A letter from the President

As the Illinois State Historical Society develops its strategic plan to shape its activities for the coming years, what could be more appropriate than for it as an historical group to examine its early history for perspectives on the future?

How the Society evolved in its early days and the issues it faced are descrihed by Roger Bridges in his article in our Journal entitled "The Origins and Early Years of the Illinois State Historical Society" [Vol. 68, No. 2, April 1975).] It also summarizes trends in the interest in state and local history in the second half of the 19th century in Illinois and nationally. Also interesting is the program of the Fifth Annual Meeting of the Society in 1904.

Mission and issues in Society's early history

The Society was organized in 1899, chartered in 1900, and, by actions of the General Assembly in 1903, made a department of the Illinois Historical Library, which was created by the legislature in 1889. Among the purposes envisioned for the Society were: to encourage papers to be developed and presented at a yearly meeting; to acquire from around the state and deposit in a central place newspapers, books, manuscripts and other historical materials; and to encourage interest in Illinois history among the general population.

The first annual meeting convened at the Bradley Polytechnic Institute in Peoria on January 5, 1900. According to Bridges, "In addition to hearing papers on Illinois history, the Society members attempted to reach decisions on the following issues: the permanent location of the Society's headquarters and the locations of annual meetings; the relationship of the Society to the Historical Library, if any, and to local historical and old settlers' societies; funding; publications; and the future course of the Society in general" (page 111). Sound familiar?

Two early advocates for the creation of the Society and early leaders with conflicting perspectives on how-it should develop were John Snyder and Evarts Greene. A doctor from Virginia in west central Illinois whose avocation became Illinois history, Snyder wanted Society headquarters to be in Springfield, where it would be best positioned to get financial support from the General Assembly and membership from local historical groups. He strongly opposed any dominance of the Society by academics. Greene, on the other hand, was an academic, a professor of history at the University of Illinois. He preferred that both the Library and the Society be located in Urbana where the best use could be made of both, and where they would not be mired in politics as they would be if located elsewhere, notably in Springfield. U of I professors were prominent at the Society organizational meeting held in Urbana in May 1899. However, Snyder and others who did historical investigations outside colleges and universities saw to it that Springfield became the headquarters.

Snyder became the President of the Society in 1903 following the death of founding president Hiram Beckwith, but resigned in 1905 because of his frustration over the 1903 decision of the legislature to put the Society under the wing of the Library. Beckwith told Snyder that the bill that passed was the best the Society could get and put it in the position to get more financial support in the future. Snyder had put forth several organizational options, all of which would have kept the Society from being under the Library. One proposal was continued independence. Another of his proposals was to get the legislature to create a state department of history bringing together the State Library, the Society, and the Historical Library under the general control of the Society's executive committee.

Fifth annual meeting in 1904

The character of the Society in its early years is indicated by the program of the Fifth Annual Meeting, held Wednesday through Friday in late January 1904 at the McLean County Court House in Bloomington.

It combined what today are two separate events. One is the Symposium, first held in 1974 and always in Springfield in early December to coincide with Statehood Day, December 3. Roger Bridges, then Director of the Illinois State Historical Library, initiated the Symposium as a way to bring academic and non-academics together. The second event is the Annual Meeting, with tours and an awards ceremony, now held in April at various locations around the state. As vehicles holding many people were not available in those days, a tour of Bloomington and McLean County was not part of the 1904 meeting.

The 1904 paper topics focused more on major figures, on state-level perspectives, and on the state in its larger setting than the papers of today. Examples are "The Life of Hon. Gustavus Koerner," "The

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Women's Club Movement in Illinois," and "The Part of Illinoisans in the National Education Movement, 1850 - 1862." Today, papers tend to be on history in Illinois rather than Illinois history. However, there were several 1904 papers on local and substate topics, e. g., "The Salines of Southern Illinois" and "McKendree College" by its President.

Unlike today, "Honorables" were involved in 1904, but the program does not tell what state, county, or local elected office each held. For example, the Hon. R. E. Rombauer of St. Louis gave the paper on Koerner. Also unlike today, there were no awards given to local groups, but there were several memorial addresses, including one by Dr. E. J. James, President of Northwestern University and the Illinois State Historical Library, for Hiram W. Beckwith. A judge from Danville and author of a number of historical works, Beckwith personalized the closed links between the Society and the Library. His prominence in historical and Republican politics lead to his being chosen in 1889 by the governor as the first President of the Board of Trustees of the Library, a position he held at the time of his death in 1903. He became the first President of the Society.

Local groups hosting 1904 meeting were the McLean County Historical Society, the Letitia Green Stevenson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Women's Club of Bloomington, and the George Rogers Clark Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. Missing as hosts were nearby institutions of higher education, Illinois Wesleyan College, and Illinois State Normal School.

Most of the speakers, paper presenters, Society officers, and executive committee members and others listed in the program bulletin were from the central part of the state, a reflection not just of the location of the meeting, but probably the residence of most of Society members, which numbered fewer than 100.

The business meeting included reports by committees, the President, Treasurer, and Secretary, and the election of officers for 1904. The Annual Address was given by the Hon. Charles P. Johnson, A.M., St. Louis, on "Personal Recollections of Some of the Eminent Statesmen and Lawyers of Illinois," followed by music.

The differences between the annual meeting of 1904 and the annual meeting and Symposium of today are that, not only are they interesting examples of change and continuity over time, the core of historical analysis; they provide a perspective as the Society gives consideration to it future course.

Past presidents of the Illinois State Historical Society gathered for a reception at the Governors Mansion on October 23, 1992. Those in attendance were: (left to right, seated) David J. Maurer, Irving Dillard, Katie Fiene Birchler, Patricia Grimmer, Patricia Wallace, Wilma Lund, and Ralph Newman. (Left to right, standing): Victor Hicken, Mark Plummer, James Schneider, John Trutter, Rohert Sutton, and Duane Elhert.

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