The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-27
Report of Department of Ar
chlves and History is Good
THE REPORT OF DIRECTOR
Governor Conner Announces Commit
tees of Girls Industrial School.
New Buildings VIII
Be Erected.

/
nor today. DR.. Thomas M. Owen, was
reelected director for six years without
| opposition. The reports indicated that
good work had been done and the out
look is very bright. DR.. Owen made de-
tailed report of the progress made since
the last meeting and since the opening of
the department March 1, 1901 at which
time DR.. Owen came here from Birming-
ham to take charge.
The only member of the board absent
was Col. ]. M. Falkner of Montgomery,
who was too Ill to come. Those In at
! tendance were the governor, ex-ofteio
president of the board, and DR.. Owen, ex-
officio secretary; Peter J. Hamilton, of
Mobile, former Gov William D. Jeiks of
Eufaula, DR.. j. H. Johnson, Talladega;
w L. Lancaster. wetumpka; Henry B.
Foster. Tuscaloosa; o. D. Street, CUNT
ersville DR.. w H. Blake, Sheffield; S.
w. Johnson, Birmingham.
Colonel John reported from the legs-
lative committee of the board that the
legislature had been very good to the
department, increasing the salary of the
director from $500 to $500 and the main
tenance from $500 to $1,000 with an al
lowance for stenographer. This report
was taken to be good one and as there
] is some more of the legislature the COM
mittee was continued. Many compliment
tary tributes were paid to DR.. Owen for
the work that had been accomplished
and the outlook for great good to the
state. 1t was said by several that the
scope taken by the department was
| revelation to all.
| After the session the board was given
Owen, at which there were number of
informal talks.
Report of Directors.
Director owen submitted a report, in
which he briefly reviewed the work of
| the department, in order to give the
members of the board an accurate view
| of its present status, and certain special
features on which they should be In
! formed. He first called attention to the
! fact that the department was to be con-
graduated on being installed in its new
| home In the south wing of the capitol in
the hall specially provided for its use.
| In this room he stated would be located
| the office of the director, the historical
reference collection, the legislative refer
! ence collection, the historical portrait gal
| lery and the museum. 1t should be re-
membered that the department has here
| tofore been occupying temporary quar-
J tiers In tie senate chamber, and in con-
sequence has been unable to work as sat
| isfactorily as was desired. The report
further called attention to the increased
volume of the collections being brought
| together by the department, including
books, newspaper files, portraits and
views, manuscripts. relics, etc. The d.
rector said now that the department was
| In permanent quarters 1t would appeal
| more strongly to the public and that in
| consequence the number of gifts would
| be largely increased
| The report particularly emphasized the
! fact that at last the department was
able to bring together the entire collec-
| ton of the state archives, numbering
more tina ma hundred thousand separate
! items, and in bulk more than twenty-five
tons. These official documents and pa
pers covering the entire history of the
state from 1918 to the present time will
| be arranged as speedily as possible and
| will be thus made easily accessible to
| the public. The archives number many
very curious old documents, and will
prove veritable mine to the antiquarian
and student, besides they will be of SER
vice to many people who desire informa-
ton concerning the states history from
| business reasons. The subject of archive
preservation is one that is more and
more demanding public attention and the
| states all over the union are taking steps
| looking to the better care of their off,
| cial records. Many states have modelled
their work on the Alabama plan.
Arranging Documents.
1t was further reported that the depart
ment had for some time been assembling
all the surplus printed documents about
the capitol for the purpose of asserting
| and arranging them so as to enable
libraries and individuals to make up sets
for purposes of study investigation, etc
The director then called attention to
the number of activities which are at
| present engaging him. He said that the
| department was undertaking to make alb
solutely complete and full historical col
lections of materials bearing upon the
| history of Alabama, a collection of his
torical portraits and views and a museum
collection. He referred to his work in
the compilation of the official archives of
the state and the preparation of various
bodies of historical material for publ
cation. Attention was called to the ac-
| ton of the legislature in recently in
| creasing the duties of the department by
| requiring it to care for the promotion of
public and school libraries, and the coll
lection of a body of reference material
for the use of the people of the state.
| The report stated that it would be the
the new duties and the cooperation of
every one WAS solicited. The report was
well received by the trustees and graft
fcation was expressed at the very salts
factory condition and progress of the
work accomplished. The report was on
motion. adopted without opposition and
| was ordered filed.
Committee Announced.
AT the meeting of the board of trustees
of the Girls Industrial school at the Of
flee of the governor today the following
committee selections were announced by
the governor:
Judiciary-Virgil Bouldin, H. Austill,
| w. w. HARRISON.
| Executive-H s. D. Mallory, ]. c.
| Kumpe. w. E. w. VERIFY.
| Educational-A. H. Aston, II. Austill,
j. T. Mangum.
Finances. D. Bloch, NJ. A. Graham.
| H. Austill.
Buildings and Grounds--The governor,
| s. W. John, S. D. Mallory. NJ. A. Ora
| ham, A II. Aston, w. e. w. VERIFY, S.
! d. Bloch.
| School Lands-S. w. John. ]. T. Man
gum, Virgil Bouldin, J. c. Kumpe.
| 1t was agreed at the meeting that the
| committee on buildings and grounds
| should meet at Montevallo on April l
and go over the ground and see what is
| needed, having an architect along. and
undertake plan for the new buildings.
| 1t was found that number of parcels
/ of ground are needed to make the plat
| just what Is desired and they will be Sc