Young Men's Library Association and Other Antecedents
                  of La Crosse Public Library
                        LILLY M. E. BORRESEN

     Apparently, the city of La Crosse has from the time of its earliest
settlement been interested in books and reading. In 1853, three years
before it was incorporated as a city, when the population according to
the Wisconsin Gazetteer was only 543, an organization called the La
Crosse Library Company was formed. The La Crosse Democrat of April
28, 1853 contains the following item:
     At a meeting of the La *Crosse Library Company convened at the
Court House in the village of La Crosse on the evening of April 1st, 1853,
in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 49 of the Revised Statutes
of Wisconsin, the following proceedings were had: viz; Samuel D. Hastings
was called to the chair and D. W. Gilfillan appointed secretary.
     A constitution for the Association was read and after being slightly
amended was adopted. The following named individuals were duly elected
as the officers of the Association for the ensuing year:
     President, C. A. Stevens.
     Vice-President, Edwin Flint.
     Clerk and Librarian, Samuel D. Hastings.
     Treasurer, James Gallagher.
     Additional members of the Board of Managers were William 'Hood,
William C. Rogers, D. C. Evans, George Farnam and M. F. Hubbard.
     One infers from this and a later item that there had been some
sort of informal organization before this.
     In the La Crosse Democrat for May 10, 1853 is another item.
After speaking of the lectures delivered under the auspices of the La
Crosse Division of S. of T. (presumably Sons of Temperance) on tem-
perance, it goes on thus: "Another course of lectures was delivered
under the auspices of the village lyceum. The first lecture was by the
Rev. J. C. Sherwin on 'Man'; the second by Samuel D. Hastings on
'Progress'; the third by Mr. James Gallagher on 'Ireland'; the fourth
by Dr. A. Ferris on 'Miasm    and Contagion'; the fifth by Mr. D. W.
Gilfillen on 'American System   of Popular Education'; and the sixth
and last of the course by E. Flint, Esq. on 'Female Education'. There
was also one delivered during the winter by Samuel D. Hastings on
'Music'. The lectures were all well attended and the speakers were
listened to with marked attention.
     "The Lyceum have also had weekly debates, when the following
 named subjects among others have been under discussion: War and
 Peace; Colonization; Mexican War; Land Reform; Women's Rights;
    Note: This is only a preliminary sketch, as more time for research would be
necessary in order to clear up questionable points. Thel sources consulted are ex-
cerpts from the La Crosse Democrat in the L. C. Colman Oollection, Dr. Wendell
A. Anderson papers, including copies of La Crosse Democrat 1869-1874, The Chron-
icle 1880 and Morning Chronicle 1881, and Minutes and Catalogues of the Young
Men's Library Association; also La Crosse Directories for the period.
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