SHGAPE Council Minutes
December 28, 1992

President Charles W. Calhoun called the Council of the Society for Historians of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era to order at 5:00 p.m., December 28, 1992, in the Chairman's Room, Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C.

The minutes of the meeting of April 3, 1992, and the Treasurer's Report, both submitted by Secretary-Treasurer Roger D. Bridges were approved and accepted.

Secretary-Treasure Roger D. Bridges then reported the results of the recent election for officers as follows:

President: Roger Daniels, University of Cincinnati

Vice President: Kathryn Kish Sklar, State University of New York at Binghamton

Council Members:

Otey M. Scruggs, Syracuse University

Marjorie S. Wheeler, University of Southern Mississippi

Thomas Rosenbaum, Rockefeller Archives

Stacey Cordery will continue as Graduate Student representative to the end of her three-year term.

With the announcement of the election results, President Calhoun turned the meeting over to new President Roger Daniels.

Bridges reported that SHGAPE had $2869.97 in the bank on December 16, 1992. Through December 16 the Society had a net income (income over expenses) $657. As of December 26, 1993, the Society had 144 members.

Calhoun reported that after the last meeting he had appointed Andy Fry chairman of the membership committee. He said that he had asked membership committee members to write and invite people they know to become members. Daniels reported that he had asked AHA whether the Society could have access to its lists. He has not yet received a response.

Daniels suggested that the annual meeting, election of officers, and Presidential Address take place at the OAH Annual meeting. He noted, however, that it will require changes to the constitution and bylaws to do so. He thought it would increase attendance at meetings. Stacy Cordery suggested that graduate students could attend AHA meetings more easily than OAH meetings. She pointed out that a majority of job interviews take place at the AHA annual meeting. Daniels suggested that there be a committee to look at bylaws and constitution to establish longer terms, including three year rotating terms for Nominating Committee, two year terms for officers. Or add former presidents to council for three year term. Daniels appointed a committee consisting of Roger Bridges, chair, Marjorie Wheeler, and Bob Cherny.

In a matter related to changing the date of the annual meeting and the Presidential Address, Cordery suggested giving graduate students a small stipend to attend the annual meeting. Perhaps a brown bag luncheon for graduate students with an eminent historian without lots of other people there.

Moved and seconded that the Presidential Address be changed to the OAH annual meeting, beginning in 1994. Carried.

Charles Calhoun announced that nominations for the prize had not yet been received by Lewis Gould. He urged that articles be nominated. Stacy Cordery presented a draft announcement encouraging graduate students to join SHGAPE and to submit articles for the prize. She also urged that students be encouraged to submit papers for the SHGAPE sessions at the national meetings. It was moved and seconded that an invitation for participation and membership be distributed to graduate history departments, historical societies, and graduate students over Stacy Cordery's name.

Bridges announced that the cost of the Hayes Historical Journal would increase to $20.00 with the turn of the new year. He noted, also, that he had taken no action toward a name change. He indicated, moreover, that he would take none in the immediate future owing to financial difficulties at the Hayes Presidential Center.

President Daniels announced that there would be a SHGAPE session at the next OAH meeting on the Turner Thesis. He anticipated that it would draw a sizeable number of auditors, especially coming as it does 100 years after Turners seminal paper.

There was some discussion of the feasibility of a SHGAPE sponsored sessions at the Southern Historical Association and the Pacific Coast Branch of the AHA. Members present agreed that SHGAPE should explore that possibility.

Kriste Lindenmeyer asked how many newsletters should SHGAPE publish? Members of the Council agreed there should one at the end of January, one after the OAH in April, and one in early fall. She requested news items be sent to her, and that amng other things, the President might submit a letter or column. She would also like to publish articles about research opportunities at various research institutions.

President Daniels adjourned the Council meeting at 6:00 p.m. so that all could attend the SHGAPE reception. The next meeting of the Council will be held during the 1993 OAH meeting.

Respectfully Submitted,

Roger D. Bridges
Secretary-Treasurer

Approved 4/16/93