The origins of the Orestes Brownson Study Club Number 3 date back to 1923 when a women's group was organized in Fargo, North Dakota to study Catholic literature. The Catholic women's group became known as the Orestes Brownson Study Circle. In early 1933, the Circle's Catholic Action Committee took as its project the organization of three affiliated study circles, at St. Joseph's Parish, St. Mary's Parish and St. Anthony's Parish. After various organizational meetings the Orestes Brownson Study Club Number 3 first met on April 8, 1933 at St. Anthony Parish in Fargo. The newly organized club met monthly for discussion on various topics and continues to be active to the present as a "scholastic study club for the purpose of studying subjects pertaining to Catholic beliefs and practices, to develop a spirit of higher Catholic inquiry among the members, and to become informed on the important issues of the day, so as to be able to discuss them intelligently from a Catholic viewpoint."

The Orestes Brownson Study Club No. 3 records consist of meeting minutes, program booklets, and several subject files. The meeting minutes are quite complete from 1933 to 1965 with a gap from 1965 to 1968 those until 1977 are not totally complete. They are usually brief but cover the major actions and activities at each meeting. Most files also contain list of members, roll call record and financial summary. The program booklets consists of annual printed publications which include officers, monthly program schedule and a membership list, and is complete except for the 1943/1944 booklet. The subject files consist of a three-page history of the Club from 1923 to 1948, and typed manuscripts of several radio programs given.

Religion  Women's Organizations