The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 81, July 1977 - April, 1978 Page: 39
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Notes and Documents
I must admit that I haven't accomplished everything I had hoped.
But then, who has?
But I like to feel that this team I have headed has made a difference
in the study of the heritage of Texas. An affirmative difference. And to
prove my point, I'd like for you to indulge me in a short recital of the
past eleven years.
Just under 200 people registered for the annual meeting in April,
1966; today we run consistently between 500 and 700 in attendance
each year, even in those cities in the corners of the state. We have held
a number of mid-year meetings which were invariably successful and
which gave us a chance to see our friends in other towns who can't
make it to an annual meeting.
For the first time in six decades we took the annual meeting to the
people in alternate years, so that not everyone would have to travel
hundreds of miles to Austin year in and year out. Most of us have ex-
ceedingly fond memories of meetings in San Antonio-where we're re-
turning in 1979; in Galveston, Fort Worth, and Waco. And it breaks
my heart not to be able to work for a free ride to the El Paso meeting
in 1981. But Lord willing, I'll be there!
In my naive way, I've always thought that life was meant to be en-
joyed, and that the very most fun came from working. I could never
understand why history should be all sober-sided and solemn, nor why
annual meetings should be funereal in their outer aspects. If people
knew how much they could enjoy the fellowship of annual meetings, of
coming together with like-minded people, of feeling the thrust of being
with active people who get into things and have goals, they would make
more effort to attend. This we have accomplished. The numbers here
tonight footnote our efforts.
At one time, professional historians used to complain that it was more
difficult to publish an article in the Quarterly or read a paper at the
annual meeting than it was to publish in the American Historical Re-
view or give a paper at the American Historical Association's annual
meeting. And so they largely deserted the THSA. We wanted to bring
them back. We have.
At the 1966 annual meeting we held three sessions with eight papers.
At this year's meeting we are holding seventeen sessions with sixty-seven
participants. And the speakers come from all over the United States. An-
other goal accomplished.
We have annoyed some of our members with our multiple sessions,
for they were accustomed to attending every session and listening dog-
gedly to every talk. Now they find that two papers are being read at the
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 81, July 1977 - April, 1978, periodical, 1977/1978; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101205/m1/57/: accessed May 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.