118 S. Cambridge St. Ninety Six, SC 29666 864-543-4749 Ninety Six Branch Library Reminds You The “Reading Is Essential” mural pictures ways in which reading is important. It shows elements of Ninety Six history as well as 17 state symbols of South Carolina. Many modes of transportation are represented: horseback, “shanks mare,” train, ship, airplane and of course, the ability of travelling through time and space by reading. The mural depicts the necessity of knowing how to: read dials and gauges if you want to drive a train; read musical notes in order to sing or play a musical instrument; read a recipe to cook; read a map to go on a trip; and read signs to obey the law. Reading is essential to know the words of our natural history and heritage as pictured by the Preamble to the Constitution and an open Bible. Aspects of Ninety Six History seen on the mural are the mythical Indian maid Cateechee on horseback, a portion of George Hunter’s 1730 map of the Cherokee trail which shows a circled “96” and a figure of a Revolutionary solider. Letters to servicemen of three wars are pictured along with Ninety Six postal cancellations dating from 1864 to the one used the day the mural was completed. Nature scenes show the good hunting and fishing of the area that has been enjoyed for hundreds of years and products such as cotton and more recently cattle and pine trees. There are examples of some things you can “read” without knowing any letters such as “reading” the moss on the north side of a tree to determine direction, “reading” various cloud formations to forecast weather and “reading” animal tracks in the woods. There is a raised message in Braille to denote something that can be “read” with the fingers. Space age letters and numbers that can be “read” by machines are pictured there as well as the barcode from a can of Ninety Six hash. Mrs. Aull used various materials and techniques to paint the library mural: spatter painting on the cooking scene; paint applied with a crushed plastic bag gave a look of leather to the Cherokee syllabury and pleated plastic bags were used to paint some of the clouds. A stencil was cut for the turtles and potatoes were carved to print the animal tracks on the Cherokee alphabet. A natural sponge was used to dab on paint for the flag and some of the trees and a comb was used to achieve the realistic look for the bale of cotton. Mural was painted by Louise Aull. In 1663 King Charles II rewarded supporters with a gift of land in North America he named Carolina. A colony was established on the coast and the grateful proprietors named their settlement Charles Town. By 1729 Charlestown had grown to a population of 3,000 and annually exported agricultural produce, naval stores and lumber. Merchants yearly exported 75,000 deerskins brought by more than 300 traders along the Cherokee path from Keowe e and beyond. From the smallest acorn can grow the largest and strongest of oak trees. We want our younger generation to grow into mature, well-informed citizens with good values and strong convictions. We must give them the tools they need to study the wisdom of the ages and be equipped for the future. Designed By: Sonya Banks Official Postage Cancellation