Fortieth Annual Meeting 263
healthy condition, even though it
carries the scars of the dam-
age caused by storm three years ago.
The General Gibson Grove that was
planted a year ago is
growing, with few losses, and they are
being replaced.
Thousands of people continue to visit
this historic old tree
annually. On October 4th the
Ohio History Day Association
held its annual meeting at the Park, and
with most unfavorable
weather conditions had more than 3000
people present. Mr.
John Wilson very kindly donated the use
of a field -- had he
not done so there would not have been
room to park the auto-
mobiles. It is hoped that additional
land can be secured soon.
The road leading from the Columbus and
Portsmouth road
was widened to the entrance of the park
during the summer.
This adds very much to the safety of
visitors arriving from and
departing in that direction.
(Signed) GEORGE FLORENCE,
Chairman,.
The report was duly received and ordered
placed on
file.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON BIG BOT-
TOM PARK
Secretary Galbreath read the following
report:
The Park is in good condition, and we
have not been trou-
bled by trespassing campers during the
past year.
(Signed) ENFIELD BROKAW.
The report was ordered received and
placed on file.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON HISTORICAL
SOCIETIES
Mr. H. R. McPherson, Chairman of the
Committee,
read the following report:
At a very recent date I received
notification that I am Chair-
man of this committee, hence nothing
constructive has been at-
tempted by the committee, and there is
little to report. During
the past few days I have hurriedly
collected a few facts which
will be briefly presented.
During the past year a list of
Historical Societies was pre-
pared by C. B. Galbreath, Secretary of
the Ohio State Arch-
aeological and Historical Society, which is believed to
include
264 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
practically all that are in existence at
the present time. Many
of the local societies organized at an
earlier date are no longer
in existence. Others supposed to still have an organization
have not responded to letters of
inquiry.
Ohio Historical and Philosophical
Society, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Joseph Wilby, President; Frederick W.
Hinkle, Recording Sec-
retary.
The Western Reserve Historical Society.
William P. Pal-
mer, President; Wallace H. Cathcart,
Vice President and Di-
rector.
The Firelands Historical Society.
Honorable C. P. Wick-
ham, President, Norwalk, Ohio; A. D.
Sanders, Recording Sec-
retary, Norwalk, Ohio.
Preble County Historical Society, H. R.
McPherson, Presi-
dent, Eldorado, Ohio; Frank Mitchell,
Secretary-Treasurer,
Eaton, Ohio.
Tuscarawas County Historical Society,
Rev. J. E. Weinland,
President, Dover, Ohio.
Historical Society of Northwestern Ohio,
George E. Pom-
eroy, President; N. O. Winters,
Secretary, Toledo, Ohio.
Maumee Valley Pioneer and Historical
Association, Clif-
ford T. Hanson, President; Eugene
Reinfrank, Secretary.
Tallmadge Historical Society, Tallmadge,
Ohio. Charles
H. Wright, President, Tallmadge, Ohio;
Mrs. Charles H. Wright,
Secretary.
Seneca County Historical and
Archaeological Society. Rev.
F. L. Hultgen, President; Frank Dildine,
Secretary, Tiffin, Ohio.
Sandusky County Pioneer Association,
Fremont, Ohio. A.
E. Culbert, President, Fremont, Ohio; B.
A. Fouche, Secretary,
Fremont, Ohio.
Franklin County Pioneer Association,
Columbus, Ohio.
Major L. F. Sullivant, President,
Columbus, Ohio.
Fairfield County Historical Society.
Judge Van A. Snider,
President, Lancaster, Ohio; Captain Otto
J. Kinder, Secretary.
Clark County Historical Society. Benjamin F. Prince,
President, Springfield, Ohio.
Allen County Historical Society, Lima,
Ohio. Ezekiel
Owen, President, Lima, Ohio; Miss Ella
Pillars, Secretary and
Curator, Lima, Ohio.
Greenville Historical Society, Greenville, Ohio. J. J.
O'Brien, President; Frazer E. Wilson,
Secretary.
Very recently the newspapers of
Jefferson, Ohio, carried
the information that the Historical Society of
Ashtabula County
is about to be reorganized for active
work.
Fortieth Annual Meeting 265
Should error appear in this list through
change of officers,
omission of active Societies, suspension
of activities of others, or
otherwise, a correction will be appreciated.
It is hoped that some definite outline
of activity can be
arranged for this Committee, and that a
substantial report of
some achievement may be heard by another
year. The Chair-
man firmly believes that this Committee can accomplish
great good
in awakening dormant local interest in
things historical as well
as in making an effort to induce these
various Historical So-
cieties to adopt a policy of intimate
affiliation with this Society
which is certain to prove mutually
beneficial.
In lieu of making a formal report I have
been requested,
additionally, to comment briefly upon
the activities of the Preble
County Historical Society of which I am
a member. It is one
of the youngest of kindred organizations
in the state, having
been functioning but four years. During
that short period, and
in conjunction with the active
representations and counsels of
the State Society, it has successfully
founded one of the most
beautiful of similar parks in the state.
By arousing local senti-
ment to the point of complete
cooperation and assistance it was
easily possible to induce the
Legislature to appropriate money
for the purpose of purchasing the site,
erecting buildings and
maintenance features. Subsequent to this public interest has
been retained and even
strengthened. Tremendous value has
thus far been vested in the park site,
including donations of
varied description, labor, professional
services, and materials,
all in addition to the money furnished
by the state and, the valua-
tion of the eleven acre forestry
project, planted under the super-
vision of the State Forestry
Department. The aggregate of
values vested in the park site will
surpass $21,000.00
These features are mentioned to fortify
the claim that the
public is eager to seize the opportunity
to avail itself of the ad-
vantages afforded in an enterprise of
this sort. It but remains
for some organization to assume the
initiative, mould public opin-
ion and offer suggestions as to the
things required, and public
support will rally to the call for
assistance.
It is essential to note, however, that
local sentiment must
be swayed to the point of action if such
a venture is to survive.
Support will be readily tendered by the
state if it is evident that
local interest is manifested to the
degree of full appreciation,
once it is bequeathed.
From our experience the error of calling
upon the state
for financial support for various
historical projects, when local
266 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
sentiment has not been aroused to the
point of appreciation and
to a large degree, self-support, is too
frequently committed.
Respectfully submitted,
(Signed) H. R. MCPHERSON.
The report was ordered received and
placed on file.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON EARLY
OHIO SCHOOL BOOKS
The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. John
R. Horst,
read the following report:
Your committee on Ohio Early School
Books respectfully
reports that it has completed a fair
collection of the books
relating to the National Normal
University of Lebanon, Ohio.
This collection includes the works of
Alfred Holbrook, founder
and president of the university in its
best days, and also the
works of certain pupils of the school.
The collection is not
complete and more books' will be added
as they may be pro-
cured. The list now presented is as
follows:
"School Management", by Alfred
Holbrook (two copies),
presented by Judge David Davis of Cincinnati,
Ohio, and John
R. Horst, of Columbus, Ohio, one copy
each.
"Normal Methods", by Alfred
Holbrook (two copies), pre-
sented by Judge David Davis of
Cincinnati, Ohio, and John
R. Horst of Columbus, Ohio, one copy
each.
"Training Lessons in English Grammar",
by Alfred Hol-
brook (two copies), presented by S. F.
Harriman of Columbus,
Ohio, and Judge David Davis of
Cincinnati, Ohio, one copy
each.
"Complete English Grammar", by
Alfred Holbrook (two
copies), presented by Judge David Davis
and John R. Horst,
one copy each.
"Supplement and Key to New English
Grammar," by Al-
fred Holbrook, presented by Judge David
Davis.
"Reminiscences of a Happy
Life", by Alfred Holbrook,
presented by Judge David Davis.
"Outline of U. S. History", by
R. Heber Holbrook, pre-
sented by M. E. Thrailkill of Columbus,
Ohio.
"The New Method or School
Expositions", by R. Heber
Holbrook, presented by John R. Horst of
Columbus, Ohio.
"First Latin Lessons", by
Irene Holbrook (Clark), pre-
sented by Miss Bernice Evans of Lebanon,
Ohio, and Miss
Venetia Garwood of Lebanon, Ohio, one
copy each.