Annual Meeting 1945: Friends Historical Association

ANNUAL MEETING 1945 FRIENDS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION THE ANNUAL MEETING of Friends Historical Association for 1945 took place in the auditorium of the Carl Schurz Memorial Foundation (the old Custom House), 420 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, on Eleventh Month 28, following an adjourned meeting at Haverford College on the stated date, Eleventh Month 26. An amendment to the Constitution which provided for the election of Directors in three groups for three years each was passed, and the Directors whose names appear on page 2 were elected to office. A brief report was read by the Treasurer, and the Membership Committee reported that forty-one persons from thirteen states had joined the Association during 1945, making a total of 586 members. The president spoke briefly of the activities of the year and urged further effort to obtain new members. He introduced as a guest from California, Jessamyn West, author of The Friendly Persuasion, a best-selling volume of short stories with an Indiana Quaker setting. Wilbur K. Thomas welcomed the Association to the Carl Schurz Foundation, and outlined the history of its Greek Revival building, as Second Bank of the United States and United States Custom House. William Hubben, editor of Friends Intelligencer and historian of German Quakerism, gave the address of the evening, "German Friends, Past and Present," sketching briefly the reactions of Germans to Friends and the three periods in which small German Quaker groups existed from Penn's time to the present. Although persecution has twice exterminated Quakerism in Germany, and nearly so again in Hitler's day, William Hubben asserted his belief that modern Quakerism had a message of spirit and service to which many Germans would be receptive in the coming years. An interesting display of German books by and about Friends was provided by the speaker and by the libraries of Swarthmore and Haverford Colleges. Friends had an opportunity to inspect these exhibits while enjoying the refreshments provided by the Entertainment Committee. 27 28 BULLETIN OF FRIENDS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION THE FOURTH ANNUAL midwinter dinner of Friends Historical Association took place as usual at The Whittier in Philadelphia, on Second Month 21, 1946. President William W. Comfort was prevented by illness from being present. Friends thus missed his genial and witty toastmastership, but were fortunate in having Richmond P. Miller as an able substitute. It was "Ladies Night," with Ellen Starr Brinton speaking on "Lucretia Mott and 'Fifty-four Forty or Fight'," Helen G. Hole on " 'Society' at Westtown," and Janet Payne Whitney on "England Revisited." Ellen Brinton displayed an original letter, signed by hundreds of Philadelphia women and addressed to the women of Exeter, England, in 1846, urging a peaceful settlement of the Oregon question. Helen Hole read excerpts from the manuscript publications of early Westtown literary societies, and Janet Whitney told of interesting episodes in her recent visit to post-war England. Between rounds the toastmaster distributed several prizes: to the youngest person present—a copy of Remember William Penn; to the member who had come the furthest distance—a copy of Jessamyn West's stories of Indiana Quaker life, The Friendly Persuasion, to a Friend who had come, appropriately enough, from Indiana; and to the oldest nonmember present, a copy of the "Benjamin West" number of the Bulletin, and a membership blank! THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS re-elected the former officers of Friends Historical Association for another term, at their regular meeting on First Month 11, 1946, at the Atwater Kent Museum. The Board also adopted a budget of $1,350 for the year 1945-46, allocating most of the additional $150 over the previous budget to the increasing costs of printing the Bulletin. It was gratifying to hear that the President's appeal for members at the last Annual Meeting resulted in the Association's reaching the long-sought goal of 600 members, but the Directors were reminded of the fact that continuous effort would be required to meet the inroads of death and taxes on our rolls. Vol. 35, Spring 1946 ...