MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING AND COUNCIL, March 30, 2007
President Peter Argersinger called the Council and Annual Meeting of the Society for Historians of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era to order at 5:05 p.m., March 30, 2007, in the Marquette Room, Hilton Hotel, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In addition to President Argersinger, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, the following SHGAPE Council and other Members attended the meeting: Vice President Jack Blocker, Huron University College, Council Members Roger D. Bridges, Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center emeritus (Secretary); Phil VanderMeer, Arizona State University (Treasurer); Jacqueline Moore*, Austin College and Editorial Board Chair; Professors Katherine M. Osburn, Tennessee Technical University, (H-Shgape Editor); Wyatt Evans, Drew University (SHGAPE Webmaster); Rebecca Edwards*, Vassar College; Michael Kazin*,Georgetown University; Joseph "Andy" Fry*, University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Alan Lessoff, Illinois State University, (JGAPE Editor); Past Presidents Charles W. Calhoun, East Carolina University; Donna Gabaccia, University of Minnesota; and Christopher Nichols, University of Virginia.
Jack Blocker moved approval of the April 20, 2006, Minutes, seconded by several and passed. (There was no meeting in January 2007 owing to the lack of a quorum.)
President Argersinger summarized Membership Chairman Skip Hyser's report in his absence. The President noted that there were many other historians who deal with the chronological period of SHGAPE but they identify themselves as political, social, western, urban, gender, labor, some other topical genre. The written report had been shared shows that there were 330 members as of March 15.
Phil VanderMeer, Treasurer, discussed the membership report that was distributed to the Council. He then proposed a budget for 2007. The report was accepted by a voice vote without dissent.
Alan Lessoff discussed the written JGAPE report previously submitted. Jacqueline Moore and Wyatt Evans discussed the H-SHGAPE report submitted earlier. They emphasized the wish of the Board to update the information on the H-SHAPE website and the difficulty of doing so. Considerable discussion ensued of various suggestions. At the conclusion of the discussion, Moore approval of the website reorganization as follows:
President Peter Argersinger moved that the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center, Fremont, Ohio, be designated as a depository for the funds of the Corporation and to provide other financial accommodations indicated in this resolution. Seconded by Jack Blocker. Motion approved. (The complete resolution is attached.)
President Peter Argersinger reported for the Ad Hoc Committee A on Prizes and Endowment. He moved that SHGAPE establish the Vincent DeSantis Book Prize (in the amount of $500) and that it be awarded in odd-numbers years for the best first book published by an author in GAPE history during the preceding two years, and to amend the bylaws to create a committee to publicize and judge the competition. Motion approved by simple majority.
President Argersinger for the Ad Hoc Committee A moved that a new article prize in the amount of $250 be awarded in even-numbered years for the best article in JGAPE over the previous two years, and that the bylaws be amended, as appropriate, to create the committee to publicize and judge the competition. Motion approved.
President Argersinger, also for the Ad Hoc Committee A moved that the winter of the existing Fishier-Calhoun Prize, awarded in even-numbered years be set at the $250 level. Motion approved.
Jacqueline Moore moved that the Societies establish a Committee on Public History, seconded by Phil VanderMeer. Motion approved.
The Council then adjourned to attend the reception Respectfully Submitted Roger D. Bridges Secretary