Minutes of the Meeting of the
Ohio Academy of History,
Columbus, April 4, 1959
THE
OHIO
ACADEMY OF HISTORY held its twenty-sixth
annual meeting
at the Ohio State Museum on Saturday,
April 4, 1959.
Three concurrent morning sessions were
devoted to a variety of
topics. Alfred D. Low of Youngstown
University, as chairman of the
section on modern European history,
introduced David C. Riede of the
University of Akron and Grover C. Platt
of Bowling Green State
University, who presented papers
entitled, respectively, "National So-
cialism and the Catholic Church"
and "German Social Democracy,
1946-1958: An Appraisal."
Discussion was led by Irwin Abrams of
Antioch College. In the area of American
history, with Francis P.
Weisenburger of Ohio State University in
the chair and James H.
Rodabaugh of the Ohio Historical Society
leading the discussion, Wil-
liam G. Keener of the Ohio Historical
Society presented a paper on "His-
torical Villages: Fact, Fiction, and
Function" and Walt P. Marchman
of the Rutherford B. Hayes Library one
on "Research Projects at the
Rutherford B. Hayes Library."
Richard A. Thompson of Ohio Univer-
sity was chairman of the third session,
a seminar on American foreign
policy. A paper by Thomas LeDuc of
Oberlin College, "Exports as
the Most Consistent Theme in American
Foreign Policy," which had
been distributed prior to the meeting,
was the focal point of the discus-
sion, in which Lawrence S. Kaplan of Kent
State University, Harris
G. Warren of Miami University, and the
speaker took the lead.
Paul I. Miller of Hiram College,
president of the Academy, presided
at the luncheon, which was served to 105
persons at the Ohio Union.
The Certificate of Award for Historical
Achievement in 1958 was pre-
sented to John F. Cady of Ohio
University for his book, A History of
Modern Burma. The announcement was made by Donald P. Gavin of
John Carroll University, chairman of the
Committee on Awards. The
president, after reading Article VII,
Section 2, of the Ohio Academy
of History Constitution, recognized the
secretary-treasurer, who pre-
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THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
sented a resolution submitted by the
unanimous action of the Executive
Committee. The resolution stated:
Resolved, that, in accordance with Article VII, Section 2, of the
Constitution of the Ohio Academy of
History, an honorary life mem-
bership be presented to Carl Wittke of
Western Reserve University in
recognition of his long and distinguished service in
the field of history.
Stanton Ling Davis moved the adoption of
the resolution; it was sec-
onded by many of those present, and was
approved by acclamation.
The luncheon session closed with the
principal address of the day,
"Truth in History," by Walter
C. Langsam, president of the Univer-
sity of Cincinnati.
The business meeting, a summary of which
appears below, preceded
two concurrent afternoon sessions at the
Museum. At one, A. A. Sker-
pan of Kent State University presented
"New Dealism in Old Russia:
State Intervention and Planning in the
National Economy One Hun-
dred Years Ago." Arvel B. Erickson
of Western Reserve University
was chairman and Andre L. de Saint Rat
led the discussion. The other,
with Carl G. Klopfenstein of Heidelberg
College as chairman, featured
a paper by Randolph C. Downes of the
University of Toledo, "Warren
G. Harding--Chief Victim of the
Muck-for-Muck's-Sake Writers of the
1920's and 1930's." The discussion
leader was Virginia B. Platt of
Bowling Green State University.
Forty-six members attended the business
meeting, which was con-
ducted by President Miller. It was voted
to dispense with the reading
of the minutes of the 1958 meeting,
since they had been published in the
Ohio Historical Quarterly for July 1958. The secretary-treasurer re-
ported briefly on the successful Fall
Meeting at Bowling Green in
October 1958. He recounted the action of
the Executive Committee
in authorizing a registration fee at the
annual meeting to alleviate the
financial crisis facing the Academy. The
current total of eighty paid
members is approximately one-third less
than that of four years ago.
The resulting decrease in income coupled
with rising costs of postage
and stationery has reduced the treasury
to an alarmingly low level. It
is hoped that a projected membership
campaign will restore the size of
the membership at least to its 1955
level.
William L. Wannemacher of Kent State
University, chairman of the
Program Committee, expressed his
appreciation to his committee mem-
bers, to the speakers, and to everyone
else who assisted in planning the
program.
OHIO ACADEMY OF HISTORY 301
Duane D. Smith of the University of
Toledo rendered a progress
report for the Committee on Standards,
of which he is chairman. He
summarized the results of a survey
conducted relative to standards
and salaries of the history profession
in Ohio, and recommended further
inquiry and study along these lines.
Wilfred J. Steiner of the University of
Dayton, speaking for the
chairman of the Committee on
Nominations, who was unable to attend,
presented the following slate of
officers for 1959-60 and moved its
adoption:
For president--James H. Rodabaugh, Ohio
Historical Society
For vice-president--Wilfred E. Binkley,
Ohio Northern University
For secretary-treasurer--John S. Still,
Ohio Historical Society
The motion was seconded and unanimously
approved, and the nom-
inees were declared elected.
The secretary-treasurer then read a
proposed amendment to the Con-
stitution submitted by the President. It
called for deletion of the words
"composed of three members of the
Academy" from Sections 1 and 3
of Article VI, in effect removing the
restriction on the number of mem-
bers to be appointed to the Committees
on Awards and Nominations.
No motion to adopt being forthcoming,
the proposed amendment was
withdrawn.
Landon Warner of Kenyon College offered
the following resolution:
Resolved, that the Ohio Academy of History express its
appreciation
to Dr. William L. Wannemacher and his
colleagues on the Program
Committee; to Mrs. Winifred Smith and
Mrs. Louise Johnson of the
Ohio Historical Society; to the Ohio
Union; and to the Ohio State
Museum for their respective
contributions to the success of this meeting.
The president thanked his fellow
officers and the members of the
various committees, as listed below, for
their enthusiastic cooperation
during his term of office, after which
the meeting adjourned.
Committee on Awards: Donald P. Gavin,
John Carroll University,
chairman; Charles R. Mayes, Ohio
University; Henry H. Simms, Ohio
State University.
Committee on Nominations: Dwight L.
Smith, Miami University,
chairman; C. H. Cramer, Western Reserve
University; Wilfred J.
Steiner, University of Dayton.
302
THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
Committee on Program: William L.
Wannemacher, Kent State Uni-
versity, chairman; Kimon Giocarinis,
Hiram College; Harold J. Grimm,
Ohio State University; R. Stanley
McCordock, Bowling Green State
University; Robert W. Twyman, Bowling
Green State University.
Committee on Standards: Duane D. Smith,
University of Toledo,
chairman, and Robert Cruden,
Baldwin-Wallace College, three-year
terms; Robert L. Jones, Marietta
College, and Thomas LeDuc, Oberlin
College, two-year terms; Carl G.
Gustavson, Ohio University, and
Francis P. Weisenburger, Ohio State
University, one-year terms.
JOHN S. STILL
Secretary-Treasurer