Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-01-11
LANDMARKS in HAWAIPS HISTORY TO BE Shown
TONIGHT At Twenty FIRST Meeting OF SOCIETY
Historical Organization to Hear
interesting Papers on
Islands Past

The twenty-first annual meeting Of
the Hawaiian Historical Society will
be held this evening in the societys
rooms at the new Library of Hawaii
building. at which time various mat
ters of busine IS viii! be discussed, in
Guiding the reading Of reports cover
ing the past year, and also the cleo
ton Of officers for the ensuing year
The Hawaiian Historical Society
was organized on January II, 1892,
for the purpose OF the collection, study
and utilization of all materials illus
trating the ethnology, archaeology,
and history of the Hawaiian islands,
the first annual meeting being held in
Queen Emma hall December 5, 1892.
The first officers Of the organization
we're Hon. c. r. Bishop, president; J.
s. Emerson, vice president; T. G.
Thrum, treasurer; Prof. w. D. Alex
ander, corresponding secretary; and
r. r. Hoes, librarian. The society Is
not committed to any political faith,
or ecclesiastical creed, or the advance
ment Of any one of the several ma
tionalities which are represented in
the territory of Hawaii, and its object
is to seek exact historic truth relating
to the islands OF the south sea from
whatever source II may reach the So
ciety. # - n
One OF the principal items Of bust
ness at the first meeting of the socie-
ty was the appointing of committee
consisting OF Judge Dole, Chaplain
Hoes. u. 8. n, and Prof. M. M. Scott
to rerort some method Of cooperation
or utilization with the Honolulu Libra
ry Association to insure the safe-keep-
ing of the material In the way Of pub
lications, records, and books present.
ed to the society The Honolulu LIZ
brary Association finally accepted the
proposition Of the society, and al a
meeting OF the latter organization on
April Z, 1892, the basis Of agreement
was reported and unanimously &C.
cepted by-the members Of the society.
Immediately after the organization
Of the society, letters were sent to a
number Of people in other countries
who were interested In Polynesian
history, and many of them were elect
ed as corresponding members of the
society. At the time that the society
was but one year old. It had already
q library of which 1t was Justly
proud. 1t was the largest collection
in the world at that time. and perhaps
Is yet, Of books and pamphlets relat-l
ing to this portion OF the globe. A
few small collections were purchased
and several were donated to the So
ciety by various people. The library
was divided into two sections, the first
embracing books and pamphlets re-
iating In whole or In part to the Ha-
waiian islands, and the second relat-
ing to the islands and countries Of the
Pacific ocean. These publications
were printed In the English, Hawaii
an, and Portuguese languages, and
included bound volumes of newspa-
pers. aliases, pamphlets. and books.
The society was a success from the
start, and at the end OF the first year
the original membership Of twenty -one
had increased to two hundred and fif-
ty-seven.
Upon the issuance of the nine
teenth annual report of the society
following the twentieth annual meet
ing which was held on January 20,
1912, success has followed closely up
on the heels of the society. The IL
nancial condition Of the society was
shown 10 be In good condition and
the report Of the librarian, Miss Edna