History of the Lancaster County Historical Society John Ward Willson Loose As the Lancaster County Historical Society begins its second century of service to the community—to the residents, young and old, of Lancaster County—and to the many visitors, scholars, and researchers that come to our

population is largely Protestant, its Rom- an Catholic parishes have played an imposing role in the communi- ty since the early eighteenth century. We were not surprised, howev- er, when criticism followed publication of the history of St. Mary's and St. Anthony's churches in volumes 71, 73, and 74—the first

school history classes, and co- ordinating the functions of historical groups and places throughout the county. It is not the purpose of this survey, however, to consider the effectiveness of county historical societies in fulfilling their real objectives. Each society knows its reasons for existence