Society for Historians of the

Gilded Age and Progressive Era

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING AND COUNCIL OF THE SOCIETY FOR HISTORIANS OF THE GILDED AGE AND PROGRESSIVE ERA, April 27, 2001

President Walter Nugent called the Annual Meeting and Council of the Society for Historians of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era to order at 5:55 p.m., April 27, 2001, in the San Bernardino Room, Westin Bonaventure Hotel, Los Angeles, California. In addition to President Nugent, University of Notre Dame, the following SHGAPE Council and other Members attended the meeting: Vice President Ballard Campbell, Northeastern University; Secretary-Treasurer Roger D. Bridges, Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center; immediate past President Elisabeth I. Perry, St. Louis University; Council Members Professors Robert W. Cherny, San Francisco State University; Robert Johnston, Yale University; James J. Connolly, Ball State University; Nancy C. Unger, Santa Clara University; Philip R. VanderMeer, Arizona State University; JGAPE Editor, Professor Maureen Flanagan, Michigan State University; Professors Victoria Brown, Grinnell College; Charles W. Calhoun, East Carolina University; Robert W. Cherny, San Francisco State University; Jacqueline M. Moore, Austin College.

Following self introductions, Professor Philip R. VanderMeer moved approval of the Minutes of January 5, 2001. Professor James J. Connolly seconded the motion; it passed unanimously.

The Council accepted the Treasurer’s report showing a positive cash flow of $1,003.18, and a checkbook balance of $5,697.33 on April 24, 2001, by common consent.

President Nugent reporting for Professor Alan Lessoff, said that he had printed 400 copies of the Newsletter and 425 copies of the SHGAPE/OAH program insert, and that he had mailed 306. Most of the overruns were shipped to Roger Bridges for distribution at the OAH meeting and to new members. He reported that cost had been unusually high ($529.19) because of the size of the Newsletter, the fact that the programs had to be inserted manually, and a problem with the Illinois State University addressing software forcing the first class mailing of nearly 80 Newsletters to individuals whose addresses were mangled by the ISU program. He noted that he had succeeded in creating the kind of content for which he was aiming and cited Professor Nancy C. Unger’s, “The Stanford Biographers’ Seminar and the Writing of Fighting Bob La Follette,” Newsletter, XI (Spring 2001), as a model.

Vice President and Program Chair Ballard C. Campbell reported that the Committee secured one independent and two co-sponsored sessions at the current OAH meeting. He said they were working on others for the upcoming AHA and OAH meetings, but that the committee needs help from the membership in getting them. He hopes to establish a linkage between the forthcoming Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era and sessions. There was some discussion of whether the chairman should simply adopt sessions already accepted by the Program Committee of the OAH and AHA meetings. The Council agreed that further approval by the SHGAPE Program Committee would be redundant, and the AHA- and the OAH-approved sessions may be adopted by action of the SHGAPE Program Chair without referring them back to the SHGAPE Committee. He noted that the committee is currently working on proposals for the upcoming meetings and hopes to have one or two. Professor Philip R. VanderMeer moved that the Chair of the SHGAPE Program Committee be authorized to contact the major meeting Program Committee committees for permission to co-sponsor already accepted sessions. The SHGAPE Program Chair will solicit the information about accepted sessions and seek permission to adopt, if feasible, if not, the Chair will suggest those that might be listed in the SHGAPE program as of interest to the membership. Professor Calhoun seconded and it passed unanimously.

Vice President Campbell reported also for H-SHGAPE and reported that the list has about 1200 members and a survey of those on the list expressed satisfaction with it. The full report will be posted on the H-SHGAPE website. He noted that the list should potentially be of great service in recruiting SHGAPE membership and Journal subscriptions (they will be synonymous).

Professor VanderMeer, H-SHGAPE book review editor, reported some communication problems with H-REVIEW but expects them to be resolved. He is disappointed in the failure of book reviewers to get reviews back and intends to become more aggressive in soliciting returns. Membership suggested that the book review editors for the Journal and H-SHGAPE establish regular contact.

There was no new report from the Membership Committee.

President Nugent requests confirmation of the re-appointment of Ballard Campbell as an H-SHGAPE editor and Patrick Reagan, Tennessee Technological University, as webmaster. Professor Nancy C. Unger moved approval. Professor VanderMeer seconded the motion. It carried.

President Nugent requested confirmation of the re-appointment of Alan Lessoff, Illinois State University, for two years commencing September 1, 2001, as Newsletter editor. Professor Unger moved approval. It was seconded and approved unanimously.

President Nugent announced the following additional committee appointments: Nominating Committee, John F. Reynolds, University of Texas at San Antonio (January 2004); and Donna Gabaccia, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, to the Article Prize Committee.

After discussion initiated by President Nugent, Vice President Campbell moved that Article V, Section 2, of the Constitution be amended the editor of JGAPE as an ex officio member of the Council. Professor James J. Connolly seconded and motion passed unanimously.

The Council by common consent urged the president to explore the possibility of incorporating the

society as a not-for-profit eleemosynary institution and to seek 501, c3 status from the IRS.

Professor Maureen Flanagan, Michigan State University, and JGAPE editor reported for the editorial board meeting held earlier in the day, and on the progress of the inaugural issue of the Journal. She reported the Journal now has a website and its own domain name. The address is <http://www.jgape.org>. She announced the content and noted that Victoria Brown of Grinnell College has agreed to serve as Book Review Editor. In a general discussion of Book Review policy, the Journal editors were encouraged to have a mix of book review essays and individual reviews, but that the Journal not attempt to be the journal of record for publications in the field.

In view of the inauguration of the Journal Professor VanderMeer moved that a new dues structure commencing for the calendar year 2002, and following be adopted, and that all memberships be assessed at that level commencing with the new dues structure. That structure is as follows:

Annual Individual: $40.00

Student Individual: $15.00

Family $50.00 (one copy of the Newsletter and Journal)

Institutional: $80.00

Lifetime: Suspended until further notice.

Professor Unger seconded the motion which carried without dissent.

After further discussion concerning the relationship of print and electronic journals, on motion of Professor Connolly, seconded by Professor VanderMeer, the meeting adjourned at 6:55 p.m. to attend the SHGAPE Reception.

Respectfully Submitted

Roger D. Bridges

Secretary