ing back the pages of history one sees that women have played an important part in the cultural advancement of this community. In an admittedly masculine era the motto was a daring one and for women to take part in the active improvement of their world was nothing short of revolution. Thus, the establishing of a library was not only daring, it was an enterprise that called for the unceasing and untiring efforts of a group of women who met for the first time, according to an old minute book, on Saturday afternoon, February 8, 1873, at the home of Mrs. W. G. Randall, the wife of an attorney. "On account of the severity of the weather, few were present, and an informal meeting was held which adjourned to meet at Mrs. Rouse's the following Thursday, February 13th."

After a succession of meetings the Ladies' Library Association was formed and a committee appointed to confer with the shareholders of an "old library association" to procure, if possible, a transfer of the remaining books "to this association." According to the minutes there was some objection, but apparently the other association ceased to exist. Further sessions, frequently as often as twice each week, were held during those winter months of 1873 until finally a constitution was drawn up and shares in sufficient numbers were sold at three dollars each, by house to house canvas, and the following officers elected: President, Mrs. "Dr." Stockwell; Vice-president, Mrs. J. J. Cassell; Secretary, Mrs. "Dr." O'Brien; Treasurer, Mrs. W. R. Bigham; Librarian, Mrs. S. H. Worthington; Assistant Librarian, Mrs. A. O. Shur.

The services of the librarian, an officer of the association, were at first to be free, and although elected for one year often served for only about a three-months' period. The library room, selected from three which were offered free of charge, was in the basement of the new Eagle Block Building, the site of the present El Paso National Bank, and was open on Saturday afternoons from two until five, and from seven until nine Saturday evenings. Funds were augmented from time to time by the proceeds from "lecture courses", "New England Suppers", "Strawberry Festivals" and donations from other associations such as the Woman's Culture Club. Careful consideration for the moral, as well as the cultural, improvement of readers was used in the selection of books and by 1894 the association was in possession of about two thousand. At the quarterly meeting held February 1, 1894, the matter of insurance on the books was discussed and at the May 17th meeting it was voted to carry insurance for one year. On July 19 of that year the great fire wiped out the library along with most other buildings in that block, but by 1896 the insurance had aided the ladies to reestablish their library, then in possession of some five hundred new books.

In 1901 they moved into the room now occupied by Mrs. Goldie Blackmore's Beauty Shop. Prior to the arrival of Dr. C. O. Patton's dental equipment the ladies gave a reception in the rooms which he still occupies, at which ice cream and cakes were sold, netting them

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