Caroline Hewins' Life
Caroline Hewins was born in 1846 in Roxbury, MA. She began reading at four years old and her family was able to provide lots of books for her enjoyment. She attended the Boston Girls' Normal School and following that she worked as an assistant librarian at the Boston Athenaeum. In 1875, Miss Hewins moved to Hartford, CT to work as a librarian for the Young Men's Institute, which was a subscription library with around 500 members.
(Caroline M. Hewins, Her Book, 1954).
Her early love of reading led her into the wonderful world of libraries, and she soon found that she wanted to make the library available for everyone!
Miss Hewins was given an honorary Master of Arts degree from Trinity College in Hartford, CT in 1911 to recognize her library and community work. She was the first woman to receive a degree from Trinity College. As she was given the degree, President Luther noted her breaking of this barrier as he said, "Hail, first daughter of Trinity!" (Miller, 2003)
Trinity College, Hartford, CT (Chairvolotti 2020)
"In these elegant and spacious buildings the whole public of Hartford is welcome, without money and without price. The circulating library will furnish every home with books, and Miss Hewins, who has devoted her life to this town, is always ready to help the younger readers."
~ Arthur E. Bostwick, Classics of American Librarianship