SHGAPE Council Minutes
April 16, 1993

President Roger Daniels called the Council of the Society for Historians of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era to order at 5:00 p.m., April 16, 1993, in the Oceanside Room, Anaheim Hilton and Towers, Anaheim, CA. Present were Roger Daniels, Charles C. Calhoun, Robert Cherny, Ballard Campbell, Gregory Gordon, Michael Les Benedict, Joseph A. Fry, and Roger D. Bridges.

Calhoun moved, seconded by Cherny, that the minutes be approved as distributed at the meeting. Motion passed.

Secretary-Treasurer Bridges reported the checkbook balance as of April 9, 1993, at $3228.98. Bridges, chairman of the Constitution Revision Committee reported that nothing had been done to date. Bridges reported that he would incorporate the changes suggested at the last SHGAPE Council Meeting and would circulate it among the other committee members (Cherny and Wheeler).

Bridges reported that membership for 1993 was down a bit because several members had not yet renewed for the year. The previous report included all 1992 and 1993 members.

Membership Committee Chairman Joseph "Andy" Fry reported that the committee had divided the nation into three regions and that each committee member had written those they could identify as historians of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era inviting them to become members of the Society. Bridges indicated that he would provide Fry with copies of the Newsletter and membership forms.

Cherny reported that SHGAPE would be sponsoring a session at the annual meeting of the Pacific Coast Branch of the AHA. Daniels reported that Kathryn Kish Sklar had submitted a SHGAPE sponsored program to the AHA but it had not been accepted. Because SHGAPE had endorsed it, however, it will be presented as one from an affiliated society. Sklar will be moderator for the session entitled: "Conservation: A Unifying Theme in Progressive Era Reform." Gail Evans of Iowa State University will read a paper entitled: "Cultural Conservatism and the Conservation Movement...." Roger Horn of Tulsa Junior College will read a paper entitled: "Practical Idealism at the Zenith of Progressivism...." Kriste Lindenmeyer of Tennessee Technological University will read a paper entitled: "The U.S. Children's Bureau and the Conservation of Childhood in the Progressive Era," Donald Pisani, University of Oklahoma and Kitty Sklar will be the commentators.

Sklar has also put together a program for the OAH but she has not yet heard whether it has been accepted. Calhoun reported that he and Ballard Campbell had proposed a session on ideology and federalism for the next OAH meeting. Ari Hoogenboom has agreed to chair the session; Paula Baker will comment. He requested SHGAPE endorsement whether accepted by OAH or not. The Council endorsed the program.

Bridges then requested that SHGAPE sponsor another program not accepted by the AHA. It was organized by Brooks Simpson of Arizona State and Bridges, entitled: "Grant, Hayes, and the End of Reconstruction." The session is to be chaired by John Y. Simon, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, while Wendy Hamand Venet of Eastern Illinois University will comment. The Council endorsed the program providing space can be found at the AHA meeting.

Calhoun reported that he had talked with Lewis Gould about the article prize. There are, he said, five nominations. The prize committee should finish its work by summer.

Calhoun reported that Stacy Cordery had mailed the letter encouraging graduate students to join and participate in SHGAPE.

President Daniels communicated a request from National History Day for financial support. Calhoun moved that SHGAPE donate $100 to the committee in support of the program. Seconded by Campbell. Motion passed unanimously.

President Daniels announced that the nominating committee, consisting of Priscilla Clement, Sam McSeveney, and Ruth Crocker, chair, would report soon. The ballot will then be prepared and distributed by the Secretary-Treasurer as provided by the Constitution and by-laws.

Bridges requested that all members forward information of interest to SHGAPE members to Kriste Lindenmeyer. Council members and others present commended Dr. Lindenmeyer for her excellent work on the Newsletter.

In a brief discussion related to the possibility of having a scholarly journal for SHGAPE, members indicated there was a need for more scholarly markets. Currently members who wish may received the Hayes Historical Journal, at a discounted rate, but there is no organic connection between the Society and the Journal. Bridges indicated some thought had already been given to changing its scope and content. He said that if SHGAPE wished to assume significant support for the Journal, he would change its format to a more scholarly one. Bridges indicated, however, that it would take a substantial membership to support such a change, probably a subsidy or support from SHGAPE in the neighborhood of $20,000 to $30,000 annually. President Daniels appointed Bob Cherny and Philip Vander Meer a committee of two to look into costs of other journals as a first step toward determining a course for SHGAPE.

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 1994 AHA meeting. Respectfully Submitted,

Roger D. Bridges
Secretary-Treasurer

Approved January 7, 1994