Webster City was named in January of 1857. Just eleven months later, a notice in the Hamilton Freeman reported, "Pursuant to a call of the citizens a meeting was held at the school house for the purpose of organizing a lyceum in Webster City." The lyceum had its origin in Greece as a place where education took place. Aristotle taught at the first lyceum. It is amazing today to realize the desire of our pioneer fathers to create an association for mutual improvement at such an early date. The school house mentioned was the log cabin school which was located on the north side of the 500 block of Division Street.

At this November 13, 1857, meeting E. H. Blair was chosen President of the evening, and the assembled citizens proceeded to adopt a constitution. The preamble of the Webster City Lyceum constitution stated, "Convinced of the utility of associative effort for mutual improvement of the advantages to be derived by free discussion, and such other exercises as may tend to develop the intellect, expand the mind, and enkindle the higher sentiments of our nature …"

Elected as officers were: E. H. Blair, President; Julius M. Jones, Vice-President; Cyrus Smith, Secretary and Treasurer; and H. Hoover, Editor. It was intended from the beginning that the contributions should be recorded, by hand, in a book which was entitled "The Webster City Review." The society was to meet weekly on Friday at 6:30 P.M. at the school house. The initiation fee was twenty-five cents with dues of ten cents per month. Not all members kept up their monthly dues; this necessitated a comment from Blair on February 1, 1858, that an election was to take place for officers for the year and only those whose dues were paid up in full were entitled to vote.

While there was no rental fee for the use of the school house, there were expenses which had to be paid. Candle replacement was a frequent item along with coal for the winter months. The February 25, 1859, entry reported a treasurer's balance of 50 cents and an order for 5/6 ths lbs. of candles. Rules were set up that parliamentary procedure was to be followed, but in debate, no member was allowed more that 15 minutes of time, and no one was to speak twice until all had had the opportunity to speak.

The original membership included: J. M. Jones, A. S. Leonard, Cyrus Smith, Harris Hoover, H. B. Martin, Emery H. Blair, H. Rhodes, Herme C. Rolff, S. B. Rosenkrans, Emery W. Gates, E. A. Howland, Mrs. Calista L. Willson, Walter C. Willson, Granville Burkley, A. N. Hathway, J. S. Letts, Mrs. Abbie Holt, Mrs. C. Rosenkrans, Clara L. Maxwell, Emetine Maxwell, W. H. Laughlin, George Refenstahl, T. Billings, Sumler Willson, E. F. Cross, Edwin E. Cheney, and Marcia A. Cheney. Some of you readers might recognize these names. Rosenkrans was founder of the park with his name. Hathway was the first school teacher. The Maxwells were members of the Judge J. N. Maxwell's family. Sumler and Walter Willson were the builders of Webster City. Burkley founded Homer and was a lawyer. Cheney operated a hotel. Letts operated a livery stable. Jones operated a business with Kendall Young and later was president of the Farmers National Bank. Smith was an early auditor of the county.

eligious activities were also held at the school house, and on at least one occasion (January 29, 1858) the meeting was delayed until the next Monday as services had been scheduled.

The meetings consisted of lectures, debates, and presentations. For example, on January 15, 1858, a lecture was given by Charles Aldrich, editor of the Hamilton Freeman, on the subject of the "Art of Printing." At another meeting that year S. B. Rosenkrans spoke on "Manifest Destiny," and E. F. Cross lectured on "Progression." A debate that year was held on the question "Resolved that woman has more influence over man than money has." The record showed that the women won this debate, but they lost the next debate on the question "Resolved that women should participate in making the laws which concern their welfare." At the end of this year of 1858, a debate on the question "Resolved that Iowa should extend state aid to assist in building such railroads as are of general and not mere local importance." This debate was not concluded the first night and was continued until the next week, at which time the decision was in favor of the affirmative.

The next year, on January 14, 1859, the question debated was "Resolved that the legislature of an organized territory has full power to prohibit Slavery, within its limits." What followed were resolutions about saving the Union. This led to many members enlisting to fight for the Union in the Civil War. Martin was the first man to enlist. Burkley and Hartman joined Company F of the Second Iowa Cavalry. Harris Hoover joined Company G. Charles Aldrich closed his newspaper office to enlist. Jones, organizer of the lyceum, resigned his position of Clerk of Court to serve as an army paymaster at the rank of Major.

Thus the lyceum lay dormant until after the war. Many notices appeared in the Freeman dating from 1866. Watson J. Covil, Esq., held a meeting to reorganize the lyceum. Rev. H. D. Day was elected chair and V. A. Ballou, now owner of the Freeman, was elected secretary. N. B. Hyatt, G. W. Cook, and C. A. Clark formed a committee to draft a new constitution. In December the lyceum debated the question on the National debt. Later that year the question was "The propriety of adopting or rejecting corporal punishment in our public school." At the end of 1866, the election was held for 1867. Hyatt was elected President; Rosenkrans, Vice President.; G. W. Crosley, Treasurer. The Grange Hall was rented on October 23, 1878, for the winter months.

Lyceums continued to be held for many more years. The meeting place changed from the school to Union Hall (on Seneca Street), Brownings Hall (on Second Street), and later at Willson Hall (the opera house at the corner of Second and Des Moines Streets). Entertainment was later added to the program. On November 19, 1879, the farce "The Dutchman's Enemy" was put on. Lew Beach sang, in costume, "The Old Home, It Ain't What It Used To Be." Another program that year was held at the Universalist Church. A lecture was given on "The Manners and Customs of Ancient Humans." In December, the meeting was held at Union Hall where a program entitled "Trip to The Black Hills" was given. For this program, children were admitted for five cents. Another program was given the same year entitled "Insects." A question debated was "Resolved that the Proclamation of Emancipation is entitled to greater honor than the Declaration of Independence." No record was found as to the outcome of that question. Another question was "Resolved that woman is superior to man morally." It was decided in the negative.

About this time, the lyceum movement began to spread throughout the county. Freedom Township started a lyceum on December 24, 1879, at the Merrill School House. The Woman's Sufferage question was debated. Later lyceums were held at Bethel School and at Packman's School. Residents of Independence Township held their lyceum at Independence Center school on Wednesday evenings. Other lyceums were held at Greenleaf School House and Carpenter School. Jewell had a lyceum organized by March, 1900. It met at the Jewell Lutheran College. Residents of Blairsburg held their first lyceum on December 13, 1900, but its location is lost to history.

Lyceums continued to be held until the early 1900's. By that time, vaudeville was held at the opera house, movies provided entertainment, and automobiles made it possible to wander afar to find entertainment. Today, lyceums are but a fond memory.