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Category: Timeline Stories

Our founders, Sister and Agnes

Agnes Beckwith was a 72-year old Baptist from Lamoine. Sister Mary Benigna was a 63-year old Roman Catholic nun. They were both retired teachers who believed in helping people, and they…

Kara Schreiber, volunteer

“I did almost everything at some point,” says Kara Schreiber of her 40+ years with Literacy Volunteers.​ It began when she was 21 and looking…

Early tutor training

Tutor training was held in various venues donated by organizations, including the YWCA, the Bangor Public Library, and, later, the Bangor Daily News. At first,…

Ruth Colvin, the pioneer

Ruth Colvin knew from the 1960 census that low literacy was a problem in New York state. She researched the issue and began working with faculty at Syracuse University…

The Background

In the 1960s, change was in the air. There were flower children and Woodstock, but more lasting societal changes underlay our founding. The Civil Rights…