The library room is situated along the eastern side of our college building and is a large, light, airy apartment well stocked with the latest papers and periodicals, arranged in systematic order on the tables, around which chairs are placed for the comfort of those desiring to do reference work in the room.

The room is lined with cases in which the books are kept, and one can find an extensive line of history, philosophy, science, music, fiction, poetry, and general miscellaneous works.

The library is open, under the care of one of the librarians, every afternoon of the school week, and all students of the N. E. O. N. C. are granted the use of its books and papers, and great encouragement is given to all to make use of the opportunities and privileges thus placed within their reach of delving deep into the mysteries of science, or communing with great minds thro' the broad avenue of books.

NELLIE MAE WHITNEY,

N. E. O. N. C. Librarian.

CARDINGTON.

PUBLIC LIBRARY.

The history of the Ladies' Public Library Association of Cardington, is a history of struggle and determination.

It was organized by nine women, March 23, 1878, under the name of the Library Fund Society.

By great effort these women were able to purchase fifty dollars' worth of books, December, 1878.

In March, 1879, the society reorganized under the name of the Ladies' Public Library Association, with the following officers and members:

A room for library use was donated to them by Mr. Jacob Kreis, and it was at once opened for the rent and and loan of books.

In November, 1879, Major W. G. Beatty donated the library a book. case and 105 books; and the close of 1879 found the Library Association established with a library room, a book case and 247 books.

There is one feature in the history of the library at Cardington that possibly no other library in the state possesses; that is, it was organized by women and has always been controlled and directed by them; and no officer or member has ever received any recompense for help or time given. It has been supported entirely by the money received from membership dues, the sale of tickets, rents and fines, and entertainments, and if it had not been for the determination, tact, and financial ability of these women the library could never have lived through the struggle of its infancy.

Mrs. W. G. Beatty was President from March, 1879, till 1896, and for eighteen years gave to the duties of the position all the force of her ability and intelligence, and to her much of the success of the library is due.

From the organization of the society in March, 1878, Mrs. Ella M. Watson was its faithful librarian. For twelve years she was always found at her place, faithful to her duties, until November, 1890, she was called to lay them aside and to open the book of Eternal Life.

The duties of librarian were then taken up by Mrs. D. A. Stark, who until January, 1900, faithfully and earnestly worked for the best interest of the Association.

She was an

Mrs. Geo. O. Brown was, for a number years, treasurer. ambitious and enthusiastic worker and so great was her love for the library that we found when she was taken from us, that she had even planned for the future and had bequeathed to the Association one hundred dollars.

In 1895 the Donovan Bro's kindly offered to the Library Association the use of the room over their grocery, free of charge, so long as they had the renting of the building. The offer was very gratefully accepted, and for five years the library has been pleasantly situated there.

In 1898, the Ladies' Public Library Association became an incorporated body.

Twenty-two years have passed since the library with one book case and 247 books opened its doors to the public. Now it has six book cases and nearly 1,500 books. The years have been years of struggle, often of disappointment and anxiety, but the members are bravely working, and looking forward hopefully to the time when some benevolent, publicminded citizen will make it possible to have a free public library and reading room. Such was the hope in the past when it was organized, and such is the hope of the present.

Only one of the original members of the Association is now connected with it. Mrs. T. H. Ensign, a woman to whom the interests of the library are very dear, especially as she has watched its growth from the small beginning to the present time.

The present members hold in love and reverence the work and memory of those, pioneers, and earnestly desire to be as brave and successful in the present and future, as they were in the past.

LIBRARY OF THE HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF OHIO.

The Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio was incorporated by an act of the legislature passed February 11, 1831, making Columbus, Ohio, the place of meeting for the Society.

On the evening of December 21, 1831, Ebenezer Lane, J. C. Wright, Gustavus Swan, Arius Nye and J. P. Kirtland, met for organization at the Court House in Columbus. Gustavus Swan acted as Chairman, and Arius Nye as Secretary. A resolution was adopted that Jeremiah Morrow, Ethan A. Brown, Benjamin A. Ruggles, David K. Este, Edward King, John M. Goodenow, Philemon Beecher, Ralph Granger, and Thomas H. Genine, the persons named in an earlier act of February 1, 1822, to incorporate the Historical Society of Ohio, be admitted to membership in the new society. On the same evening twenty-three other members were admitted. A committee was then appointed to prepare a code of by-laws, to report at the next meeting, December 31, 1831, when the Society was formally organized, by-laws adopted and officers elected to serve for the ensuing year.

For eighteen years the Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio, so begun, met in Columbus. Those most constant in attendance at its early meetings were, Benjamin Tappan, who was first president, P. B. Wilcox, first Secretary, J. C. Wright, Ebenezer Lane and Arius Nye. As the members came from all parts of the State of Ohio, full attendance at meetings is not often recorded in the minutes, and few meetings apparently were held except the. annual meetings in December. Yet, from the early minutes it is plain that much zeal was shown towards establishing local historical associations throughout the state, for the purpose

of collecting and preserving whatever related to the early history of their several localities. Five such new historical associations were formed, within the years 1838-1844. And as a further outgrowth of the labors of the Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio, there were organized and published The American Pioneer, under the direct auspices of the Logan County Historical Society, and Pioneer History, by Dr. S. P. Hildreth, under the auspices of the Cincinnati Historical Society. Among the historical papers prepared by members of the Society, is its Journal and Transactions, published in two parts, in the years 1838 and 1839, containing articles by Jacob Burnet, William H. Harrison, James McBride, Arius Nye, and others.

At the December meeting, 1848, on motion of Mr. Salmon P. Chase, the by-laws of the Society were amended so as to change the place of meeting from Columbus to Cincinnati. And thereafter the Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio was formally united with the Cincinnati Historical Society, which had been organized in 1844, the consolidated societies retaining the name of the older and present organization.

The first meeting of the Society was held in Cincinnati, on February 5, 1849, where its home has remained down to the present time. Since its removal to Cincinnati the Society has, among other publications, put forth the following: Progres in the Northwest, by William D. Gallagher, in 1850; The Memoirs of the Early Settlers of Ohio, 1852, by Dr. S. P. Hildreth, new series; Journal and Letters of Colonel John May, 1873; Diary of David Zeisberger, translated and edited by Eugene F. Bliss, 2 volumes, 1885.

The objects of the Society are, as declared in its charter:

"The collection, preservation and diffusion of whatever may relate to the history, biography, literature, philosophy and antiquities of America more especially of the State of Ohio, of the West, and of the United States.”

The institution is free from taxation because open to the public. Although endowed by bequests appropriated to specific purposes of maintaining, preserving and enlarging its collection, out of income from such endowment, the Society relies for the payment of its current expenses, including the salary of its librarian, upon one hundred corporate members, who, beyond the privilege of paying ten dollars a year and contributing their services for such work as has to be done on behalf of the Society in its management and executive features, have no larger enjoyment of the library than any outsider who may desire to avail himself of the contents of the library of the Society, within the rules and regulations governing such use.

While the Society has had its home in Cincinnati it has numbered among its presidents and vice-presidents in its early days Jacob Burnet, James H. Perkins, William Gallagher, E. D. Mansfield, Charles Whittle