Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-30
Historians With D. c.. Headquarters
Seek Increased Service to Nation

way. at the time of the same meeting
The association. at Its second meet
ing, had elected. as its sole honorary
member. Leopold Won Ranke. Ban
croft had notified him OF the election
in terms of affeotionate regard.
Ranke's note OF acceptance, full OF
good will toward the new society of
transatlantic colleagues. so many Of
whom revered him a. tie chief master
of their profession, was read at the
third meeting: he died in the ensuing
April, at the ripe age of 80.
When the association held its fifth
meeting in December. 1888, again in
Washington. in the halls of the Co
lumbar University, 1t was announced
that an act of Incorporation had
passed the two houses OF Congress.
In the Senate through the efforts OF
Senator Hoar. in the House through
those of James Phelan OF Tennessee.
The act received the signature OF
President Cleveland on January 4,
1889. 1t incorporated the American
Historical Association In the District
of Columbia for the promotion of his
torical studies, the collection ana
preservation of historical manu-
scripts. and for kindred purposes In
the interest of American history and
of history in America" 1t provided
that the association should have it's
principal office in Washington. with
that connection with the Smithsonian
Institution which has already been
mentioned.
Under these provisions, annual re-
ports to the amount of 81 volumes
have been brought forth for the assD-
citation by the Government Printing
Office. They contain wealth Of his
torfcal material which 1t would be
impossible to summarize and on which
1t is not necessary to dwell in an
article intended to deal mainly with
the Washington aspects of the so
cietys history. Suffice it to say
that the society has aimed at doing
it's duty to both American HISTORY
and history in America" has printed
many important papers of historians.
has put forth materials for historians
use, and has shown historians, by
way of lists and catalogues, where
other materials can be found. 1t has
preserved In print many important
historical manuscripts. such as the
correspondence of John c. Calhoun
and James A. Bayard and the diary
of Martin Van Buren,. It has pub
lished many reports on State archives
and worked hard for the creation of
the National Archive Building, now
at last assured to our city. 1t has es-
tablished and awarded prizes for his
torical monographs, and 1t has done
much toward improving the teaching
of history in our schools.
Meanwhile. the holding of the an
nual meeting in Washington became
for a while the societys regular
habit. In 1888 the fifth annual meet
ing was held, partly at Columbian
University, partly in the old National
Museum, where the genial a.
Howard Clark served the society for
many years as assistant secretary
and then as secretary after Herbert
Adams death. At the meeting of
1889 a young man named Theodore
Roosevelt, then civil service COM
missioner, gave q spirited address on
| 1.-The Westward Movement During
the Revolutionary War" and. in re-
Spouse to some exceptions taken, de-
Tended his statements in a lively dis
| cussion. In 1888, 1889 and 1891 the
| society was entertained in recep-
| tons at the hospitable house of Mr.
Horatio King, Postmaster General in
| 1861. whom some older citizens OF
Washington Will remember and Mrs.
King, who died here only q year
| ago. a much beloved old lady.
The president OF 1894 was Mr..
Henry Adams, that of 1895 Senator
Hoar. both residents of Washing
| ton. After that year the society
adopted its present habit of meet
ing in various cities. In different
y. IL
before It again met in Washington.
In 1905 a meeting was shared be-
tween Baltimore and Washington. in
1908 between Washington and Rich
mond. OF the meetings of 1915 and
1920 there is not space to write, but
many members will remember the
brilliant public dinner in the ball
room of the New Willard which
marked the latter occasion, when
Secretary Newton ID. Baker, Mr..
Jusserand and others made memoir
able speeches.
In 1927 the American Historical
Association. probably the most nu-
merous historical society in the
world, has $500 members. some in
every State. It is doing a great
work, and throughout this year will
be engaged in an endeavor to raise
its endowment fund. now amounting
to about $4,000. to a million, in
order that it may perform still
greater services for american his
tory and history in America" 1t is
hopeful that, when it comes to
Washington for it's next meeting. in
December. 1927. it will have reached
that goal. and perhaps will have
secured for itself a building in Wash
ington as a permanent home.