For Logansport Cass County Public Library trustees, there is no better way to emphasize the importance of writing than through the legacy of former librarian Bill McTaggart.
That legacy is why they are bringing back a local writing contest in his honor.
A Cass County writing contest was held for five years after McTaggart’s death in 1997, and trustees are looking to bring it back this spring.
“He was a writer, and I think the main reason this was started was to honor him as a friend to the community,” library director Dave Ivey said. “He started a creative writing program at the state hospital, and I believe he did that for over 20 years. He taught classes and had a contest with the patients out there and was known for that.”
In fact, McTaggart was presented with the national Jefferson Award for outstanding community service for his work with the hospital program.
The Cass County Mental Health Association, Four County Counseling Center and the Logansport State Hospital also created a Bill McTaggart Memorial Award for those who promote education about mental illness.
In the past, Ivey said, the contest included participants from local schools for creative writing such as poetry and short stories. There were typically three or four prize levels with awards of $300 to $400.
This time, Ivey said, the board of trustees wants to include adults as well.
“The idea was to foster creative juices and writing for everybody,” he said. “People are students for life and you have to exercise that type of thinking often for it so stay sharp.
“By expanding to adults, we might be able to spark some interest in the community that is dormant right now.”
Jon Myers, a library trustee and a friend of the late McTaggart, said it was appropriate to include adults in the writing contest because McTaggart was an adult writer himself. McTaggart published several articles as a free-lance writer.
“Logansport has a long history of supporting the arts,” Myers said. “Unfortunately, creative writing, especially from adults, has been virtually ignored in recent years.
“It is the library’s hope to fill this literary void by sponsoring the McTaggart Writing Prize.”
Myers said McTaggart made a bequest in his will for the establishment of such a competition.
“Bill was a good friend of mine,” he said. “And I suspect he would be quite pleased to see his bequest generate interest in local writing efforts, by both writers and readers of all ages. It is a privilege for me to further my good friend’s work.”
Myers is chairman of the committee working to bring back the writing competition.
Ivey said details of the revived contest had not yet been determined, but the board of trustees looks to launch the program in the spring.
• Jennifer Tangeman is a reporter for the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at 574-732-5148 or jennifer.tangeman@pharostribune.com.
Local News
Library bringing back writing contest
Competition will honor former librarian
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