The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 56, July 1952 - April, 1953 Page: 309

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H. BAILEY CARROLL
A LTHOUGH the July Quarterly went into the mail only a few
weeks ago, the response to the announcement regarding
the forthcoming publication of the Handbook of Texas
has been most encouraging. As this issue goes to press, it is a
real pleasure to report that the final proofreading is progressing
rapidly, and it is hoped that by the time this number is in the
hands of the readers that all of the final checking will have been
completed. As soon as the printers are able to supply a definite
publication schedule and date of release, the membership will
receive notification. Of course, all orders in the meantime will
be welcomed, and those who order before December 1, 1952, can
take advantage of the pre-publication price of $25-
A great deal has been said in the past about the well-known
recognized authorities who have contributed to the Handbook
articles in their special fields, but probably many of the Associa-
tion members are not so familiar with the staff and student
writers who carried the heavy burden of research on those articles
of lesser importance and those for which no recognized authority
existed. Throughout the years much of this spade work has been
done by the better graduate students in the history department
at the University of Texas. Six of the former staff writers have
already received the Ph.D., and practically all of them hold at
least two degrees from the University of Texas or some other
Texas institution. From this group will doubtless come leading
Texas and Southwestern historians of a decade or two hence.
Several already are in positions of considerable responsibility and
authority. Robert W. Amsler, who both before and after receiving
his doctor's degree at the University worked as a staff writer on
the Handbook, is beginning his third year of teaching in the
history department at East Central State College at Ada, Okla-
homa. Seymour V. Connor, who took the Ph.D. this past June,
began work immediately as archivist for the Panhandle-Plains
Historical Society and Museum at Canyon. James M. Daniel, who
had to interrupt his graduate training to go into service, left his