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By the early 1840's the Lyceum movement had become popular
nationwide, and Middletown established its own Lyceum to advance
education and culture with scheduled lectures given by famous speakers. Horace Greeley of New York was scheduled to speak at the Middletown Lyceum during the lecture series of 1852-53. His
topic scheduled on December 24th (1) was entitled "The Literary
Vocation."The last speaker in the series for that year spoke
on "Thoughts for Young Ladies on the Conduct of Life, with Hints
upon "Woman's Rights' and her appropriate Sphere."as The Lyceum
Reading Room was formed almost immediately after the Lyceum itself and with its 300 volumes was the village's only library.** The Constitution of the Lyceum and a copy of the Rules and Regulations of the Library and Reading Room of the Middletown
Lyceum dated 1856 are kept at the Historical Society of
Middletown and Wallkill Precinct. Article II of the Constitution
stated: The object of this Association shall be the intellectual
and moral improvement of its members; and to this end, to
establish and perpetuate a Library and Reading Room, and to
maintain literary exercises, as Lectures, Essays, and Debates.as
The Middletown City Directory_of 1857-1858 (page 98) reported
approvingly that the Reading Room had several hundred volumes and
was well supported by the citizens of the village giving evidence