Society of Public Historians

2009 Minutes

Society of Public Historians
Officers' Meeting @ The Beacon Diner
Minutes—Saturday, January 17, 2009

Present: Dr. Price; Sarah Price; Bethany Kennedy; Jessica Divine; Sadonia Corns; Kelly Dyer

*Wichita Lebanese Community Arcadia Project—possibility of $1000 donation from Community for the project, remainder maybe to SPH?

*Discussion of difficulties with groups: scheduling meetings/events around peoples’ schedules (work/school); finding activities to draw participants; different school dynamics and past experiences with SPH groups.

*Discussion: What is Public History?
-Relevance to people; local history; personal connection; client-based; doing something for the community (not just “hanging out”); activities with community service.

*What to do?
-Conferences; Volunteering at local museums (not just visiting them); job-based interaction (but not just museums).
-Wichita Museum Educators Association; Kansas Humanities Council.
-Connect with other SPH-like groups at other universities: Emporia State, KU, WSU Anthro. Dept.

*Goals for Spring Semester: 1) Talk to half-dozen museum professionals
2) More activities around historic preservation and archives. Steamboat Arabia? www.1856.com (their website is pretty neat! contact info located there).
3) Possibly help with Tallgrass Film Festival.
4) Think of ideas and meet more as officers.
5) Plan an event for February. Maybe something around Lincoln’s 200th birthday. Sadonia presented an idea regarding Lincoln, KS and their festivities.
6) Revamp SPH website. Possible Facebook page for SPH.

Society of Public Historians
Officers’ Meeting @ The Beacon Diner
Minutes—Saturday, February 21, 2009

Present: Dr. Price; Sarah Price and fiancé; Bethany Kennedy; Jessica Divine; Sadonia Corns.

*History Day—Sarah, Bethany, and Sadonia participating.

*Ideas for Possible Events:
--Membership drive on campus.
--Jerry Wallace—has written on Calvin Coolidge, possible speaker.
--Weekend of April 3rd, Kansas Association of Historians at Fort Hays Univ, which has a Public History program. Possibility of setting up a lunch meeting with members of that program. Early registration due by March 15th.
--Event for March (maybe the 27th): Marissa Lewis, Beech Archivist—brown-bag luncheon, presentation on professional dress/conduct. Possibly pair with other departments as an SPH-sponsored event: Business, Anthropology, etc.
--Survey on Facebook with a list of possible events. Need feedback.

*Upcoming Events:
--October—Mid-American History conference, Springfield.
--October 17th—Madame President Sarah’s wedding!
--November 4-6—Kansas Museum Association (KMA) Annual Conference in Hutchinson, KS.

*Timeline of events: Refile SGA paperwork, check with Marissa Lewis, find a location for the professional conduct presentation, and contact other campus departments.


Society of Public Historians
Officers' Meeting @ The Donut Whole (Douglas & Hydraulic)
Minutes—Saturday, April 18, 2009
Present: Dr. Price; Sadonia Corns; Bethany Kennedy; Jessica Divine. Sarah Price absent.
*SGA Funding still up in the air. Dr. Price waiting to hear back on this issue.
*Lebanese community book—possible royalties to SPH.
--Idea: Walking tour of Delano district when the book comes out in Oct. 2009.
*Marisa Lewis, Beech—Talk on Professionalism, Business Attire--Thursday, April 30th at 5:30pm
--Need to schedule a classroom for event; flyers/listserve/Facebook/Office of Career Svcs./KMUW publicity; coffee/cookies?
*Facebook SPH website—17 members currently on Facebook site.
--Sadonia and Jessica: Add comments on KAH experience.
*KSHS—Virgil Dean—possible trip to Topeka in the future to get a “behind the scenes” look at the facility.
*Kansas Preservation Association conference—1st weekend in June, in Topeka.
*NARA (National Archives) re-opening near Union Station in Kansas City, MO. Open to the public. If we are going to take a trip, we’ll have to leave at 6-7am that Friday, May 22nd. Possible side-trip to the WWI Liberty Memorial (located next to NARA) and/or to Steamboat Arabia or the Nelson.
*Young Professionals of Wichita—show historical movies weekly.
--Sadonia: put their website on Facebook.
*Local tours—Central KS. Maybe a weekend trip to see historical sites/museums in KC, OKC, Tulsa.
--Route 66 tour another option (late summer or fall).
*Fall membership drive (August-early Sept). Make connections with new history students and existing graduate students in public history who have not yet joined SPH.

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WSU Society of Public Historians
General Meeting @ Dr. Price’s House
Minutes—Thursday, December 10, 2009, 7:00(ish)PM
Present: Sarah Price Anderson; Kelley Anderson; Jessica Divine; Sadonia Corns; Bethany Kennedy; Laura Hartley; Janelle Bachand; Mark Strohminger; Judy Welfelt; Kim Kammeraad; Adam Leet; Patrick Kozicki; Jim Boorn; Alida Boorn; Doug Miller; and Dr. Price.
*Sarah opens meeting. Surveys are passed out, along with Review of Constitution (that Sadonia slaved over). New WSU-SPH Constitution is moved and approved by a majority vote.
*Nominations for 2010 Officers:
-Opening Round: Historian—Between Judy Welfelt and Bethany Kennedy. Winner is Judy Welfelt, the lucky girl.
-Intermission: Secretary—Jessica Divine runs unopposed, quite giddy with elation.
-Second Round: Treasurer—Between Patrick Kozicki and Sadonia Corns. Sadonia declines a continuation as Treasurer, making Patrick Kozicki our new Treasurer and future owner of a brand new car!
-The Main Event: President—Between Sarah Price Anderson, Bethany Kennedy, and Sadonia Corns. Things heat up as Bethany Kennedy declines nomination, leaving only Sarah and Sadonia to contend for the top position. Sadonia gains the majority vote and Sarah gracefully concedes.
*Account Information, Dr. Price—Balance at end of November is $1000. Maybe we should do some fund raising in 2010?
-Lebanese Heritage Book—January 6th Release Party at Scotch & Sirloin
-University Account for SPH (from 10 years ago) holds about $1600. Dr. Price asks to convert this account over to a Public History Program account. This $$ would be used for Public History receptions, activities, new program brochures, and for bulletin boards for conferences (the current one is REALLY dated…). Motion is passed with overwhelming majority of votes.
*Sadonia--WSU Homecoming returning in Spring.
*NCPH—Annual Conference in March 10-14, Portland, OR. Alida Boorn is a Grad Council Member, and NCPH also has a Mentor Program. Bethany Kennedy will be attending.
*AASLH—Annual Conference in September 2010, OKC.
*KAH—Annual Conference is April 16-17, 2010 at the new National Archives in Kansas City, MO. (Fabulous building and a conference WELL-worth the drive!)
*KMA—Annual Conference is October 27-29, 2010 in El Dorado, KS. We should have a big turnout of SPH members, since this is very close by (and Jessica Divine’s hometown).
*Meeting adjourned. Thanks to all for a GREAT year!!!! Hopefully 2010 will be even better.

*2010 WSU-SPH Dues Paid at 12/10 Meeting ($10)—
Doug Miller (cash)
Jessica Divine (check)
Sarah Price Anderson (check)
Jim Boorn (cash)
Alida Boorn (cash)
Patrick Kozicki (check)
Bethany Kennedy (check)
Judy Welfelt (cash)