HISTORICAL NEWS
Historical Organizations
CRESTLINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF CRAWFORD
COUNTY, Crestline
Ernest G. Hesser, President
The guest speaker for the April 28
meeting was Edward S. Thomas,
curator of natural history of the Ohio
Historical Society. He spoke on the
subject, "Outdoor Ohio in Natural
Color," and illustrated the talk with
his own colored slides of landscapes,
birds, wild flowers, insects, and other
wild life.
The society plans a historical
pilgrimage to Schoenbrunn and also a
garden party at the museum during June.
J. L. Morrow, vice president
of the society, will be in charge of the
pilgrimage.
The Odd Fellows Lodge (I. 0. O. F.), the
first lodge to be organized
in Crestline (1854), plans a centennial
celebration in June. The Crestline
Shunk Museum is arranging an Odd Fellow
Exhibit at the museum, and
Dr. Hesser is preparing a history of the
lodge which he will present at the
centennial dinner.
FIRELANDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Norwalk
James E. Dixon, Curator
The following officers were elected at a
meeting on April 1: Don J.
Young, Jr., president; Charles Frohman,
Erie County vice president; Earl
H. Lowe, Huron County vice president;
Harriet G. Lawton, secretary and
editor of the Firelands Pioneer; James
L. Wood, treasurer; James E. Dixon,
curator. Trustees include Herbert
Freeman, C. B. Gardiner, Harry Bennett,
and Earl H. Lowe.
The transaction for the purchase of the
old Wickham home for a Fire-
lands museum has been completed.
FIRESTONE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES, Akron
William D. Overman, Director
The director, William D. Overman, was
elected president of the Ohio
Academy of History at its meeting in
Columbus, April 3.
GATES MILLS HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Gates
Mills
W. Powell Jones, President
A circular letter was sent to members of
the society in March summariz-
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Historical News 289
ing the past year's activities and
urging increased support of the society.
The organization is responsible for
maintaining and operating the South-
wick House, which houses the village
library and is used as a meeting place
by the society and other organizations.
Secretary Alfred Mewett supplied
historical information on two local
houses included in the combined tour of
the National Trust for Historic
Preservation and the Cleveland Chapter
of the American Institute of
Decorators on May 8.
HAYES MEMORIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM,
Fremont
Watt P. Marchman, Director
Several hundred books pertaining to
Abraham Lincoln and men of his
times were given to the Hayes Memorial
Library by Mrs. E. M. Ickes of
Fremont, early in March 1954.
The director spoke before the Erie
County Historical Society at Sandusky
on the evening of February 18. His
subject was "Interesting Personalities
from the Sandusky River Region." An
exhibition of original manuscripts
illustrated his talk.
The director participated in the annual
meeting of the Ohio Academy
of History on April 3, as one of the
discussants. He also contributed the
sketch of Rutherford B. Hayes which
appears in the New Century Cyclopedia
of Names, recently published.
HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF
OHIO, Cincinnati
Virginius C. Hall, Director
The librarian, Alice P. Hook, was
elected president of the Cincinnati
Chapter of the Special Libraries
Association for the year 1954-55.
The director was made an honorary life
member of the Ohio Historical
Society at its annual meeting in April.
HUDSON LIBRARY AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
Hudson
Lois A. Reed, Librarian and Curator
A new addition to the library and
historical museum was opened on
May 9, 1954. In connection with the
opening an exhibition of old books
and furnishings of the early nineteenth
century was arranged. Also featured
was a Washington hand press upon which
copies of an attractive broadside
describing the exhibition were printed
for distribution on the occasion.
The exhibition continued through June.
290
Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly
LAKEWOOD HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Lakewood
Mrs. Clyde H. Butler, President
Recent projects of the society include
the installation of an old fashion(
fireplace in the kitchen of the Stone
House in Lakewood Park and the pr
paration and planting of an authentic
old-fashioned herb and flower garden
LOGAN COUNTY ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Zanesfield
Elmer O. Heath, President
At the March meeting Mr. Heath and Guy
W. Furbay were reelecte
president and secretary respectively,
and E. L. Pennock was named vi?
president.
Two more roadside markers for the
Princess Myeerah Trail, which con
nected Blue Jacket Town (now
Bellefontaine) with Tarhee's Village (th
present Zanesfield), were purchased.
LORAIN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Elyria
George P. Metcalf, President
The society's annual guest dinner was
held at the Oberlin Inn on April 12
At the business session on the same date
George P. Metcalf was electec
president; R. C. Vietzen, first vice
president; and Winifred L. Fay, secre.
tary. All other incumbent officers were
reelected for another term. Mrs.
James B. Thomas, the retiring president,
was named president emeritus.
Mrs. Thomas announced an offer from the
Ely Trust to give a part or all
of the rental for housing the society's
collections. A gavel which had
belonged to Arthur L. Garford (father of
Mrs. Thomas) was presented to
the society. The gavel, which was made
of maple and black walnut woods
from the counter and bench in General
Grant's store at Galena, Illinois,
had been presented to Governor McKinley
by the Rev. G. R. Vanhorne
of Rockford, Illinois.
NEWCOMERSTOWN HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
Newcomerstown
W. Frank Schlupp, President
The president of the society, W. Frank
Schlupp, was instrumental in
securing the erection of a handsome
metal plaque marking the site of the
old Delaware Indian town
Gekelemukpechunk. The marker was placed
on the Greyhound Post House on Pilling
Street in Newcomerstown by Grey-
hound Post Houses, Inc. An article by
Mr. Schlupp concerning the plaque
and the history of the Indian town once
at the site was published in the
Newcomerstown News, April 15, 1954.
Historical News 291
)TTAWA COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM, Port
Clinton
May Hesselbart, Curator
The rooms of the museum were redecorated
this spring, and are now an
Attractive delicate coral rose, which
makes a decided improvement in the
appearance of the museum.
The curator, Miss Hesselbart, has
recently supplied Joseph R. Prentiss,
superintendent of the Perry Memorial
Monument at Put-in-Bay, with histori-
cal data pertaining to Old Fort
Sandoski, Harrison military roads, and other
subjects connected with the history of
the vicinity.
PORTAGE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Ravenna
M. Herbert Heighton, President
The February meeting of the society was
held at the University School
auditorium at Kent on February 26.
Hostesses were Mrs. Martin L. Davey,
Mrs. H. G. Taylor, Mrs. Mason Jones,
Mrs. Glenn Reed, Dorothy Parsons,
and Margaret Getz. After a program of
music, Dudley S. Weaver, chair-
man of research, gave an illustrated
talk showing fifty pictures relating
to Lincoln and eighty pictures of Kent
and Franklin Township from
earliest times.
The March meeting of the society was
held at the school auditorium
in Shalersville on March 26. Hazel
Pennell and Mrs. Otto Ahrens served
as township chairmen. Edith Cook Roosa
gave an interesting talk on
"Shalersville of Yester Year."
Sherman B. Barnes, professor of history
at Kent State University, presented a
continuation of his original work
on church history, with specific
reference to a "Religious Liberal at Edin-
burg in 1855."
The April meeting was held at the United
Church parlors in Edinburg
on April 30, with Mrs. Wesley H.
Ensinger serving as township chairman.
A vocal trio sang "Beautiful Isle
of Somewhere," composed by Jessie
Brown Pounds, a native of Hiram in
Portage County. Orral Frank spoke
on little known facts of Portage County,
and John Lowrie of Ravenna
spoke on early Edinburg history.
SALEM HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Salem
George H. Bowman, Jr., President
George H. Bowman, Jr., was reelected
president of the Salem Historical
Society at the March 11, 1954, meeting
in the public library. New officers
include: Harold Harman, vice president;
and Pearl Walker, secretary.
Bernice Burkle, who was named treasurer
late in 1953, was retained in that
office. Officers serve for a one-year
term.
292
Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly
The society has had the bell which hung
in the old town hall mounte
on a pedestal and placed in Centennial
Park. Appropriate ceremonies wil
be held around this memorial sometime
this summer.
Work is going forward toward the raising
of a fund for the purchas
of a museum for the society's
collections.
SHAKER HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Cleveland
Caroline B. Piercy, Secretary
New officers elected at the January 27
meeting are Cary Album, president
and William Slade, Jr., vice president.
Two hundred members were entertained at
the meeting on April 4, with
William Ganson Rose showing pictures of
early Cleveland.
The secretary, Caroline B. Piercy, is
assembling a small Shaker museum
for the school children of Shaker
Heights.
The Shaker Savings Association opened a
new bank on March 31, which
is a fitting memorial to the Shaker
community of North Union. The build-
ing is authentic Shaker architecture,
and the interior is decorated with
fine Shaker furnishings. Seventy feet of
murals by Glenn Shaw tell the
story of these unique communities in an
admirable fashion. Alexander
Mintz, a member of the board of trustees
of the society, is president
of the bank.
STARK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Canton
Joseph M. Markley, President
E. T. Heald retired as
secretary-treasurer of the society on July 1, 1954,
and was succeeded by H. T. O. Blue. Mr.
Heald, who had served as
secretary-treasurer since the
organization of the society eight years ago, will
continue on the staff as historian.
Up to May 1, 1954, Mr. Heald had
prepared 322 radio scripts relating
to Stark County history and broadcast
them over WHBC-WHBC-FM,
Canton, on the Good Neighbor Hour. The
first 231 broadcasts are in-
cluded in the first three volumes of The
Stark County Story. The remaining
91 broadcasts are in manuscript form
ready to be edited for Volume IV,
which is tentatively scheduled for
publication in 1955.
STOW HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Stow
Mrs. Albert Hubbard, President
Present officers of the society are Mrs.
Albert Hubbard, Hudson, presi-
dent; Mrs. Joe Miller, Stow, vice
president; and Mrs. J. F. Harth, Cuyahoga
Falls, secretary. Their term extends to
November 1954.
Historical News 293
VAN WERT COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Van Wert
Martin W. Feigert, President
On January 17, twelve persons were
appointed trustees for one-year terms,
one from each of the twelve townships in
Van Wert County. They are as
follows: Mrs. Theodore Hertz, Mrs.
Thomas Myers, J. Artie Keysor,
Donald Neubrecht, Homer Pollock, Russell
B. Price, Mrs. Gus O. Ickes,
Mrs. Paul Lichtensteiger, Glenn G.
Goodwin, George Gardner, W. D.
Alspaugh, and Zelma Doring.
A research committee of five, with
Eugene C. Feigert as chairman, has
also been appointed. C. E. Drury has
been named parliamentarian and
Marguerite Pennell, secretary.
A membership drive is in progress, and
efforts are being made to secure
exhibit space, display cases, and
additions to the collections.
WARREN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
Lebanon
Hazel S. Phillips, President
The annual dinner of the society was
held on Monday evening, May 3,
at the Golden Lamb. Honorable Clarence
J. Brown, member of congress
from the Seventh District, gave the
principal address.
The president of the society, Hazel S.
Phillips, was recently honored by
receiving the first award as Woman of
the Year to be given by the Lebanon
Business and Professional Women's
Club. The citation reads: "This
Certificate is awarded to Hazel Spencer
Phillips in recognition of her
outstanding service to the community,
and her unselfish interest in all things
pertaining to the betterment of her
State, and Nation."
WYANDOT COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Upper
Sandusky
Ira Sterner, President
New officers of the society elected at
the meeting on April 3 are Ira
Sterner, president; and Florence Wetzel,
treasurer.
The society sponsored a program for the
dedication ceremonies at the
Crawford Memorial Park on Sunday, June
13.
About Historians
Robert W. Twyman of the department of
history at Bowling Green
State University is the author of the History
of Marshall Field and Company,
1852-1906, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press this
spring.
Warren Beck, assistant professor of
history at Capital University, re-
294 Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly
ceived the Ph. D. degree in history from
the Ohio State University on
March 19, 1954. His dissertation is on
American policy in Guatemala.
Two members of the history department at
Kenyon College have recent
publications to their credit: Charles R.
Ritcheson is the author of British
Politics and the American Revolution,
published this year by the University
of Oklahoma Press; and Richard G. Salomon
wrote an article, "A Newly
Discovered Manuscript of Opicinus de
Canistris," which appeared in the
Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld
Institutes, XVI, Nos. 1-2 (1953),
45-57.
Berry McGill has been reappointed for
two years as an instructor in
European history at Oberlin College.
Wilfred E. Binkley, chairman of the
department of history and political
science at Ohio Northern University, has
recently been appointed by Presi-
dent Eisenhower as a member of the
National Historical Documents Com-
mission. The president appoints two of
the twelve members. The others
are appointed by the vice president of
the United States, the speaker of the
house of representatives, the chief
justice of the United States, the secre-
tary of state, the secretary of defense,
and the executive council of the
American Historical Association.
Harold Grimm has resigned from the
department of history at Ohio
State University to accept the
chairmanship of the department of history
at Indiana University.
Professors Dulles, Bremner, Coles, Hill,
and Weisenburger attended
the annual meeting of the Mississippi
Valley Historical Association in
Madison, Wisconsin, April 22-24. Dr.
Dulles was chairman of a session
on "Ideas and Foreign Policy."
Harvey Goldberg has an article, "The
Growth of Early Socialism," in
the Monthly Review for April
1954; and James M. Smith's article, "The
Sedition Law of 1798 and the Right of
Petition: The Attempted Persecu-
tion of Jedidiah Peck," appeared in
New York History, XXXV (1954),
64-72.
A chapter of Phi Alpha Theta was
established at Ohio University on
May 14, 1954.
John F. Cady presented a paper,
"Government and Politics in Old
Historical News 295
Burma," at the annual meeting of
the Far Eastern Association in New York
City in April.
Frederick D. Kershner's study of
"Livingston Hopkins, an Ohio Artist
in Australia," appeared in the
preceding issue of this Quarterly.
The New Century Cyclopedia of Names lists
A. T. Volwiler among its
special consultants and contributors.
In March of this year the department of
history at Wilberforce Univer-
sity organized "The Week of Negro
History and Cultural Achievements."
The official opening was held in Jones
Auditorium with the entire student
body and faculty in attendance. Karol
Marcinkowski, chairman of the
department, delivered an address on the
contributions of American Negroes
to civilization. During the week
students of the department read seven
papers on pertinent topics and organized
an exhibition of books, pictures,
and diagrams illustrating Negro
achievements in various fields.
Dr. Marcinkowski read a paper on the
"Conquest of Moscow by Poland
and the Union between Poland and Russia
in the 17th Century." He also
wrote a treatise, "The Historical
and Cultural Significance of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church," which
was published in the Christian Rec-
order for March 25, 1954.
W. Eugene Shiels, S. J., chairman of the
department of history at Xavier
University, has had an article on the
function of the history teacher in a
university accepted for publication in
the September 1954 issue of the
Jesuit Educational Quarterly. His appreciation of the first issue of the new
Journal of World History received wide press notice.