Editor's Page

Message From The Prez

A couple of months ago the membership received a State of SHEAR letter from our esteemed president, Alan Taylor, in which he addressed some important issues concerning the organization and the journal. Here's what he had to say:

Dear SHEAR Members,

Last July's conference revealed the enormous potential of SHEAR's new home in Philadelphia. We enjoyed an especially strong program, appealing venues, and a major city rich with resonances for our work. That combination attracted nearly 350 participants, setting a new record. For facilitating this meeting, we're indebted to Dan Richter, Susan Klepp, Craig Friend, and the local arrangements and program committees. The July conference also highlighted the dedication and professionalism of our staff. Roderick McDonald and Tricia Manning have sustained our journal at the high level of professionalism and innovation established by John Larson and Mike Morrison. Our Executive Coordinator, Amy L. Baxter-Bellamy, has worked similar wonders under especially demanding circumstances to consolidate our base in Philadelphia. She has been ably assisted by Zelini Hubbard, who was a paragon of efficiency at the conference.

Their accomplishments include substantially improving our Web site with the new address http://www.shear.org (replacing the former www.earlyrepublic.org). They have also had to shift their offices to SHEAR, 3355 Woodland Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4531. To email Amy or Zelini the address is info@shear.org.

The conference also illuminated the importance of our institutional benefactors in Philadelphia: the McNeil Center for Early American Studies, the Library Company of Philadelphia, the American Philosophical Society, and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Their goodwill is critical to our current operations and to our future prospects. Past President Jim Stewart and President-Elect Mary Kelley compounded that goodwill by their success in organizing and leading SHEAR's first Summer Undergraduate Research Seminar at the McNeil Center. The seminar enjoyed financial support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation—support recruited by Jim and his predecessor as president, Barbara Oberg.

But in addition to revealing the benefits of the move to Philadelphia, the July meeting also revealed the cost: a budget deficit for 2005. At the current rate of expenditure, we may consume in 2006 our surplus set aside for funding the move.

Why the deficit? In the past, we operated more cheaply because a few leaders served gratis, selflessly sacrificing their time and energy for the benefit of SHEAR (Gene Smith and Craig Friend continue to do so to our immense benefit). As the society grew, the strain of that sacrifice became too great to sustain. In a gamble, the advisory council embraced the opportunity to develop a permanent home in Philadelphia with a small but professional staff. We now bear the cost of one full-time and one half-time position. Although a greater responsibility for SHEAR, this remains an especially lean staff for an organization of our size. While we reap the benefits of that staff, we have lagged in developing the new revenues needed to cover the cost.

In the long run, we need an external development drive. In the short term, however, we have to ask more of our members, both individuals and institutions. To that end, Jim Stewart and the advisory council adopted a gradual increase in the institutional subscription rate from the $80 of 2005 to $100 in 2006 and $120 by 2008. Even at this rate, the journal will remain a bargain compared to other major journals in history. In July, the advisory council also increased individual dues to $70 for everyone with an income above $45,000. We held the line, however, at the former level for students and other members with incomes below the line. Despite the increase, our dues structure compares well with other historical organizations.

To avoid further dues increases, we need to retain our current members and to recruit more. During the past decade, we have done a much better job at drawing participants to our conference than at consolidating their membership in SHEAR...