In July 1835 nine women founded the Young Ladies' Association of the Oberlin Collegiate Institute for the purpose of improving the intellectual and moral character of its members. As the first college women's debate society in the U.S., female students established and organized a forum to discuss issues of interest and to learn the skills of oratory and debate denied them as part of their formal education. Among the early members were such prominent women as Lucy Stone (1818-1893), Antoinette Brown Blackwell (1825-1921), Betsey Mix Cowles (1810-1876), and Lucy Stanton (1831-1910).

Although the association met to promote the appreciation of literature and religion, its formation was not enthusiastically welcomed by the College, which saw "public speaking by women as an anathema." The organization struggled, initially faring poorly as a rather pallid pretense at a feminine counterpart of the Young Men's Lyceum, founded in 1839. The Young Ladies' Association also had to compete with the Oberlin Female Moral Reform Society.

Ladies' rights champion Lucy Stone's graduation in 1847 sent the organization into a brief decline. In 1850 Lucy Stanton responded by reorganizing the association, and giving it a new name (Ladies' Literary Society) and a new objective. The new preamble stated that the object of the society would be "to improve its members in Writing, Speaking and Discussion."

The name of the literary organization changed through the second half of the 19th century. The content of the meetings remained constant, however. By 1852 the size of the organization promoted differences among the women. The more progressive women withdrew that year and formed the Young Ladies' Lyceum, the forerunner of the Aelioian Literary Society. In keeping with their liberal views, they made the oration a regular part of their program. The conservative Ladies' Literary Society maintained the more feminine essays. By 1878 Ladies' Literary Society members thought the name too old fashioned, and adopted the Latin phrase Litterae Laborum Solamen to represent the L.L.S. initials. Women still presented papers and debated topics that reflected their interests. In the early years essays and debates focused on religion and the women's role in the religious sphere. The antislavery movement was another popular topic before the Civil War. Lighter debates were also common throughout the group's history, touching on such topics as etiquette, bashfulness, and "The Scolding Wife." In the late nineteenth century, the L.L.S. theme was Victorian authors. The study of contemporary authors continued into the twentieth century until topics of national and international scope became popular.

The L.L.S. Alumnae in New York formed a permanent organization in 1903 to "renew old ties (and) to become acquainted with the younger graduates." Additional alumnae groups were formed in other cities, including Oberlin, resulting in the establishment of a national L.L.S. Alumnae Association.

The L.L.S. and Aelioian continued to be integral parts of the Oberlin Community until World War I. At that time, when so many male students were committed to the war effort, women faced new responsibilities and opportunities and devoted less time to the literary societies. A brief resurgence in popularity revived interest in literary societies, but by 1948, with membership declining, the Aelioian Society and L.L.S. were forced to merge. In the following year the alumnae organizations of these groups also united. The new union lasted only four years. In 1952, at separate meetings, the student and alumnae organizations of the L.L.S.-Aelioian dissolved, declaring that "the purpose for which the literary societies were created have been fulfilled; their work is done."