Rare Book Room

Henry Buhl Library

Rare Book Room

The Rare Book Room was the vision and special project of President Weir C. Ketler, third president of Grove City College and son of its founder, Isaac C. Ketler.

Presidents of the College were responsible for entertaining guests in their homes or in small reception areas in other campus buildings. When Buhl Library was designed in the early 1950s, Dr. Ketler requested the inclusion of a large and beautiful meeting room, suitable for on-campus receptions and lectures. Members of the Board agreed with his plan and worked with him to bring his idea to life.

The room is the gift of Lewis W. Hicks and is dedicated to the memory of his wife, Anna Armstrong Hicks, and their son, Wenman Armstrong Hicks. Mr. Hicks was a Trustee and the Chairman of the Library Plans Committee responsible for building Henry Buhl Library.

Although there are a number of rare and vintage books housed in the glassed cases, the room is known more for its beautiful art objects than for its books. Many of the present furnishings and art objects are original to the room. A spacious and classic meeting place, the room is anchored by the three large oriental rugs. Dr. Ketler told the story of their purchase for the room to a group of friends he brought to the Library to show off the Rare Book Room. Imported in 1929 by Horne's for a wealthy client who fell prey to the October stock market crash, the rugs remained in storage in a New York City warehouse until Dr. Ketler and a Horne's officer who was also a College trustee made the journey to see the rugs unrolled for the first time after nearly 25 years.

A portrait of Daniel Webster by Gilbert Stuart is the prize piece of the Rare Book Room. Dr. Isaac C. Ketler, who admitted to being a shameless seeker of beauty for his college, apparently so impressed H.J. Heinz with his reminder that Grove City College might be a better place for that painting, that Heinz sent the portrait to Dr. Ketler as a New Year's present. The Heinz to Ketler letter, dated December 27th, 1902, is framed and placed in the case below the portrait.

The doll collection is a gift from Dr. Josephine Roberts, a long-time English teacher and advisor to the International Club. "Robbie" out-maneuvered her multiple sclerosis for many years, remaining active in teaching, writing, and corresponding with her many student friends. A number of the dolls are gifts to her from World War II GIs who a short time before had been her pupils. Others are gifts from the international students she welcomed into her home and encouraged and advised. Still others she collected herself or received as gifts from her contemporaries who indulged Robbie's passion.

The Miller Glassware is a gift of the Harvey A. Miller family. The sons remember their mother's teaching them to be gentlemen by using the exquisite cut glass everyday. These are fine examples of Western Pennsylvania glass, where just the right kind of sand to make good glass was found in abundance. Until recently, the "boys" and their wives came in summers to visit and wash the glass and remember their mother. Harvey A. Miller, Jr., like his father, has been a long-time trustee of the College.

Two of the curio cabinets and their contents are gifts of Mr. Hicks, in honor of his wife and son. The third cabinet is a gift of Mrs. Helen Logan Bailey, a long-time friend of the College. Figurines, music boxes, jade and ivory, Sevres Porcelain all appear in these collections of miniatures and other small objects.

A recent acquisition is the Elephant Case, a gift of the Fred C. Babcock family. Mr. Babcock, a trustee, enjoyed collecting elephants in as many different metals and minerals as he could. At his request the family presented the elephants and the display case to the College in his memory. Notice that all the elephants' trunks are pointing upward—a sign of good luck.

Other items of interest include:
A copy of the Nuremburg Chronicle, with hand-painted plates
A 1537 edition of the first French Protestant version of the Bible
A bronze bust of Benjamin Franklin, a replica of the Houdon bust
Green art deco Venetian dessert plates and glassware, given by Mr. & Mrs. Albert Hopeman, Jr.
A picture of President Theodore Roosevelt, autographed to Dr. Isaac C. Ketler, April 24, 1908
The original copy of the Alma Mater, framed so both sides are visible

The Rare Book Room is used for meetings, lectures, honorary inductions, and the like. In order to maintain the beauty of the room and its somewhat fragile and precious contents, restrictions on numbers and activities may apply, and reservations must be made via the my.gcc portal. You may ask for a tour to be scheduled at a mutually convenient time. We are happy to share such a beautiful room with you.