, 1876-10-14
FAMILIAR TALK,
THE LADIES' LIBRARY ASSOCIA.
'T1ON OF KALAMAZOO.


T1ON OF KALAMAZOO.
On the Michigan Central Railroad mid.
way between Chicago and Detroit, there
lies, In u level valley surrounded by
Il circle OF low hills, o beautiful VII
lnge Of about :12,0o0 Inhabitants. It Is noted
umong travellers for the attracttvencss Of It's
situation, for The regularity Of Its broad streets,
The nrat exterior Of It's houses, md tho anlpli-
ttlle anl luxurtance Of the sl,adc-trecs anl
sllrubbery III which 1t Is literally cnbowcrcd.
But It is not Of these outward charms, visible to
any strangers eye, Of which nc mean hero to
speak; but of higher distinction, which hna
gained for the ltquid'y-nancd Town Of Kalama-
ZOO an exalted estimation with all who know It's
inner character well.
At tile present time, when to many minds tho
question OF the work and place OF woman out
side Of domestic life is one Of pressing impor-
tancc, tho history which follows OF womnn's
institution In Kalamazoo is peculiarly nppropri-
ate. It has signi!lcauco that Is not merely
iocal In interest, but contains hints capable of
wide and useful application. It's lessons will
throw light on the ycxcd Inquiry rs to the
ways and means by which women may influence
a community, continually and hcalthfully cle-
waiting Its moral and intellectual tone, without
oifcudug puncstlfous sense OF right and pru-
pricty. Tho work was begun, as often the
greatest anA best works arc, without any notion
Of the cKtcnt It would reach or the effects It
would accomplish. It was conceived In humtll-
ty, WAS nurturc1 In qutctude and tnodcsty, and is
now' regarded, after long years Of silent agcn-
clcs for good, Without boustfulncss or obtrusiye
pride. Like most things Of genuine worth, 1t
sprang from germ OF unsupported potency,
md its noble growth has far surpassed tic hopes
OF those who have watched anl guided its de-
velopment and progress.
T"enty-hvs yea5s ago.-in Janunry 1s5a,-a
few earnest, Intelligent women OF KalNmazoo
met together to discuss the feasibility Of cstab
fishing a circufatlng-lbrary for thu bcneft Of Tho
village. Books were scarce In those days; and
I've md thrifty, like othcr places Of its size,
there xns the common watt OF the mental stin-
tlant TO to be derived from contact with the re-
tlccticns and researches OF authors who arc the
real bcncfactors Of tho world. Means were
tuition, and tho projectors were women, Whose
purses are everywhere provcrb!ally lightly SUP
piled. Yet these spirited workcrs hud In abl,ii-
dnncc powers that rival In utility the "all-mtghty
perseverance,. 1t Is unnecessary to rclntc the
circumstances by which their object was aceom-
pl[slIcd. The dctaila OF slow and difficult
process, performed with Inadequate Instrument
talitles, whose nbHcncc must be provided against
by Ingenious contriyAlNea, arc only less wcari-
sol,c than the aetual la6or that achieved Sue
cess out III tlle elements Of defeat.
,fisr TX nnntfo fon y IL" ,.n.i"rta.,inT s",nrai
hundred volumes had bcen assembled together,
a.l encouraging lfst OF subscribers Ind lN:On So
cured, and the Ladlcs' Library Association Of
~, tn 5Ipo, "' or1au1So,tnn ~ tn pin,, n liz
Stute. a snilas work had been commenced by
the ladics of Flint, III the year 1851; ll1t tu iu
telligbnco Of 5ts progress or results had aided or
war' IN K"omn1no Ii " s0 '''
I Tic srope Of ths Institution VIC are acscrlo-
~ NM" the hsso"iotinn ,x;cI, nro,nnt vi H.
rr,vt', NJ o o,,nca,or T., al XII" ,s,vs
Esrv soo,, ~ oftSr t5'r socctv Ircs formc5 ti'Sr,,
wero cstabltslcd annual series @ of lectures by
eo,,r PThcse ,xrrn cnn.in,,sd fnr scvcraj s
Goy, tncse IL ~, .s',,, Vt ,.asn
gt' ei,a so Sn ~ trnh.sn5a u5 "f.p nr
T"mn,, ao mnnnre alone. aSrccal,ly md success.
,r.,,,;rn ~. or s,,,,s.it,,o
a. tn}r " ,1a... WIZ eu''''S"t'"
III .1s.s 1s Ky ae ra,,t. y, N. h.aoc,otton ,,c,.
In iS1 LUG rspotts 81 tna nssoSat'oh + a aneau
~ W "iinI ,s1Iot, s,emnt icst
ussnsy !WIas su' n,,a., .,,n,,th s,ns.
1 ,.'u ~, y. Va .st,s ~
"1u oe H. s.,x ~. Ma1
astehqanso o. anemnefS o. tns steihos ~ s seS, ao
.ess woaA ~ ao ~, suss " nse I'LL. III
ss,.n,1v III orsaNn nv o l
H., at te',,,, VIZ huh sa~arinus
so, sSleeohs IT, !so % Ill., ,o
y a9eats @ @ to dun!os ncs a. W.T.
reaa, aug iteo atsgnss'oi, wae cncouuaReo. NM!
aa1oo !9q M o. ts t.u S w. .n a.t @ s 'eses
many y thltty ~ more thougattn Wonen WHO
Teaalaly eousnt .hsso unusaentuaoas t's.. meet
hlss WIN Ennu!he craving 20 Ect !!el1 tncna
konie s!t tnas Muiu n.'P !" VI" YET
Tls Social Meetings wcte si!sta!ned 49, Until tl'e
eXatthg oyens OF lug summer ot io"l sellte,eu
a1l Thoughts upon the 1htcfheei1se str1te oc-
engaged tho labors u tue women ~
ntttnE-ollt soldcts Tor tllo Army 81 the
Unton, anl proyling cot,1torts Tor ttic sick asiA
te Wniltlea WHO sufiered IN canlp anu Hospital.
intellectual aim for their main object was nnw
tixcs! In Kalamazoo, and tn the winter of lsbl
system OF Evening ssatttuEs was established ny