i'r(f:sENTi;u iiv STATE AND LOCAL HISTORICAL SOCIETIES REUBEN GOLD THWAITES Reprinted from the April 1906 Number of THE IOWA JOURNAL OF HISTORY AND POLITICS Published at Iowa City Iowa by the STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF IOWA n :l ~Vf^ STATE Ay I) LOCAL HLSTORLCAL S0CLETIE8 Tift „Vhor (PtrUMi) fP Ap'06 STATE AND L(3CAL HISTORICAL SOCIETIES At a meetiug of the American Historical Association held in Chicago iu December, 1904, Professor Heury E. Bourne, of Western Reserve University, and chairman of the Asso- ciation's general committee, presented a report npon The Wovh of American Historical Societies.^ This was based upon an in(|uiry conducted by him into the scope and work of the principal societies, and was an interesting and suggest- ive preliminary survey of the Held. As a result of the Bourne report, the Council of the Association appointed Mr. Benj. F. Shambaugh, Mr. Franklin L. Riley, and the undersigned, as a sub-committee of the general committee, charged with reporting at the 1905 meetiug upon The Beat Methods of Organization and Worh on. the Part of State and Local Historical Societies. The task thus assigned was found to be far from a holiday undertaking. As Professor Bourne pointed out: "They [the societies] are as diverse in aim and organization as the localities where they work or the periods when they origin- ated. " To attempt to prescribe a set of rules for the com- mon conduct of institutions widely divergent in origin, per- sonelle, ]iurpose, and income was obviously impracticable. The committee, therefore, has been only able to extend and supplement the Bourne inquiry, to ])resent in detail the con- ' This report appeared in The Iowa Journnl of History and Politics for April, 1005, also in the Annual Report of the American Historical Association for 1904, pp. 117-127. siderable mass of data obtained, and to offer a few practical suggestions based upon this data and the individual observa- tions and experiences of its members. STATISTICAL The committee were convinced that they could not act in- telligently Avithout first making as thorough au investigation as possible of the resources, activities, and aims of the histor- ical organizations of the country. A Ijlank was prepared for this purpose, ft)llowing the general lines of the Bourne iiupiiry, l>ut much more detailed. This, with an accom- })anying letter, was mailed early in February, 190."), to the secretaries of societies concerned — tlie mailing list being compiled from the BilJio(/rap]n/ of Hhtorlcal Societies pub- lished by the American Historical Association in 1895, the Carnegie Institution's Handbool: of Learned Societies., and other sources. By agreement between the members, ~Slv. Riley under- took to secure and compile reports from the societies in the Southern States; i\Ir. Shamljaugh from those of the trans- INIississippi States ( except Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas); and IVIr. Thwaites from those of the Xorthern States east of the Mississippi. The committee held a two days' session at Iowa City, Iowa, May 16-17, 190"), discussed the replies, and arrived at certain conclusions which ai-e presented below. The majority of the active organizations reported prompt- ly; others required prodding; even to the present date, a few have failed to respond to continued rec^uests. Reluc- tance to reply has generally been traceable to two widely divergent reasons: sei-ene self-content on the part of con- servative and comfortaljly endowed organizations displaying small interest iu a cooperative movement of this character; or to indifference bred of hopeless local conditions. In the responses of a few of the older societies was noticeable a tone implying that we had committed an impertinence in thus incpiisitively intruding into their placid lives. The net result was the receipt of a body of useful, although (juite unequal, data from nineteen national organizations (exclusive of the American Historical Association) having more or less to do with historical work, eight sectional, sixty -one State, and one hundred ten local. While there are regrettable omissions, it may confidently be asserted that practically every important historical society or department in the United States is included in the several lists which have been prepared. Of the national societies engaged in the collection and publication of historical material — for obvious reasons the American Historical Association is not included — easily the most important in library and resources, is the American Anti(piarian Society. Its substantial building at Worcester, Massachusetts, contains 1:2(),(MK) volumes and a valuable collection of manuscripts, ])ortraits, and antiques. The American Geographical Society, at New York, is housed in a $200, (M)u building and possesses a library of 40,000 vol- umes. < )ther flourishing bodies are the American Numis- matic and ^Vrchieological Society of New York, the Daugh- ters of the American Revolution (with a large Iniilding in Washington, now in process of construction), and the Jew- ish Publication Society of America. The list of sectional societies embraces manv that are doing important work. The wealthiest and most effective 6 of these is the Xen- England Histoiic Genealogical Society, of Boston, housed in a building worth §()■'), 000 and having a library of 66,000 titles. It possesses, also, notable col- lections of manuscri})ts, and a large museum of jiortraits, curios, and anti(|ues. The Ctnifederate iMemorial Literary Society, of liichmoud, owns a museum and grounds valued at $60,000, and an interesting library of printed and manu- script material relating to the history of the South prior to the AYar of Secession. The Pacific Coast Bi'anch of the American Historical Association, while as yet not engaged in collection or publication, has a promising future as the proposed medium of cooperation between the various his- torical organizations on the Western coast. As a class, the State societies and departments were the most punctilious in their replies. Not all of the responses were satisfactory in character: but while tliere ai'e serious gaps, enough information was elicited to enable the com- mittee to present a faii'ly complete survey of the situation. It was found that twelve societies or dejiai'tmeiits own their own halls — those valued at -^loo.odo or over being: Wisconsin, !?610,000; Iowa Dei)artment, §;400,000; Massa- chusetts, 8225,000; Pennsylvania, SiMdt.dOd; and Xew Jer- sey, §100,000. Thirteen are housed in their respective State Capitols, seven are quartered in State universities, and six in other public buildings. The largest State appropri- ations are given to Wisconsin, $32,000; jMinnesota, $15,- 000; and Iowa, $15,000.' The Massachusetts, Pennsyl- vania, and Wisconsin societies are of course the wealthiest > This includes both the State Historical Society at Iowa City and the Histor- ical Department at Des Moines. in endowmeuts, possessing respectively !?-221,0(M), §169,- 0U<», and §53,000 in invested funds. The largest libraries are: A¥isconsin, 275,000 titles; Pennsylvania, 245,000; Massachusetts, 155,0rary of 100.00ui-jtose. OROAXIZATION Each historical society is in large measure the product of local conditions and opportunities. But back of these, moulding conditions and taking advantage of opportunities, are needed individuals imbued with genuine and self-sacrific- ing enthusiasm in the cause. However, enthusiasm will not alone suffice; for the promotei-s of such enterprises shoidd by their erudition and technical skill command the attention and respect of scholars, while by display of practical com- mon sense, business ability, energy, and convincing argu- ments, they are at the same time winning the confidence of hard-headed men of afi'airs. ^ ery likely this is an unusual com})ination of qualities, and an ideal seldom if ever real- ized, for historical societies can not })ay large salaries. Cer- tain it is, however, that even when liberally endowed, no society has attained its full measure oi usefulness without some such personality dominating its affairs. Institutions dependent upon State aid are ]ieculiarly in need of tliis vig- 9 orous personal management. Tlie lack of it has been the undoing of a goodly share of the wrecked or moribund societies — wherein everybody's business was nobody's con- cern — that strew the pathway of our recent investigation. The Massachusetts and Pennsylvania societies are proto- types of the privately-endowed organizations of the East- ern States, which without official [)atronage have attained strength and a high degree of usefulness; while AVisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Kansas similarly stand for the State- supported institutions of the AA'est. Of recent years, there has appeared in several com- monwealths the "State Department of Archives and His- tory." This is an official l)ureau of the Commonwealth, obtaining the essential j^ersonal touch through maintenance of close relations with the State historical society, whose duties, under such conditions, are chiefly literary and advis- ory. Alabama and Mississippi are the typical examjdes; out in Iowa the State society, at the seat of the State Uni- versity, retains a strong individuality in all lines of activity, despite the existence of a liljei'ally-supported historical department at the capital; in Kansas the society has charge of the department. As to which method is l>est for new Commonwealths — that of the Alabama tyjie, that of AMsconsiu, that of the Iowa compromise, or that of the Kansas union — your com- mittee will not venture an ()]>inion. Each has certain merits, largely dependent on conditions of environment. When subsidized as the trustee of the State, the society kas the advantage of official cdunectiou and support com- bined with a strong, eti'ective personal interest among its 10 widely distributed membersliip ; but there is always a lurk- ing danger of an outbreak of political jealousy of a ([uasi- private organization being awarded even the officially-guard- ed expenditure of public funds, and legislative interference is always possible. While it lacks the inspiration of personal backing, the department stands closer to the machinery of government, and although, uncU'i- careful laws, removed from liability to partisan control, is not likely in the course of its work to arouse official jealousy. Its gi'eatest danger lies in the possibility that the performance of its work may in time become perfunctory, when the public-sj)irited found- ers of the department have retired from service.' After all, the princiijal desidei'atuin is, as we lia\e indi- cated, the personality back of the work, rather than the form of organization. It would be unwise, even if possible, to attempt the making over of men or of methods, that in theii' respective environments either promise or have already attained satisfactory results. AA'hat is needed, rather, is the betterment of existing methods, and especially the enlisting in the service of well-trained and vigorous executive officers. Inspired, doubtless, by the example of the "\\'isconsin S(X"iety, wliich is in close, although not official, connection with the University of Wisconsin, there has recently been a strong tendency on the pai't of Western and Southern his- torical agencies to associate themselves with their State uni^ versities. At the university town, of all communities in the State, exists a body of scholars Avho can most })roHtably utilize the collections of the historical society. The schol- ' See K. G. Thwaites, State-supported Historical Societies ami their Functions, in Annual Report of American Historical Association for 1897, pp. 01-71. 11 ars need the inspiration of persistent, intelligent collection and publication; the society manager's need the academic atmosphere and academic counsel in and with which to broaden and solidify their work; while the histoiical library finds its raisuii J'eti'e in the largest possible clientele of users. Recognition of these facts has, Avherever possible, led to a closer union between 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 socie- ties at their own seats. Such an arrangement, while doubt- less benefiting the univei'sities, is aj)t to result in divided interest and appro] )riations. In several Western States, dif- ficulties of this character present problems that doubtless will be many years in the solution. SCOPK AND PURPOSE vSome historical organizations are founded for a single, well-defined purpose — such as the Society for the History of the (xei'mans in Maryland, the City History Club of New Yoi'k, and the Germantown Site and Helic Society — these of course find no difficulty in determining their functions. But some of the more general societies, especially in the newer States, ap[»ear to be confused in this respect, and (pieries are fre(pieutly raised as to their proper scope. In the judgment of the committee, an historical society, be it sectional, State, or local, should collect all manner of archieological, anthro])ological, historical, and genealogical material bearing u])on the particular territory which that so- ciety seeks to represent. The pr(jl)lem would be simplified, were the ideal recognized that, wherever practicable, there 12 should ill each State be some cue place where all manner of historical data relative to the Commonwealth at large should be jDlaced for ])reservatiou and consultation; and in each community or county a similar treasure house for its purely local records and relics. It would be superfluous in the present report — which is not intended as an elementary treatise — to set forth in de- tail the lines of work along which a local historical society may ])r<)ritaljly enn)loy itself. J^ut we venture to make these general suggestions: Such an institution may pro])erly make an accurate survey of the archieology and ethnology of its district; not only itself ac(piiring a collection illustrat- ing the same, Ijut entering into fraternal relations with neighboring collectors, private and public, and perhaps pub- lishing a cooperative check-list. The records of the county government (or of the town, the village, or the city), of the courts, the churches, and the schools should at least be listed if they cannot actually be procured. Diaries of original settlers, mercantile account-l)0oks, anniversary sermons, pri- vate letters descriljing early life and manners, field-books of surveyors, etc., are valuable manuscripts woi'thy of system- atic collection. Local newspa])er files are an imjxn'tant source of information, and should assiduously be collected and preserved. Pioneers should l)e '"interviewed" by per- sons themselves conversant witli the details of local history. All manner of miscellaneous local printed matter should be secured, such as society, church, and club year-books, pro- grammes of local entertainments, catalogues and memorabilia of educational or other public and private institutions within l.'i the prescribed lield of research — uothiug of this sort comes amiss to the historical student.' Collections are naturally classitied into libraries, museums, and ]:)ortrait galleries. Into the lil)rarj are properly depos- ited all manner of manuscripts, books, pamphlets, leaflets, broadsides, newspaper files, etc. They should be scientific- ally catalogued, so far as funds will allow, the manuscripts being if possible calendared, or in any event indexed; tlie least that can be expected is, that manuscripts be properly listed on standard catalogue cards. In the museum and gal- lery there should be dejiosited all portraits or relics bearing on the manners, eai'ly life, or persouelle of the community or region. Public museums are frecpiently presented with embarrassing gifts; but tact and diplomacy can usually be depended on for eventual elimination. Perhai)S in no de- partment of a society's work are common sense and the trained judgment of the professed historical worker more frequently needed than in the conduct of the museum. This is one of the most valuable featui-es of collection, ^\hen properly selected and administered; l)ut unfortunately too many of our American societies are the victims of undis- criminatiug anticpiarianism — collection for collection's sake, without method or definite notion as to the actual scholarly value of the relic. Nothing is more deadly, in historical work, than unmeaning museums of "popular attractions." In several of our States, the archives of the Common- wealth are, when ceasins; to be of immediate value in the ad- ' Cousult the following Bulletins of Information issued by the Wisconsin His- torical Society: No. 12, '-Suggestions to Local Historians in Wisconsin"; No. 2.5. "The Gathering of Local History Material, by Public Libraries": No. H. "How Local History Material is Preserved." 14 iniiiistrutiveotHces — •"clciid dofiiiiunits,"" tlwy haw sdinewliat iii:ii)i)n)|)nately Ijeeii termed — committed t(» the care of the State historical society oi' departmeut of histoiy. Wliile eminently desirable, this dis|)Osition is, for various reasons, not immediately possi)>le of attainment in every State. The State society or department may, however, properly intei'est itself in seeing that tlie ai'chives are conveniently located and carefully ])reserved ])y public othcials; and where jiractica- ble, offer ex])ert advice as to tlieir ])roper administration. MKTIIOllS OK I'KKSKXI'A TIOX The gathering of matci'ial is of l)asic importance; l)ut much greater skill is re(|uii'ed adequately to disseminate that material. So fai' as ])i'actical>le, this should be published, in order to secure the widest {possible publicity and couse- (juent nsefulness. The publications of historical societies may contain both the original material, or "sources," and the finished pi'oduct, in the form of monographs, essays, or addresses. State so- cieties should certainly include in tlieir publications every- thing of value to students to l)e found in the archives of the Commonwealth: local organizations may with ei[ual piotit search their several county and municipal records for all data of historical imjiortance. Bildiographies and clieck- lists of jmblications relative to State and local history aiv also desirable. These publications should be well and attractively ])rinted, on good j>aper, and as skillfully edited as possible. So far as the canons of scholarship will allow, they should be capa- ble of ])o])ular understanding and appreciation. The mass of publieatiun.s l)y our American sc.icieties is lai'ge, altluuigli by no means as extensive as it ])r()j)erly might l>e. Unfor- tunately, neither the dictates of typographical taste nor of scholarship have always been followed, so that we have upon our liljrary shelves devoted to State and local annals much that is inaccurate as to matter, mechanically execraljle, and in general slipshod. It is high time that those histoi'ical so- cieties sinning in this res])ect bestir themselves, and inaugu- rate a more scientific treatment of their otherwise useful ma- terial. AVe have come to the stage that competent editors are needed (piite as much as indefatigable collectors. State or k)cal bibliography is an important and much needed wtirk, that may well l)e undertaken l)y historical societies, each in its own class. The example of The State Historical Society of Iowa in inaugurating a monographic industrial hist<:iiy a|>ers, is worthy of emulation. ^Many local societies are, in our opinion, spending far too largelv of their sub- stance in genealogical research and pulilications. AVith numerous jirofessed genealogical societies in the field, to say nothing of the often useful ])ati'iotic hereditary chap- ters — too few of which, however, are publishing things worth while — the general historical organization may with more appropriateness devote itself chiefly to the aljundant task of putting forth documentary material and monographs bear- ing upon its tield. xVny enterprising and skillfullv con- ducted society, once entering u])on publication, will find the possibilities in this direction practically endless. The methods of distribution of ])ul)lications should l)e carefully considered. It is important that material deemed 16 worthy of ])ermanent pi'esei'vatioii in jii'iuted form should be j phiced where it will })e of tlie greatest possible use to schol-l ars. In our opinion, the Library of Congress should, as the national liljrary, be an early recipient of all such publica- tions; next, the largest and most frequented reference libra- ries throughout the United States should be selected as natural repositoiies, whether the jniblishing society is or is not in regular exchange therewith; exchange arrangements sliould, as far as possible, be entered into with kindred soci- eties throughout the State and country; naturally, the mem- bers of the society and the ])ublic libraries of the State and neighborhood will be upon the permanent mailing list. A society that does not thus disseminate its publications where they can do the most good, is in so far neglecting its duty to American histt)rical scholarshiji. The museum is also an impoitant, although necessarily limited, means of pi'esentation of material. AMth tasteful and carefully ])lii"ased labels, changing exhibits of books and manuscripts, loan collections, lectui'es to teachers and pupils of the public schools, bibliographical references, etc., much may here be done to arouse and maintain ]iul)lic intei'est. INTKRESTING THK ITBLIC Indeed, this matter of arousing and maintaining pu])lic interest is, of itself, an important function of an historical society; Init obviously this should be an intelligent, discrim- inating interest. Field meetings, po])ular lectures, work with the schools, some measure of cooi'dination with the pio- neer and old settlers' societies of the district, pilgrimages to places of historic interest, the promotion of anniversary cele- ]>ratious, and the placing of taljlets upon historic sites, all of these are within the province of the society. The enlistment of college and university interests is like- wise highly desiraljle, especially in the matter of research and preparing material for publications; although in becom- ing academic the society should be careful not to remove itself too far from the understanding and sympathy of the common people. Po])ularity and exact scholarship are not incompatible. One of the principal aims of an historical society should be the cultivation among the masses of that civic patriotism which is inevitably the outgrowth of an at- tractive presentation of local history. Logically, there is no reason why the work of collecting and disseminating historical material should not be ([uite as much a public charge as that of the public lil^rary or of the public museum. But the fact that historical work aj^pears to be best prosecuted by individual enthusiasm, seems to render essential the society organization; and in many com- munities it is, as already intimated, difficult to convince legislative assemblies that a semi-private body should re- ceive public aid. This objection is not insupei'able, pi'o- vided there are not, as in some States, likewise constitutional barriers. In the West, arrangements have been entered into whereby the society, in accepting public aid, becomes the trustee of the Commonwealth, as the custodian of State property; yet in no sense does the society surrender its scholastic individuality. In Buffalo, the local society bears much the same relationship to the municipality, in return for the latter's annual stipend. Even under the most favoral.ile political conditions, however, there is small chance f(_ir the 18 historical society obtaining ollicial aid unless its work is win- ning popular apjireciatiou. COOl'KKATIOX No historical society in the United States, State or local, is so powerful that it may not wax stronger by coojjei'ation with its fellows. Small organizations need the advice, assistance, and ins])iration that come from consorting witli largei' and more experienced bodies; the latter will attain fresh vigor by coming into close touch with institutions nearer to the peojde. In Iowa and Wisconsin, cooperation is assured by making the local societies auxiliaries of the State organization. The latter publishes the annual reports of its auxiliaries, and such of those papei's produced by members of the local l)odies as have the stamp of excellence and are of more than local sig- nificance. At meetings of the State ])ody, the auxiliaries are officially i'ej)resented, and freipient correspondence is encouraged between the parent society and its offspring; indeed, the local leadei's become active mein])ers, as well, of the former. ]\Iassachusetts has inaugurated a Bay State Historical League, thus far composed of twenty-one local societies in ^liddlesex and Essex counties. The organization was formed at Ji(»ston, April o, liM)."), its ol)jects being detined as fol- lows: — (1) "To encourage tlie fctrmation of histoi'ical socie- ties; (2) to encourage the existing historical societies in the prosecution of histoi'ical study and the dissemination of historical knowledge, in the institution and maintenance of historical memoi'ials and aniuversaries, the collection, preser- 10 vation, and piiljlioatiou of historical material, lud to briug such societies into a closer relation with one another; and (3) otherwise to promote historical interests." Annual meetings are held at historic points, with ad- dresses of prominent persons, pilgrimages to places of inter- est, and informal confei'ences regarding common interests. It is hoped that by thus combining their forces, the several societies in the league may stimulate popular interest in the history of their region, while leaving each society free to work out its own problems. The Pennsylvania Federation of Historical ."Societies, or- ganized at Harrisburg, January 5, lUOo, is of State-wide scope, but ajiparently confined to the local Ixxlies. Its announced purpose is: "(1) To organize historical activity in every part of the state and to foster it, and to foster that already organized. ("2) To act as a federation bibliogra- pher for its c(jmponeiit societies. {?>) At I'egular intervals, or periods, to bulletin the puldications of its component so- cieties, and to conduct an exchange of said bulletins." The State lil)rarian, the Hon. Thomas L. Montgomery, is taking an active ijiterest in the work, and thus far the expenses of the federation appear to have been made a matter of State charge. Upon the Pacific Coast are several active State historical societies, notaV)ly those of Oregon and Washington. The Southwest Society of the Archieological Institute of Amer- ica, with head(|uarters at Los Angeles, under the able lead- ership of Dr. Charles F. Lummis is rapidly coming to the front, and promises soon to become an important factor in historical research in this interesting region, embracing Texas, Ivew Mexico, Arizona, and Southern California. '20 The foiitVreiii-e of liistorical societies of the Paoitic C-oast, coiulucted at Portland in the tliii'd week of August last — and participated in by Messrs. Sliaiid)augli and Thwaites of the .Vuiei'ieau Historical Association couiiuittee on historical societies — was a spirited gathei'ing. But the disadvantage arising from the gi'eat distances between the several centres of fai' Westei-n historical activity was strongly expressed, and the need of some central agency of cooperation empha- sized, this being the key-note of the discussion. There was a general feeling of satisfaction when it was unanimously determined to utilize the Pacific Coast Branch of the Amer- ican Historical Association as such common medium. Herein lie large oppcu'tuuities for the Branch, and it is sincerely hoped that its managers may succeed in realizing the asj)i- rations awakened in the several State societies l)y this new relationship. The four several attempts at cooperation above enumer- ated, are typical anil suggestive: — (1) An attempt to ct)or- dinate the work of a limited disti'ict within a State immensely rich in historical material and i>pportnnities; (l') a federation of the local historical societies of an entii'e Commonwealth, iude])endent of the State society; (•">) a system whereby local societies are admitted as auxiliaries of the State organization; and, (4) a suggestion to effect cooperation throughout a wide belt of historically-related Commonwealths, by utilizing a sectional l)ranch of the Ameiican Historical Association. Still another form of co<")i»eration has, on motion of the Wisconsin society, recently l)een inaugurated in the region lication between State and local societies within the same Common- wealth, arising from lack of agreement as to their respective fields. Cooperation would tend to minimize this difficulty; yet in the case of State-supported societies there are apt to be certain official barriers to jx^rfect cooperation — and it is open to tjuestion whether duplication has not some advan- tages, for the ])u})licatious of one State are not as a rule freely obtainal)le by students in another. It is, however, important that there should lie some common understanding 23 iu these matters, iu order that what is doue shall be doue intelligently aud jnirposely. Indeed, it is in just such inter-sooiety conference as this, that the most useful cooperation may be effected. AVithin States, no doubt organized federations like those of Penn- sylvania aud Massachusetts will best subserve the interests of all concerned, and secure both continuity of united effort and proper differentiation; Init between State societies, it is possible that in most cases a hard-and-fast organization might prove less useful than temjioi'ary conventions to meet immediate aud varying needs. Another form of coopei-ative agreement is essential be- tween historical societies and public libraries working within the same Held. As already noted, many local societies are quartered in the buildings of such libraries, the former being granted either a separate library and museum room, or special alcoves in the book-stack. Differentiation is thus easily arranged, and each institution can be and often is of great benefit to the other. But there are numerous instances where society and pulilic li])rary are engaged iu needless and costly duplication. In such cases, some sort of affilia- tion should certainly be entered into. The relations Vjetween State historical societies and State libraries are likewise often quite lacking iu definition. Dif- ferentiation is simple in those "Western States, like Wiscon- sin, where the State society, acting as the trustee of the Commonwealth, conducts what is in effect the miscellaneous State library, the nominal State library being simply the law library of the Supreme Court. But this condition obtains in but few Commonwealths; in others, agreements 24 have yet to be perfected, by which these two agencies of collection shall supplement each other rather than duplicate. A system of annual reports from local to State societies, would be desirable, as in the case of the auxiliaries in Iowa and Wisconsin. On the other hand, similar reports from State organizations to the American Historical Association, although not provided for in the latter's charter, would surely tend to arouse more general interest in an undertak- ing in which all are deeply concerned. At present, the work of the societies is too largely individual and to that extent narrow; it sorely needs unifying, sectionally and na tionally. Federated relationship, organized or unorganized would, in our opinion, strengthen the hands of all, from the national body to that of the smallest historical society in the land. Until the "round table" conference at Chicago, in 1904, several of the most important of the State societies were quite unrepresented at the sessions of the American Histor- ical Association. Very likely this has been the fault of the Association quite as much as theirs; for in the former's pro- grammes scant attention has hitherto been paid to the serious problems confronting State and local societies — sup- port, oi'ganization, scope, methods, and co-operation. The Council of the American Historical Association has, how- ever wisely created a section devoted to these matters, and its successive annual conferences will doubtless bear rich fruitage. Reuben Gold Thwaites Wisconsin Histoiiual Socikty Madison IF. Mr 10