directors and Director Berky the library made a concerted effort in the late 1950s to increase the library’s endowment fund in order to insure funding for the basic operating costs. After acquiring the full share of stock in Mr. Meschter’s preserve company, Wayne American Co., the library then dissolved the corporation and sold the company’s Philadelphia building. This insured the library with sufficient monthly cash flow and endowment funds.