It was established in 1893[1] by Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė and Jadvyga Juškytė with help from Vincas Kudirka and Jonas Jablonskis.
[2] The funds were raised by various means, including donations from the public and Lithuanian Americans, card games among intellectuals, various events.
[2] The death of Višinskis from tuberculosis that he had contracted as a student at the Saint Petersburg University became an impulse to legalize and expand the society.
It collected funds from membership fees, donations, proceeds from various events, including lotteries and concerts.
[2] During its existence the society supported some 300 gifted students[1] many of whom who later became prominent figures in Lithuania, including forester Povilas Matulionis, writer Jonas Biliūnas, painter and composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, jurist Rapolas Skipitis, diplomat Jurgis Šaulys, doctor Petras Avižonis, linguist Kazimieras Būga, operatic tenor Kipras Petrauskas, painter Adomas Varnas, sculptors Petras Rimša and Juozas Zikaras, priest Antanas Viskantas,[2] Prime Minister Ernestas Galvanauskas, Soviet revolutionary Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas, poet Julius Janonis.