HISTORICAL NEWS
Historical Societies
AMERICAN STUDIES ASSOCIATION,
Washington, D. C.
Carl Bode, Chairman, Steering
Committee
The sponsoring committee of the
association held its first meeting at the
Library of Congress on March 22, 1951,
and adopted a constitution for
the association. The organization has as
its aim the encouragement of the
study of American civilization by
improving communications across those
disciplines which deal with phases of American
civilization and by fostering
interdisciplinary research and courses
and programs in American Civilization.
Members of the committee attending
represented Johns Hopkins University,
the University of Maryland, Rutgers
University, the University of Wisconsin,
and the Library of Congress. Membership
in the association is open to in-
dividuals, organizations, and
institutions. Anyone wishing to be placed on
the association's mailing list to
receive further details should write to
the chairman of the steering committee,
Dr. Carl Bode, Department of
English, University of Maryland, College
Park, Maryland.
ANTHONY WAYNE PARKWAY BOARD, Columbus
J. Richard Lawwill, Director
The quarterly meeting of the board was
held on November 1, 1951.
Reports were made on the Independence
Dam State Park, Piqua area
planning, southwest Ohio area planning,
and on other projects of the board
or of cooperating agencies. The next
quarterly meeting will be on February
14, 1952.
ASHLAND COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
Ashland
W. W. Barnhill, President
At a meeting on September 8, 1951, plans
were discussed for reactivating
the organization after a sixteen-year
lapse and a committee appointed to
draw up a constitution and bylaws for
the society. Officers elected are as
follows: W. W. Barnhill, president; C.
C. Chapman, vice president; C. W.
Garver, second vice president; Mrs.
Cloyd McNaull, secretary; Sidney R.
Boyd, assistant secretary; and Mrs. E.
R. Livingston, treasurer. Mrs. J. Alien
Miller, professor at Ashland College,
was the speaker of the day. Her
subject, "Temples of
Learning," pertained to the influence of ancient uni-
versities and Greek culture.
86
Historical News 87
ASHTABULA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Ashtabula
Walter Beckwith, Acting President
The meeting of the society on November 2
was presided over by Ed E.
Large, the retiring president, who
appointed a committee to draft a new
constitution and bylaws. Walter Beckwith
was named acting president, and
Miss Henrietta McKinsey was elected
secretary of the organization. Sugges-
tions for the future activities of the
society were made by all persons
present at the meeting.
BRECKSVILLE EARLY SETTLERS HISTORICAL
ASSOCIATION, Brecksville
Benjamin P. Forbes, President
Officers of the society serving with Mr.
Forbes until June 1952 are
Raymond T. Thayer, vice president;
Minnie Bartlett Lister, secretary-
treasurer; and Mr. and Mrs. Harold
Wallen, curators.
The society headquarters, the Old Squire
Rich House, has a new coat
of paint as a result of a painting bee
by members of the association in
September.
The Cleveland Museum Council was
entertained by the association on
October 1, when refreshments were served
under the old pear trees in the
yard of the Squire Rich House.
A special exhibit of Christmas cards was
made in December.
BUTLER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Hamilton
Paul Benninghofen, President
Extensive improvements have been made
during the last year and a
half at the Benninghofen Museum
maintained by the society. The exterior
of the building was painted white, a new
fence erected around the yard,
the entire second flour redecorated in
keeping with the original design, and an
attractive new wood and metal sign
erected on North Second Street.
CLARK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Springfield
Benjamin H. Pershing, President
B. H. Pershing, chairman of the
department of history at Wittenberg
College, was recently elected president
of the society. He succeeds Orton G.
Rust, whose death occurred on November
4, 1951.
CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY,
Cleveland
W. E. Scheele, Director
Fred C. Schlein has recently been
appointed teacher in the department
of education. Mr. Schlein is also in
charge of geology and paleontology.
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Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly
A special exhibition, "The Gem
Show," was featured from November 3
to November 11.
Three bog sites containing prehistoric
animal remains were excavated
by the museum during the past year.
CRESTLINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Crestline
Ernest G. Hesser, President
The society helped to carry the
Crestline Centennial, June 10-13, to
a successful conclusion and received
half of the proceeds from the cen-
tennial. This amount has been invested
in government bonds to be applied
later toward the purchase of a museum. A
committee of five has been ap-
pointed as a "Home for the
Museum" committee. The November meeting,
at which a showing of colored slides and
moving pictures of the centennial
was presented, drew a large attendance.
The guest speaker for the January
meeting is Erwin C. Zepp, whose subject
is "The Ohio Sesquicentennial
in 1953."
FRANKLIN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Columbus
Frank A. Livingston, President
At the third annual meeting of the
society on October 26 at the Ohio
State Museum, Frank A. Livingston was
elected president; Myron T. Seifert,
elected vice president; Wayne J. Graf,
reelected treasurer; and Hugh
Huntington, reelected counselor. Charles
A. Jones and Clarence A. Swoyer
were reelected trustees.
The first homestead tour of the season
on October 15 was attended by
over one hundred persons. The party
inspected the historic home of Zenus
Jackson on the Westerville road and that
of Benjamin Hanby in Wester-
ville. The Westerville Historical
Society was host to the Franklin County
group while in Westerville. The program
included a talk on Hanby by
Mrs. Dacia Shoemaker and a concert of
Hanby songs on the carillon of the
First Evangelical Church in Westerville.
The society's homestead slide lecture
was delivered before the Woman's
Auxiliary of the Columbus Academy of
Medicine at the Columbus Gallery
of Fine Arts on November 19. This
lecture is available to clubs and in-
stitutions on application to Dan Prugh,
executive secretary of the society,
Columbus Public Library, or to Mrs.
Fravel, Community Service Council,
Hartman Theater Building.
On the evening of November 23 the
society presented Mrs. James W.
Grimes in a program of pioneer folk
songs at the Ohio State Museum.
Historical News 89
GATES MILLS HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Gates
Mills
Tinkham Veale, II, President
The secretary of the society, Alfred
Mewett, is at present transcribing
the Rudd Papers relative to the family
of that name that came to Gates Mills
from New York state in 1834. The papers
cover the period from 1775 to
1865. Some seventy thousand words of
this material have thus far been
copied and arranged.
GREENE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Xenia
A meeting was called at the Xenia Hotel
on November 19 by Findlay M.
Torrence of the Xenia Chamber of
Commerce's historical committee in the
interest of reviving the once active
Greene County Historical Society.
HAYES MEMORIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM,
Fremont.
Watt P. Marchman, Director of
Research
Mrs. Rose Sberna has been appointed
secretary and assistant librarian.
Her appointment was effective September
18, 1951.
A large number of individuals and groups
have visited the museum
and grounds the past summer and fall,
and a greater number of students
used the library this summer than has
ever been recorded in any similar
period.
The W. K. Rogers Papers consisting of
several thousand items were a
added to the library recently. W. K.
Rogers was an early law partner of
Rutherford B. Hayes and was his private
secretary during his presidential
term, 1877-81.
HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF
OHIO, Cincinnati
Virginius C. Hall, Director
"The Poor Soldier," the first
theatrical production given in the North-
west Territory (Cincinnati, October 1,
1801), was presented by the Denison
University Theatre Players under the
auspices of the society on November
9 and 10.
At the annual meeting in the Laws
Auditorium, University of Cin-
cinnati, on December 3, Dr. Thomas D.
Clark, head of the department of
history at the University of Kentucky,
was the speaker. His subject was
"The Ohio Valley Frontier in
Historical Literature."
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MOUNT PLEASANT,
Mount Pleasant
William Schuster, President
The society invited representatives from
all the towns in Jefferson County
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Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly
to a public meeting on November 29, to
make plans for promoting the
Ohio sesquicentennial celebration of
1953. John S. Still, special projects
historian of the Ohio State
Archaeological and Historical Society, was the
guest speaker.
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF NORTHWESTERN OHIO,
Toledo
Randolph C. Downes, Executive
Director
The society has started issuing a
monthly, Junior Cues, for eighth grade
students in the Lucas County school
system. It is a four-page mimeographed
publication containing live-wire
suggestions for history projects for each
community. Kathryn M. Keller is the
editor. The society is also sponsoring
the formation of junior history clubs.
LISBON HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Lisbon
George L. Lafferty, President
This society is making preparations for
the celebration of the sesqui-
centennial of the founding of the city
of Lisbon together with the Ohio
sesquicentennial in 1953.
The historical collection of the
society, now housed in the "Old Stone
House," has attracted much interest
and a large number of visitors.
LORAIN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Elyria
Mrs. James B. Thomas, President
The Lorain Club was host to the Lorain
County society at Amherst for
the October meeting. Members of the
society were guests of Mrs. Gates-
Stevens for the November meeting at the
old Rev. John Montieth home.
Edward T. Heald, secretary-treasurer of
the Stark County Historical Society,
spoke on "Building a Historical
Society." Prof. Clarence Ward of Oberlin
was speaker at the December meeting, his
topic being "Old Ohio Churches."
OHIO ACADEMY OF HISTORY, Columbus
James H. Rodabaugh, Secretary-Treasurer
About forty members of the academy
attended an informal meeting at
Oxford, Ohio, on October 26 and 27. The
meeting was sponsored by Miami
University and Western College. Guests
stayed in Mary Lyon Hall on the
Western College Campus. Dr. W. E. Smith
spoke informally Friday evening
on the lore of Oxford and vicinity. On
Saturday guests were taken on a
tour of Oxford and the two campuses. Dr.
William J. McNiff of Miami
University and Dr. Frank L. Esterquest
were in charge of the arrangements.
Historical News 91
OHIO FOLKLORE SOCIETY, Granville
Tristram P. Coffin, Secretary
The second annual meeting of the society
was held at Marietta College
on October 20. During the afternoon
session papers were presented by
Orie J. Vande Visce, Baldwin-Wallace
College, Dan G. Hoffman, Temple
University, and D. K. Wilgus, Western
Kentucky State College. Dinner
was served at the Betsey Mills Club. In
the evening a recreational hour of
Ohio folk games and dances under the
direction of Mary Ann Busch, Ogle-
bay Institute, was held in the Betsey
Mills Gymnasium.
OHIO SESQUICENTENNIAL COMMISSION, Columbus
Erwin C. Zepp, Executive Secretary
Ohio's machinery for planning observance
of the state sesquicentennial
in 1953 went into high gear with the
opening of the new year. The next
few months are expected to bring
completion of program plans at both
state and county levels. The observance
will formally open on March 1,
1953, anniversary of the date of the
organization of Ohio's first general
assembly.
Sixteen state committees are in
operation. They are concerned with
phases of the celebration that will have
state-wide significance. During
late summer in 1951, organization of
county committees began, with
Franklin and Fayette as pilot counties;
Franklin is typically urban and in-
dustrial, Fayette rural and
agricultural.
It is planned to have eighty-eight
county committees in action. Each
county will plan and promote its own
observance, the Ohio Sesquicentennial
Commission acting in an advisory
capacity only.
State departments are cooperating. The
executive department has pressed
for a commemorative three-cent stamp and
a coin. The highway department
will supply road maps and will erect
markers concerning historic places.
The department of natural resources
plans a gigantic tree planting program.
The Ohio Development and Publicity
Commission is helping to spread the
story of the sesquicentennial. The department
of education will work with
the commission through a special
representative, the sesquicentennial being
basically keyed to education.
Meeting in Columbus, November 16, 1951,
the commission agreed to
seek enactment of legislation to provide
Ohio with a plan of permanent
marking for historical sites and
buildings similar to that used successfully
in Wisconsin. The commission also
directed the firm of Hill and Knowlton,
which it retained to handle promotion
and publicity, to explore possi-
92 Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly
bilities of a pageant that might be
viewed in all populous centers of the state
during 1953.
Possibility of a thirty-day state fair
and industrial exposition was seen
in Governor Lausche's remarks that the
idea might crystallize if each in-
dustry planned an exhibit.
The commission will meet again on
January 29, 1952.
SHELBY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Sidney
George O. Harshbarger, Secretary
The society dedicated a marker on
September 23, 1951, on the site of
the first log cabin built in the county
eight miles west of Sidney near
Bunker Hill Church. The large boulder
with a bronze plaque also marks
the military road taken by General
Josiah Harmar in 1790 when he marched
against the Indians. E. J. Griffis,
president of the society, presided at the
ceremony. Speakers for the occasion were
Earl Woodell, president of the
board of county commissioners, who
accepted the marker, A. Foster Moon,
Urban Doorley, and J. Richard Lawwill.
STARK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Canton
Donald K. Merwin, President
The society cooperated with the state
historical society in planning and
carrying out the special ceremonies at
the McKinley National Memorial at
Canton on the fiftieth anniversary of
President McKinley's death, September
16, 1951. The parade preceding the
ceremonies was the most impressive
ever seen in Canton and the exercises at
the memorial most appropriate.
Senator John W. Bricker gave the
principal address. Paul B. Belden was
chairman of the McKinley Commemorative
Committee of the local society,
and the officers and members gave a
great deal of time and energy to make
the celebration a success.
The secretary-treasurer of the society,
Edward T. Heald, reported a
most successful conclusion to the
membership drive which had as its goal
470 new members to bring the total to
1,000. Five hundred and fifty-five
new members were secured to bring the
total membership to 1,085. J. M.
Markley, chairman of the membership committee,
made the championship
record of 74 new members.
The society in cooperation with T. C.
Knapp, superintendent of the
county schools, sponsored a local
history contest for high school students
and seventh and eighth grade pupils in
the county. Rules for the contest
were worked out by a committee of six
teachers. Cash prizes of $15, $10,
and $5 were offered for the best three
high school articles and the best three
Historical News 93
grade school articles. The fifty best
articles were screened by the teachers,
and from this number the winners were
selected by the judges, H. T. O.
Blue, Miss Mary McNary, and J. L. G.
Pottort, all of Canton.
STOW HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Stow
Arthur G. Moore, President
Present officers of the society are
Arthur G. Moore, president; Joe Melton,
vice president; and Mrs. Frank A. Green,
secretary-treasurer. The immediate
projects of the society are the
gathering and recording of historical data
pertaining to Stow Township and the
collection and preservation of his-
torical relics.
SUMMIT COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Akron
Carl H. Pockrandt, President
The current interest in place names is
reflected in the Society's Bulletins
for September and November, which are
devoted to the origin of the names
of towns, streets, and schools. The
October issue is given to the early
history of Tallmadge in recognition of
that town's recent incorporation as
a city.
The September meeting of the society was
addressed by Alfred D. Ladd
on "The History of the Panama
Canal--And Our National Defense." At
the October meeting Willard Seiberling
presented "A Flying Trip to
Greece, Sicily, Italy, and France."
In November Allen B. Diefenbach talked
on "Firearms in American
History," and there was an exhibit of pistols,
revolvers, rifles, and muskets.
UNION COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
Marysville
Guy Robinson, President
Officers elected at a regular meeting of
the society on October 12 for the
ensuing year are: Guy Robinson,
president; Mrs. Clarence A. Hoopes, vice
president; Minnie Otte, treasurer; and
Mrs. D. G. Scott, secretary.
WARREN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
Lebanon
Harry C. Schwartz, Sr., President
The society lost a charter member and
past president by the death on
December 19, 1951, of John E. Holden of
Morrow. Mr. Holden was also
an active supporter of the Ohio State
Archaeological and Historical Society.
A former state senator, Mr. Holden was
prominent for many years in
political and civic affairs in Warren
County, and at the time of his death
was chairman of the board of elections.
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Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly
The society observed the sixth
anniversary of the acceptance of the
Warren County Museum by the state of
Ohio as a state memorial on Sunday
afternoon, October 21, 1951, by an open
house and tea at the museum.
WELLSVILLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
Wellsville
Edwin V. Pugh, President
For the second time in three years,
stories from the society's publication,
Wellsville Echoes, have furnished the basis for scripts for the state his-
torical society's radio broadcasts,
"Once Upon a Time in Ohio." On
December 11, 1951, "William
Ralston, Pacific Trailblazer," was broadcast
over WOSU, Columbus. The 1949 series
included "General John Morgan's
Night in Wellsville."
The October meeting took the form of a
visit to the "Old Stone House,"
the recently acquired headquarters of
the Lisbon Historical Society. A
review of Lisbon's history was given by
Mrs. Ross Firestone.
WESTERN RESERVE HISTORICAL
SOCIETY, Cleveland
Russell H. Anderson, Director
Mrs. Alberta Thorne Daywalt, curator of
the museum for the past twenty-
one years, has resigned to move to
Florida. The museum is now in charge
of Mrs. Evelyn C. Bingham and Mrs.
Florence Dawley as associate curators.
Mrs. Virginia R. Hawley has joined the
staff as assistant genealogist.
One museum room has been entirely
revamped with ten wall cases. The
cases are used at present for a display
of World War I materials. A special
exhibition of Oliver H. Perry items was
arranged in connection with the
rededication of his statue in a new
location in Gordon Park. Other recent
exhibitions include the Adella Prentiss
Hughes music collection, powder
horns, and fall fashions.
The separate maps of geographical areas
larger than the states, with the
exception of Civil War maps, have been
cataloged. The war maps and local
maps have been sorted and listed
preparatory to cataloging.
About Historians
Mrs. Vernell M. Oliver has been appointed
assistant professor of history
at Central State College.
Hilmar C. Krueger of the history
department of the University of
Cincinnati has received a Fulbright
award to carry on his research work
in the Genoese Archives during the
academic year, 1951-52.
Historical News 95
Several changes have been made in the
staff of the department of history
at the University of Dayton: Dominic de
la Salandra has left to accept a
position at Wright-Patterson Air Force
Base; William D. Ross resigned to
move to California because of his
health; and Robert O'Donnell has been
appointed assistant professor in the
history department effective September 1,
1951. Wilfred J. Steiner, acting head of
the department, has been promoted
to the rank of associate professor.
Erving E. Beauregard has submitted a
chapter on "Mohammedanism and
the Crusades" for the History of
Civilization series being compiled by the
Commission on Christian Higher Education.
Robert Kinney has been appointed
instructor in history at Franklin
University.
The department of history at Notre Dame
College offers a course in
Current Issues to interest as many
students as possible in world problems.
Miss Norma Gabriel is now an instructor
in the department.
Frederick B. Artz, chairman of the
department of history at Oberlin
College, is the author of The Mind of
the Middle Ages 200-1500, an His-
torical Survey, recently published by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
William A. Williams, who taught last
year at Washington and Jefferson
College, became an instructor in the
department of history at Ohio State
University, October 1, 1951.
Lowell Ragatz, chairman of the
department, taught during the summer
session at the University of Southern
California.
The Fifth Annual Awards Competition in
Ohio History, Government,
and Citizenship for Ohio High School
Students was held at Ohio Uni-
versity on November 16 and 17. The final
examination was conducted on
Friday afternoon, November 16, and John
D. Blackford, president of the
Ohio Education Association, addressed a
general assembly on Saturday
morning on the subject "Foundations
of Freedom." Winners were an-
nounced at the close of assembly. The
contestants were guests of the uni-
versity from Friday afternoon until
after the football game on Saturday.
Walter Whalen has been appointed to the
department of history at Our
Lady of Cincinnati College, effective
September 1951.
96 Ohio State
Archaeological and Historical Quarterly
The members of the history department at
Otterbein College and two
students formed a panel to discuss world
peace over WBNS-TV, on Thurs-
day, November 8, from 1:00 to 1:30 P.M.
L. William Steck has resigned from the
department.
At the College of Wooster, Robert
Ronsheim has resigned as instructor
to resume his graduate work at Harvard
University. Helen Kaslo has been
appointed in his place.
Frank A. Peters has returned to the department
of history and political
science at Xavier University after two
years spent in completing his re-
quirements for the doctoral degree in
political science. William Channing
left the department to finish his
graduate work at Columbia University.
W. Eugene Shiels, S. J., published a
study on "Rights of University
Professors" in the January 1951
issue of the Jesuit Educational Quarterly.