XII. PROCEEDINGS OF THE TENTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE

OF HISTORICAL SOCIETIES.

CHARLESTON, DECEMBER 29, 1913.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE TENTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF HISTORICAL SOCIETIES.

The tenth annual conference of historical societies was held in the chapel of the citadel at Charleston on the afternoon of December 29, 1913. It was presided over by Dr. Thomas M. Owen, of the department of archives and history of Alabama, and the attendance during the afternoon reached a total of about 60, including many delegates from historical societies. The secretary of the conference, Dr. Solon J. Buck, presented the following report, which was accepted and ordered to be filed:

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY.

In accordance with the established custom of the conference, a questionnaire was sent out last November to approximately 500 historical societies and agencies of various sorts in the United States and Canada. Replies have been received to date from 90 of these organizations. Although less than one-fifth of those to whom blanks were sent, this is about as large a number as have reported in previous years. In view of the fact, however, that some of the more important societies, and many of the smaller ones, have not replied, it does not seem advisable to attempt any summary of the information contained in the reports at this time. Digests from the reports will be compiled and published in the appendix to the proceedings of this conference.

Instead, then, of attempting to present generalizations as to the activities of historical organizations during the past year, I am going to call attention to some of the more significant developments along various lines.

In running through the reports, the one thing above all others which made an impression upon me was the great increase, recent or prospective, of building equipment devoted to historical purposes. Thus the secretary of the Arkansas Historical Commission reports that the new State capitol, which will be finished during the coming year, will contain permanent quarters for the commission "which can scarcely be improved upon from the standpoint of convenience, containing splendidly equipped rooms for the museums, art gallery, and library." The Historical Society of Southern California, located at Los Angeles, is now housed in one wing of the Museum

Building of History, Science, and Art, a fireproof structure which was opened to the public last month. The State Historical and Natural History Society of Colorado expects to occupy a new building, which will be completed some time next summer. In Illinois a commission established by the legislature has made plans for the construction of an educational building which will house adequately the State Historical Library and the State Historical Society. This building will probably be dedicated in connection with the celebration of the centennial of the State in 1918. A memorial building costing $200,000 has just been completed in Kansas and is now occupied by the Kansas State Historical Society. The Historical Society of Fitchburg, Mass., reports that its new building is now completed. The Missouri Historical Society, of St. Louis, took possession last spring of its quarters in the Jefferson Memorial Building, a fireproof structure costing nearly $500,000, while the contract will soon be let for a $200,000 building at Columbia for the joint use of the Missouri State Historical Society and the library of the State University. In Manchester, N. H., a new city library is being erected in which the Manchester Historic Association will have its headquarters. The Gloucester County Historical Society of New Jersey reports that it has purchased during the last year a house in which to preserve its relics. The Historical Commission of North Carolina expects to move into new quarters the first of next year in a "new fireproof building recently erected by the State at a cost of $250,000." The Rhode Island Historical Society reports the reconstruction and fireproofing of one wing of its building at a cost of $8,000. The State Historical Society of South Dakota now has quarters in the new State capitol recently erected in Pierre. The magnificent State Historical Society building in Wisconsin has been enlarged by the construction of an additional wing at a cost of $160,000. There are doubtless other additions to the building equipment of historical agencies which have not as yet been reported to your secretary.

In the matter of the organization of historical activities, there have been a number of changes which are of considerable significance. The Michigan Pioneer and Historical Association has turned over its library and museum to the State, and the legislature has established the Michigan Historical Commission to administer the library and take charge of the general historical activities of the State. A trained secretary has been appointed and we can look forward to an excellent series of "Michigan Historical Collections."

In two States there have developed during recent years organizations in connection with the State universities which are devoting themselves to a survey of State history. The Illinois Survey was established informally about four years ago at the University of Illinois. Under the direction of members of the department of his

tory interested in western history, and supported by funds from the graduate school, it is attempting to gather materials, prepare bibliographical helps, and make the university a center for the scientific exploitation of the history of the State. The Indiana Historical Survey, with a more formal organization, was established at the University of Indiana two years ago, and is doing similar work for the history of that State. In addition it has taken over the active management and publication of the Indiana Magazine of History, which is now appearing monthly under the editorship of the secretary of the survey. In both of these cases the approaching centennial of the State has been a stimulus to the establishment and development of the work.

Another organization which is perhaps better known to the historical craft is the Academy of Pacific Coast History, organized a number of years ago with headquarters at the University of California. This institution is issuing an excellent series of publications, and reports that it has "a representative permanently engaged in listing documents relating to the Pacific coast in the Archivo de Indias, Sevilla, and in directing the copying of documents." Mention might also be made of the Pennsylvania Historical Club, an organization "composed of members of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania who are personally interested in the writing of Pennsylvania history and have actually made some contribution to the literature" of the subject. In Pennsylvania there is also a Federation of Historical Societies, which is doing an excellent work in stimulating and coordinating the activities of the local organizations. The only other significant change in organization noted is that of the Kansas City Historical Society, which has broadened its field and has changed its name to the Missouri Valley Historical Society.

Of new enterprises undertaken by historical organizations, the projected publication of the Mississippi Valley Historical Review, under the auspices of the Mississippi Valley Historical Association, is one of the most important.

Your secretary feels some doubt as to whether it is within his province to make suggestions as to lines of activity which might be pursued by this conference, but he takes the liberty to present one or two ideas which have occurred to him or have been suggested by others interested in the activities of historical agencies. A large number of the societies composing this conference maintain historical museums of some sort. Too often these are mere jumbles of curiosities without logical arrangement or scientific purpose. It has been suggested that this conference or those members of it who are interested might further the true purposes of historical museums 62513°-15 -14