Executive Committee's Report [Submitted to the society at the fifty-third annual meeting, November 9, 1905.] Summary The library and museum have both made the usual progress during the twelve months since our last report the former, indeed, being able to report accessions well above the average for the last decade. The institution has recently lost an earnest and lifelong friend in the death of Vice President James Sutherland. The society's private funds are in a healthful condition. The Draper fund has now reached $10,000, thus enabling its income to become available for indexing and calendaring the Draper manuscripts. But efforts should be made towards the increase of this or the establishment of some similar fund, in order that the manuscript department may practically be endowed-for it is here wherein the society may engage in research work of great importance to American historical scholarship by preparing calendars and editing material for publication. The recent publication of Dunmore's War was an indication of the field awaiting us; this work has been received with warm encomiums by historical students the country over. The Mary M. Adams art fund has commenced its service in the development of our art collections; and through subscriptions this department has acquired a rich acquisition in fifty original Piranesi engravings. We have great need, however, for increased funds for administrative purposes, and for these we must look to the state. Not only may no further development of our activities take place under present conditions, but it is proving a serious struggle even to maintain the institution as it is. Repairs are increasing, we have been obliged to establish a cloak-checking system, and there is a steady growth in the lighting expenses incident to the enlarged use of the building. Volume xvii of Wisconsin Historical Collections and the issue of the authorized reprint of volume iv, promised a year ago, have unfortunately been delayed through congestion in the state printing office; but prompter service is now hoped for. The society's care-taking employes are aftected by the new civil service law. Death of Vice President Sutherland At 6:20 P. M. of Monday, October 30, 1905, at his home in Janesville, there passed from this life the Hon. James Sutherland, who has served our society as one of its vice presidents since 1869, a period of thirty-six years. Mr. Sutherland was born in Smithfield Township, Jefferson County, Ohio, March 20, 1820, the grandson of John Sutherland, a Scotch emigrant who settled in Pennsylvania and served in the American army during the Revolutionary War; his son John, the father of James, was an American soldier from Pennsylvania in the War of 1812-15. Upon peace being declared, young John married Elizabeth Smith, of ScotchIrish descent, the young couple settling in Ohio, where they had six sons and four daughters, James being the fourth child. After a partial education at Ashland Academy and Norwalk Seminary, in Ohio, and some experience in teaching country school, James Sutherland made an extended tour through the Southern states, and in the spring of 1847 moved to Rock County, Wisconsin. The previous December he had married Elizabeth Withington of Akron, Ohio, a young woman of English ancestry, to them being born seven children, of whom six survive their father. In the autumn of 1847 Mr. Sutherland settled in Janesville and the following spring opened a bookstore, in which busi ness he profitably engaged until the time of his death, being then one of the oldest booksellers in the Northwest. He early in life became much interested in religious, temperance, and educational projects, and remained throughout an active factor in pushing moral reforms in southern Wisconsin. Upon the organization of the Rock County Bible Society in 1848, he became its treasurer, a position held for a long period of years, when he became president of the organization. On the admission of Wisconsin to the union (1848), he was elected first superintendent of schools in the town of Janesville, later being the first superintendent for the incorporated city. He was a member of Janesville's first board of education, its mayor in 1872-73, and represented Rock County in the state senate from 1855-58. While in the senate Mr. Sutherland was chairman of the committee on education and school and university lands, and introduced and secured the passage of a bill (published March 7, 1857), creating the first fund for the maintenance of state normal schools in Wisconsin. His authoritative account of this matter will be found in his article, "Origin of our State Normal School System," in our Proceedings for 1897, pp. 160-168. Mr. Sutherland also rendered an important public service while senator, in vigorously opposing, although without effect, the railroad land grant scandal that signalized the legislative session of 1858. During his senatorial term Mr. Sutherland's attention was attracted to the work of our society, then in its infancy, and he became an earnest supporter of the institution. This led to his election as vice president in 1869, which office he continuously held until his death, deeming it the most distinguished public position with which he had been honored. Throughout this long period he warmly espoused the interests of the society, contributed liberally to its binding fund, and whenever called upon assisted with money and his large personal influence. To volume x of the Wisconsin Historical Collections (1888) Mr. Sutherland contributed an interesting article, "Early Wisconsin Exploration and Settlement." As early as 1846 he had published a small book, "Talks on Living Subjects" (New York and Chicago: F. H. Revell), largely a temperance appeal; and at various times wrote temperance articles for the New York Mail and Express. Mr. Sutherland was a man of strong personality, profound moral convictions, and kindly earnestness of manner; his interest in popular education never flagged, and he was a man of wide reading, with a penchant for history; in business life, he won the esteem of all, and every enterprise that might help make Janesville a better and a more prosperous town found in him an eager advocate. Wisconsin owes much to its many pioneers of this sterling type; the present commonwealth is in large measure the creature of their brain and purpose. Financial Condition State Appropriations The society's accounts based upon state appropriations are now regularly audited by the secretary of state, and claims thereon, certified to by the secretary and superintendent, are paid by the state treasurer in the same manner as with other state departments. The state now directly appropriates to the society $20,000 annually $15,000 under chapter 296, laws of 1899, for the miscellaneous expenses of the society; and $5,000 under chapter 155, laws of 1901, exclusively for books, maps, manuscripts, etc., for the library. The condition of these two funds upon the thirtieth of June, 1905, was as follows: CHAPTER 296, LAWS OF 1899 Receipts Unexpended balance in state treasury, July 1, 1904 . State appropriation for year ending June 30, 1905 Total. $424 12 15,000 00 $15,424 12 |