Ohio History Journal

OHIO STATE ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL

SOCIETY

REVIEWS, NOTES AND COMMENTS

 

BY THE EDITOR

 

DR. WILLIAM H. ALLEN'S REPORT ON THE OHIO

STATE ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HIS-

TORICAL SOCIETY

Dr. William H. Allen, head of the Institute of Pub-

lic Service, New York, was employed by the Joint Legis-

lative Committee on Administrative Reorganization to

make an examination of all state educational agencies.

In his report on the work of the Society he sketches

briefly the aims and purposes of the Society; the prop-

erties that have been transferred to its custody; the ex-

tent and character of its exhibits; its needs and its op-

portunities for greater service.

He praises highly some of the publications of the

Society and declares that "the Archaeological Atlas pub-

lished should be in every school house because of the in-

formation on local remains which it contains."

He directs especial attention to the overcrowded con-

dition of the museum and library building and states that

"much valuable material is not on exhibition due to lack

of space."

He concludes his report with eleven recommendations

which are here reproduced in full:

(176)

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Reviews, Notes and Comments.            177

 

1-That the state department of public instruction be

charged with responsibility for studying the work of

this society with a view to the use of its results by pub-

lic schools, teacher training schools and universities,

and that the results of such inspection and analysis of

its budget estimates be submitted biennially to the gov-

ernor, legislature and public.

2 - That the society be encouraged and urged to establish

a consistent and systematic method of enlisting citizen

memberships by way of public information concerning

local history, mounds and relics of the various counties

with popular appeal.

3 -That special pamphlets and handbooks be prepared for

use in the schools with special reference to local history,

mounds and relics of the various counties.

4--That the society be especially encouraged to continue

the collection of war data which it has begun and to

use in that service local schools for the double purpose

of building up in each locality a war cabinet and of

furnishing to the state a complete as possible history

of each locality's participation in the World War and

the reconstruction work following it.

5 - That both the society and the Ohio state university be

urged to make far greater use of the society's research

problems for the training of students in research

methods and of the society's publications and exhibits

for interesting and informing students and visitors

during their stay at the university and during their

study of Ohio archaeology and history.

6--That so far as distance permits the society make of

vital usefulness to Miami and Ohio universities and to

the normal schools of the state its exhibits, its publi-

cations and its outline of studies in the making.

7-That the society be asked to extend its loans of ma-

terials to schools not only in Columbus but throughout

the state.

8-That the state house be used again for museum pur-

poses as is entirely practical in the corridors; and that

the society be asked to arrange for trained attendants

who can explain to the thousands of people who visit

the state house each month and the many thousands

more who would visit it Saturday afternoons and Sun-

days if its present portraits and flags were explained

entertainingly and were supplemented by loans from

Vol. XXX - 17.

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178       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

the archaeological museum; and to that end employ

modern publicity methods of popularizing its messages,

advertising its needs for funds as opportunities for pub-

lic-spirited citizens, following up interest once awak-

ened by interested and interesting correspondence, and

guiding local historical societies, teachers of history and

individual students in search for and enjoyment of

important facts about Ohio's archaeology and history.

9- That Sunday exhibits at the museum itself be

featured not only for university students but for resi-

dents of and visitors to Columbus.

10--That the society become aggressive and militant and

employ the methods which have made a great power

for entertainment and education of the National Geo-

graphic Society and the American Museum of Natural

History.

11 - That as part of its archaeological museum it collect and

exhibit graphic descriptions of progress in teaching

history with a view to hastening the abandonment of

methods in Ohio's schools or colleges that chill and

crush the natural interest in the study of history which

it is so important for a democracy to develop.

 

 

 

THE MAUMEE VALLEY IN THE DAYS OF WAYNE

In the Indiana Magazine of History for March is

published a paper by Elmore Barce in which there is an

interesting description of the valley of the Maumee

River as it appeared before the conquest of the white

man. It is described as a land of great richness and wild

game was said to have been very plentiful. Ohio read-

ers will be interested in the following excerpt:

"It was a region greatly beloved by the Indian tribes, and the scene

after the Revolution, of many grand councils of the northwestern con-

federacy * * *

"The army spent many days after the battle of Fallen Timbers in the

destruction of the fields of grain. One who marched with Wayne's army,

in August of the above year, describes Indian corn fields of four or five

miles in length along the Au Glaize, and estimated that there were 1000

acres of growing corn. The whole valley of the Maumee from its mouth

to Fort Wayne, is described as being full of immense corn fields, large

vegetable patches, and old apple trees."

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