THE AFTER-LUNCHEON PROGRAM

[In the Dining Room of the Imperial Hotel]

President PETER A. DEY: - President MacLean has consented to act as toastmaster, and so the balance of the program will be entirely in his hands.

President GEORGE E. MACLEAN:- Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of The State Historical Society, Friends, and Governor of the State: I count it a high privilege to welcome those who have come to join in the celebration at this historic shrine of the State -the Old Capitol and the ancient Capital City. Pilgrimages may well be made to yonder stone building. We rejoice that it is the plan of the Board of Regents of the State University to fireproof that building so that it may stand for all time as a memorial of the birthplace of the Commonwealth. We rejoice especially that The State Historical Society, in terms of the statute "under the auspices of the State University," is here to voice with us this pious spirit on the part of the University.

We are doubly glad this day that the Chief Magistrate of the State is in hearty sympathy with these relations of The State Historical So

ciety and the State University. In the spirit of this occasion, and as if in anticipation, Governor Cummins said to the Iowa pioneers, week before last, that "the country that has no pride in its past loses one of the chief inspirations of its future. Such pride is the surest guide to the officers of the Commonwealth in the performance of their public duties. . . . After all, these laws which we find upon the Journals of the State, what a little part are they of the mandates which govern civilized society. We are held together by a higher and surer and better bond; by a civilization compounded of the consciousness and heart and mind of the people of a former time. Our feet are set toward the goal and the path has been cleared before us, and it is to the pioneers that our gratitude is due."

That the spirit of these words may be valuable it is necessary for all time that The State Historical Society should remain at the seat of the State University.

In 1857 when the constitutional convention framed our present Constitution, the General Assembly then in session organized The State Historical Society and provided that it should be "under the auspices of the State University." Those gentlemen were familiar with the expensive policy of the distribution of State institutions. After making, as far as they could, a fair

distribution, they consented to concentration where their experience showed it should exist. And they saw that the State University in its first experiment might have branches located in other places; but later it was concentrated without branches at Iowa City. They saw that economy demanded one State University for this Commonwealth; and they perceived that The State Historical Society was of more importance than a single department in the University. But they saw equally clearly that The State Historical Society should be inseparably connected with the State University since it is in some sense an academic institution - a department or college of local history. And so, auspiciously, side by side the State University and The State Historical Society have grown up together as great sister institutions. To-day we rejoice that modern history shows the soundness of the policy of the pioneers in this particular.

We discover from a Report made by a learned committee, appointed by the American Historical Association in 1905 (a Report of the Committee "On the Organization and Work on the Part of State and Local Historical Societies") that to-day the example set by Iowa is the example to be followed everywhere and is becoming the dominant practice. Two hundred and fortyfour historical societies of all kinds responded

to the invitation of the Committee for information. The Committee makes the following induction:

"Inspired, doubtless, by the example of the Wisconsin Society, which is in close, although not official, connection with the University of Wisconsin, there has recently been a strong tendency on the part of Western and Southern historical organizations to associate themselves with their State universities. At the university town, of all communities in the State, exists a body of scholars who can most profitably utilize the collections of the historical society. The scholars need the inspiration of persistent, intelligent collection and publication; the society managers need the academic atmosphere and academic counsel in and with which to broaden and solidify their work, while the historical library finds its excuse in the largest possible circle of users. Recognition of these facts has, wherever possible, led to a closer union between the society and university; but in several States, as in Missouri and Washington, where union with existing agencies seemed impracticable to the universities, the latter have secured the organization of rival State societies at their own seats."

It becomes a necessity from the standpoint of the University, that is, of a State University where students are developing patriotism by ex

ploring American history, that The State Historical Society, or a duplication of it, be at the seat of the University. We had last year at the State University of Iowa one hundred and sixty-six students in the Graduate College. These are the ripest products of scholarship from Iowa Colleges as well as our own College of Liberal Arts. From other Colleges they resort to the University consecrated to learning. Here research and investigation are regular work; and material in the historical field most valued by the graduate student will be the material in the library of The State Historical Society. I repeat, therefore, that it is of necessity that the real University is a Graduate College. If The State Historical Society is not found at the University, it must be duplicated there as has been done in Missouri and Washington.

There are seven great historical societies situated at the seats of State Universities; and the most successful of the State Historical Societies are where they are related to the great University of the Commonwealth. The Massachusetts Historical Society is in some sense the mother of us all—an illustrious example of what an historical society should be. But observe that the Massachusetts Society is under the shadow of Harvard University. It has developed great men in history and diplomacy. By this relation