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SOCIETY.

REVIEWS, NOTES AND COMMENTS

BY THE EDITOR

HISTORICAL COMMISSION OF OHIO

The following communication from Professor Carl Wittke, Secretary of the Historical Commission of Ohio, to members of the Historical Guild and others. interested is self explanatory:

DEAR SIR:

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, April 12, 1923.

In response to the call to the Historical Guild of the state for a conference in Columbus to discuss plans to promote a better co-ordination of the historical work being done in the state, and to direct attention to some hitherto neglected fields, representatives of seven Ohio colleges and universities and the Ohio Archæological and Historical Society, met for a breakfast conference on Saturday, March 31. It was the wish of the group that a full report of the proceedings be sent to all who had received the call to attend this meeting.

PROCEEDINGS OF MARCH 31, 1923

Professor H. C. Hockett of Ohio State University was asked to serve as temporary chairman of the group. In setting forth the various steps which led to this conference, Mr. Hockett stated that the State University, in somewhat tardy recognition of its obligation to the historical activities of the state, had completed arrangements to release one member of the Department of American History, Mr. Carl Wittke, from much of his teaching load, so that he might develop the field of Ohio History and devote his energies to research and the development of greater facilities for research in this field. It was the consensus of opinion of the signers of the call for this conference that plans should be made to promote the publishing, editing and collection of historical materials, and perhaps also undertake a systematic historical survey of the state. This work could probably be best accomplished by an historical commission, representing

the colleges of the state and the various historical societies in Ohio, the university to furnish the salaried, permanent secretary to serve the purposes of the commission. The work of such a commission might, for example, include preparation of checklists of newspaper files in the state, the publication of biographical guides, the calendaring of important Ohio materials found outside the state, the preparation of transcripts and photostatic copies, the proper care of the state's archives, etc. It was made clear in the discussion that the plan involved no attempt to interfere with work of collecting and publishing already carried on by various historical agencies in the state nor to secure the transfer of any collections to other places, nor to compete with older collecting agencies. But it would be hoped that by means of this state-wide historical commission, and with the hearty cooperation of all the existing historical agencies in the state, a better coordination in the work of collecting and publishing might be brought about, and certain other tasks might be undertaken which are not now within the province of any existing organization.

After some further remarks in support of the temporary chairman's presentation of the case, Professor A. H. Hirsch of Ohio Wesleyan moved,

That, the temporary chairman appoint a committee of three, this committee to nominate an advisory committee, whose duty it should be to formulate plans for publishing, editing and surveying the historical materials of the state, with the cooperation of the other historical agencies in the state. The motion carried unanimously, and the chairman appointed the following committee: Professors Hubbard (Ohio Wesleyan), Ghodes (Capital University), and Cole (Ohio State University).

After long deliberation, Professor Cole, at the request of the committee, presented the following report:

That an historical commission of Ohio, to consist of a minimum of nine members be created.

2. That the membership of the commission may be increased to twelve, by the commission, if that should at any time seem advisable or necessary.

3. That the following nine members should constitute this historical commission, to act as an advisory body, and with the secretary, to formulate plans for the promotion of the work projected:

C. B. Galbreath-Ohio Archæological and Historical Society. W. H. Cathcart-Western Reserve Historical Society. Miss L. B. Hamlin-Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio.

W. H. Siebert-Ohio State University.

E. J. Benton-Western Reserve University.
Clarence E. Carter-Miami University.

B. W. Bond, Jr.-University of Cincinnati.
Arthur H. Hirsch-Ohio Wesleyan University.
Thomas N. Hoover-Ohio University.

The report was taken up seratim, and after thorough discussion, was unanimously adopted by the group.

Prof. E. J. Benton of Western Reserve University then moved that Prof. W. H. Siebert be designated as temporary chairman of the commission, the commission to determine its permanent organization later. This motion was seconded by Prof. Ghodes of Capital University, and was unanimously carried.

Prof. Siebert then moved that the Commission be directed to consider at an early meeting the advisability of appealing to the Governor of Ohio, to formally constitute this body as the Historical Commission of Ohio. The motion was seconded by Prof. Benton, and after some discussion, was unanimously approved.

Prof. Siebert then moved that Dr. Carl Wittke, or his successor designated by the American History Department of Ohio State University for work in the field of Ohio History, be made secretary ex-officio of the Historical Commission. This motion was seconded by Prof. Hoover of Ohio University, and was unanimously carried.

Prof. Cole then moved that the commission be directed to formulate plans for keeping in touch with those either actively engaged or interested in this historical work of the state; thus implying a continued relationship between the Historical Guild of the state and the Commission, and the latter to convene the members of the Historical Guild of Ohio on occasion, and at least once in each year, to make report concerning its plans and the work accomplished. The motion was unanimously carried. Adjournment followed.

*

The secretary would welcome suggestions and a frank discussion of these proceedings, whether you were able to attend the conference on March 31 or not.

Very truly yours,

CARL WITTKE,

Secretary.

The members of the Historical Commission of Ohio

will meet in Columbus at the Chittenden Hotel, June 2, 1923, at one o'clock P. M.

REV. NATHANIEL BARRETT COULSON LOVE

Rev. Nathaniel Barrett Coulson Love was born in Rushville, Ohio, October 29, 1830. He died at his home in Perrysburg, Ohio, December 29, 1922. He had therefore passed his ninety-second birthday. He was one of the pioneer ministers of Ohio. His father, William Love, was Scotch-Irish; his mother, Susannah Force, was of English and Scotch-Irish descent.

Rev. Love was educated in the common schools, and privately taught by his father; he began his ministry in the Northern Ohio Annual Conference of the M. E. Church in 1853; in 1856 he was transferred to the Central Ohio Conference. He held pastorates in a number of cities in northern Ohio. He was for many years a lecturer in various Chautauqua assemblies in

REV. N. B. C. LOVE

Ohio and other states. He was a Lakeside pioneer, having been in attendance at the meetings there since the founding of the camp grounds almost fifty years ago. He was connected with the assemblies there from 1879 to 1883 in the capacity of normal class teacher of adults, teacher of boys and girls and blackboard artist. He was an authority on Lakeside history as well as that of the Methodist

[graphic]

Church in northwestern Ohio.

He was author of a

work on "Object Teaching," many articles in papers and contributions to magazines on church and secular history.

On February 18, 1900, he was appointed by Governor Nash on the Board of Trustees of the Ohio State Archæological and Historical Society. After serving for a term of three years he was reappointed and served to the end of a second term in 1906. He made a number of contributions to the QUARTERLY of the Society.

Rev. Love was married March 31, 1853. Northwestern Ohio was then a wilderness with homes few and far between. He began his ministry and married life as a circuit rider, traveling for a time 200 miles every four weeks on horse-back over mud roads and in all kinds of weather.

Rev. Love was an Odd Fellow and a Mason, at the time of his death probably the oldest member of Ohio in the former fraternity. He had been a Mason for almost half a century.

He is survived by his wife, now in her eighty-ninth year; two sons, Edwin G. Love of Toledo, and S. J. Love of Findlay; and two daughters, Mrs. F. C. Eberly of Perrysburg, and Mrs. Hessel Postma who resides at Zeist, Holland.

Rev. Love was a life member of the Ohio State Archæological and Historical Society and a very short time before his death was still reading with interest the contributions to the QUARTERLY. He is affectionately remembered by many of his fellow members of the Society who recall his interest in history, his genial character and his broadminded sympathy for his fellow man in all walks of life.

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