THE CONFERENCE OF LOCAL HISTORICAL SOCIETIES [In the Hall of Liberal Arts Room 203] At two o'clock in the afternoon of Thursday, March the twenty-first, the Secretary of The State Historical Society of Iowa, Dr. Frank E. Horack, who had been asked to preside, called the Conference of Local Historical Societies to order in Room 203 of the Hall of Liberal Arts. Dr. FRANK E. HORACK:- This is a conference of representatives of local historical societies in Iowa, called to meet under the auspices of The State Historical Society. Indeed, it is the purpose of The State Historical Society to hold conferences from time to time with representatives of the local societies which are enrolled as Auxiliary Members of the State Society. Besides the representatives of local historical societies, we are to be honored at this Conference with representatives from the Davenport Academy of Sciences and the Sioux City Academy of Science and Letters. I will call upon Professor Benj. F. Shambaugh to state the purpose of this meeting and to read a communication from Mr. Charles Ald rich, the Curator of the Historical Department of Iowa. Professor BENJ. F. SHAMBAUGH:- By providing for the affiliation of local historical societies through auxiliary membership, The State Historical Society of Iowa hopes to keep in touch with those who are interested in the preservation of the materials of our local history. It is, moreover, the desire of the State Society to be useful and helpful to the local societies. We should aim to work together in our efforts to collect, preserve, and publish the materials of State and local history. The success of our cause will depend largely upon the extent and the spirit of our coöperation. Today we meet to talk about our organizations, our work, and our plans. It is hoped that this informal Conference will give us added courage, confidence, and enthusiasm in our efforts as well as ideas and suggestions for carrying on our work. I have been requested to read the following letter from Mr. Charles Aldrich, of the Historical Department of Iowa: MY DEAR SIR: Des Moines, Iowa, 20 March, 1907. I wish to tender to you, and through you to The State Historical Society, my sincere thanks for the kind invitation with which I have been honored to be present at the ceremonies attending the celebration of the Semi-Centen nial of the Adoption of the Constitution of the State. It would afford me very high pleasure, indeed, to accept this invitation and be present at the various meetings which have been projected. The condition of my health (which is just now especially aggravated by impaired sight) prevents me, however, from enjoying this great pleasure. I wish to offer to The State Historical Society of Iowa my sincere congratulations upon the fact that it has reached its half century mile stone. I have known it from the beginning, and I have admired (especially in these later years, when I came to a fuller knowledge) the wisdom, persistence, and courage of its founders. I know that they labored on, never looking backward, during the day of small things in Iowa, when it was almost impossible to secure even a slight appropriation from the legislature for library or historical purposes. A better day has come, and no one rejoices over it more heartily than myself. In default of my ability to be present I will attempt, in accordance with your request, to briefly summarize the labors and aims of the Historical Department of Iowa, with which I have been connected from its inception. The efforts of this Department have mainly been directed to the collection of historical data relating to our own State and the territory of the middle west of which it originally formed a part. We can not boast of a fifty years' record. The real beginning of the Department was in 1884, when the gift of my Autograph Collection was accepted and accorded by the Trustees a place for exhibition in the State Library. The Department was organized by act of the General Assembly in 1892-only fifteen years ago. While I am aware that our work is yet at the threshold, I believe I may claim that it has profoundly affected public sentiment. The public has advanced from an indifferent attitude to one of keen interest in historical work. This is evinced by many facts too pronounced to be ignored. I may point to the magnificent Historical Memorial and Art Building, erected at a cost of nearly half a million dollars; to the organization of many country historical societies, the movement in behalf of which was started in the pages of our Annals of Iowa; to the building up of several of the choicest collections in various lines of Iowa history, newspapers, and museum materials; and to the sentiment which has so rapidly developed in favor of a Hall of Public Archives as a prominent part of our work. Our new Historical Memorial and Art Building is an object of especial pride, not alone to those who have been connected with it from the beginning, but to the people of every county in the State. Architecturally it has proven a great success. The universally favorable comment of all visitors during the course of erection has proven their confidence and satisfaction in the modern and substantial construction and the monumental effect attained. The structure is purely classic, of the Ancient Roman Period. Less clumsy than the Greek and less ornate than the modern Renaissance, it is, with its quiet dignity, in happy sympathy with the neutral white of the Iowa stone of which it is built. In all the efforts which have had their origin in Des Moines, we have had the hearty coöperation of The State Historical Society at Iowa City. There has been no thought of advancing the interests of either at the expense of the other. If in the future we can make progress in and enlarge upon the lines of work already begun and marked out, I shall be well satisfied. Very faithfully yours, Prof. F. E. HORACK, CHARLES ALDRICH. Secretary of The Iowa State Historical Society, I am very happy to take part in the program of the Conference by reading this letter; and I move that we send our hearty good wishes to Mr. Aldrich. 1 Dr. FRANK E. HORACK: One of the first county historical societies organized in this State is represented by Mr. Frederick M. Smith, of Lamoni. Mr. Smith will report from the Decatur County Historical Society. Mr. FREDERICK M. SMITH: I desire to pay tribute to the indefatigable worker from whom we have just heard. Fifty years from now we will appreciate the work of Mr. Aldrich. We do not fully appreciate it now. Indeed, I do not believe we can comprehend its real significance at this hour. Our inspiration for work in Decatur County came from Mr. Aldrich. Before I was aware that a single county society existed in the State, I thought why not have one affiliated with the State Society. Once while in Des Moines I mentioned the matter to Mr. Aldrich. Stimulated by his encouragement we proceeded. The very short constitution of our Society we secured by greatly abbreviating and condensing a printed copy of the constitution of a Pennsyl 1 This motion was seconded, put, and carried unanimously. |