Ohio History Journal

THE OHIO STATE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND

HISTORICAL SOCIETY

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING

April 6, 1945

The annual meeting of the Ohio State Archaeological and

Historical Society convened in the auditorium of the Ohio State

Museum at 10:30 A.M., April 6, 1945. The meeting was called

to order by Mr. Arthur C. Johnson, President of the Society.

Other members of the Board of Trustees present were Mr.

Wolfe, Mr. Amos, Mr. Eagleson and Mr. Florence. Considering

present day difficulties in transportation, there was a representa-

tive number of additional members present. President Johnson

welcomed the members and stated that they had been urged to

attend this meeting for the purpose of transacting vital business

of the Society.

The first item of business considered was action upon the

minutes of the last meeting which was held in 1942. These had

been published and were in the possession of all members of the

Society. Mr. Eagleson moved that the reading of the minutes of

the last meeting be dispensed with and that they be approved

and placed on file. This motion was seconded by Mr. Rigney

and was adopted. While no annual meeting was held in 1943 or

1944, yet the annual reports of the Director, Secretary, and

Treasurer were made and published in the July-September issues

of the Quarterly for 1943 and 1944.

The next matter to claim the attention of the members was

action on the revised constitution which had been drafted by a

committee to supersede the proposed constitution of 1942. This

committee consisted of Mr. Rightmire, chairman, assisted by

Mr. Eagleson, Mr. Wolfe and Mr. Holzer. In accordance with

the provisions of the existing constitution, this revision had been

submitted to all members by mail with the privilege of voting

concerning its adoption. Mr. Rigney moved that the proposed

constitution be adopted.  His motion was seconded by Mr.

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190 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

Charles A. Jones. President Johnson called on the Secretary for

a report of the votes which had been received by mail; the sec-

retary stated that seventeen ballots had been returned, all of

which favored the adoption of the constitution. A vote on the

constitution was taken and unanimously passed. Words of ap-

preciation were expressed and by motion made by Mr. Volwiler

and seconded by Mr. Rigney, the Society expressed its thanks to

Dr. Rightmire and his associates for their excellent work.

The President spoke of the peculiar situation arising from

the fact that since the last regular meeting of the Society, the

terms of all trustees chosen by the Society had expired and he

appointed a nominating committee consisting of Mr. J. F. At-

wood, Mrs. George Marvin, Mr. Charles A. Jones and Mr.

Eugene Rigney to recommend nominations for these offices.

The President asked for a report from the Secretary concerning

any nominations by mail and also gave an opportunity for nomina-

tions from  the floor. The Secretary reported that Professor

Eugene Van Cleef of the Department of Geography of Ohio

State University had been nominated by mail, his nomination

being supported by three members of the Society. The President

asked the nominating committee to make note of this nomination.

After the nominating committee retired, the President intro-

duced Mr. Delf Norona, a member of this Society and vice-

president of the West Virginia Historical Society, and Mr. Claude

F. Walker of Darien, Connecticut. Mr. Walker is a member of

the Society and is establishing a memorial collection in the

Society's Library.

The annual reports of the Director, Secretary and the

Treasurer were distributed to members since they had been printed

in advance. Their reading was dispensed with, but the chairman

asked the Director and Secretary to make a few comments.

After brief remarks, with some explanations, the reports were

approved and made a matter of record.

The chairman spoke of the realization that the Society is at

the first main crossroads of its history.  He referred to the

adoption of the new constitution, the approaching retirement of

its chief administrative officers and the nearing completion of the

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MINUTES OF BUSINESS MEETING              191

 

archaeological activities for which the Society was initiated. He

referred to the devoted labor of Mr. Mills and his successor,

Mr. Shetrone, and said that he considered this phase of the

Society's work practically completed. He suggested that the new

major project of the Society be the development of the Library

and publications. He gave special credit to the work of the

Director for his Ohio archaeology and to the Secretary-Librarian

for his work in connection with the six-volume History of the

State of Ohio, edited by Mr. Carl Wittke. Mr. Johnson asked

that there be a resolution passed recommending that the trustees

prepare a program for the next annual meeting in which one

feature shall be the honoring of the retiring officials whenever

such retirement takes place. Mr. Wolfe moved that such a reso-

lution be adopted and his motion was seconded by Mr. Eugene

Van Cleef and was unanimously approved.

The President then called for the report of the nominating

committee which made the following recommendations for trus-

tees: for one year, Mr. Weygandt, Mr. Spetnagel, and Mr.

Johnson; for two years, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Florence, and Mr.

Rightmire; for three years, Mr. Miller, Mr. Holzer, and Mr.

Wittke. The committee also recommended the consideration of

Mr. Van Cleef to fill any vacancy that may occur. Mr. Atwood,

as chairman of the committee, moved that the recommendations

of the nominating committee be accepted. This motion was

seconded by Mr. Wolfe and the report was approved by vote of

the members present.

Mr. Johnson then offered an opportunity for open discussion

by any member who wished to address the meeting on any sub-

ject. Mr. Rigney commended the gift of the "Our House"

property to the Society and recommended that Dr. and Mrs.

Holzer be granted benefactor memberships in the Society in

recognition of their gift. This motion was seconded by Mr.

Wolfe and approved.

The chairman commented on the activities of various local

historical societies throughout the State and mentioned especially

the work of. Mr. Eugene Rigney in connection with the Ross

County Historical Society and recommended that this Society

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192  OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

send greetings to Mr. Rigney and to the Ross County Historical

Society.

The chairman called upon Mr. Walker to say a few words.

Mr. Frank C. Caldwell, honorary curator of the Society's electri-

cal exhibit, suggested that a collection of pictures of the various

centers of activity over the State, under the supervision of the

Society, be made, which would show the work the Society is

doing to promote museum    activities outside Columbus.  The

chairman called attention to the activities of the Society along

this line and mention was made of the exhibit of a number of

these localities by large photographs in the rotunda of the

museum. Attention was also called to various loan exhibits of

pictures promoted by the Society and particularly to the collec-

tion of paintings of historic houses now on exhibit, the work of

Mr. Ralph Fanning of the fine arts department of Ohio State

University.

Plans had been made by the Board of Trustees several

months ago to make the annual meeting in 1945 a commemora-

tive occasion celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of the organiza-

tion of the Society. Due to existing war conditions, however,

this was not possible. In order to make note of the occasion,

Mr. James H. Rodabaugh, research associate on the staff of the

Society, was asked to prepare a brief paper featuring particularly

the last ten years of the Society's activities (since the previous

period had been covered by articles which appeared in the

Quarterly, the last one having been published in the July-Septem-

ber issue of 1935). Mr. Rodabaugh read a paper, entitled, "The

Historical Society in a Changing World," which is published in

full in the present issue of the Quarterly.

The chairman reported that Governor Frank Lausche had re-

appointed Mr. Eagleson for a term of three years as a member

of the Board of Trustees, and that he was considering a new

appointee to take the place of Mr. William E. Levis who has

resigned.

Mr. Rigney asked that some recognition be made of the

150th Anniversary of the establishment of the Zane Trace and it

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was suggested that the matter be brought before the Board of

Trustees and other administrative officials for consideration.

By motion the meeting was adjourned.

ARTHUR C. JOHNSON, SR.,

President

 

HARLOW LINDLEY,

Secretary

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