April 1, 1941 — Library referendum adopted

Tuesday, April 1, 1941. There was only one real contest on the ballot — the city treasurer's race — and La Crosse treated the day accordingly. Of 23,151 registered voters, about a third turned out.

The Tribune ran the results the next morning as a list of highlights. John P. Roop re-elected city treasurer. Four new aldermen. Five new supervisors. Then, fourth in the list, between the aldermen and the county superintendent of schools:

"Library referendum adopted."

Four years and a week after the library board's fourth request. Three and a half years after the trustees told the council they were ashamed. Eighteen months after Washington closed its files on the cases. Two words in a bulleted list, on a day most of the city did not bother to vote.

The same election turned out two of the men who had argued the thing through. Arthur O. Scott, who had moved in September 1937 that plans be drawn, was eliminated in the primary. Conrad Severson, who had refused to take playground land for a library, lost the tenth ward — the library's own ward — to James Durland, 314 to 254. Dr. A. R. Kempter held the ninth ward by six votes on the unofficial count, and went on arguing for the school site all summer. Warren Smith was returned in the fifth.