Show AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION By Frederic J. J Haskin Harkin Tit Tji i t twenty sixth annual convention of tho American merican Historical association will 1 1 tic o 0 opened tomorrow in Indianapolis writ wi-h writa wi It a a a. large attendance including delegates deleat s and and nd members from every state In the tho union From Prom the small beginning of oft t forty scholarly men interested In the te study studs tu of of history who effected the organ organ- organ organ- at the first meeting held at Saratoga Saratoga Sara Sara- toga in 1884 tho ho association has Increased to a a. membership of almost three thousand thousand thou thou- sand fiand representing men and women in every ery walk of ot Ufo life and Its Influence is felt ev even n in tho the most remote villages of ot the country The objects of tho association are arc threefold To create an awakening to the importance of the study of history inthe Inthe in inthe the intellectual development of tho the country country country coun coun- try to accumulate by means of active research additional material with which to enrich the historical resources of the country countr and to stimulate the patriotism and national pride of the present generation generation genera genera- tion by collected evidence of all that has b been en accomplished by the United States in its comparatively brief existence as a nation The importance of the work of the American Historical association has been recognized by the national government which Incorporated it by special act of congress and made provision for the publication pub pub- of Its Ita documents as an auxiliary to the work of the Smithsonian 1 tion Endowments and life memberships have Increased Its revenues so that the association now has assets approaching and an annual Income approximating approximating mating besides an annual congressional congressional congressional con con- gressional appropriation of placed to U Its credit at the tho government printing of ot- ot lice flee This last is of course our se es essential essential- e to the proper arrangement and of ot the material accumulated Tho The first object of the association the awakening of the public to the tho importance or of the tha study of history especially In the secondary schools has been accomplished to a a. large degree The chair chair- of or history ts is no longer considered of least importance importance import import- ance In the college or high school equip equip- ment It has become a as being essential to the rational progress of study t Upon lion all other subjects Therefore much attention has been given to the equipment equip equip- ment of teachers who become specialists in history instead of teaching this subject In fn n conjunction with other branches as In InS former years ears S f One of the tho earlier efforts of tho the American Amerlean Amer Amer- ican lean Historical association was tho the pub pub- corn corn- of a report prepared by a committee committee com com- of ot seven Sc distinguished educators upon the best methods of teaching history his his- tOry in the secondary schools This J le- le eu e- e u Inaugurated rt a great advance in in- in Verest rest upon this subject which the as as- is continually furthering History teachers' teachers associations no now exist Jn in almost every large city and history teachers teachers' magazines devoted exclusively to the work of teaching this one E- E subject r receive ive art hE hearty support History teachers' teachers organizations In addition to their direct purpose e also aI o have haw aided In increasing historical events event of the various places in which ch the they live JS In the e accumulation and publication of ties new ne historic material the American Historical Historical His His- association acts as a depository and of 1 the material secured b by D many affiliated organizations throughout through through- out the country Much ruch of the later re re- re search Is being accomplished by organizations organizations now existing in the various states tates The result of this labor is cared for tor by the American Historical asso association at a- a t Uon tion on which h puts it In form to be easily accessible to the present and future student stu stu- dent of or history Often Otten historical historical material is stumbled upon upon accidentally MO Most t of or the tho recently published letters Jetters of Alexander Stephens Stephen's were wel discovered unexpectedly In an a old barn In South Carolina Old attics aUit's and storehouses frequently contain manu scripts and nd documents document of much historic value lue Quite U te as M much luch valuable material iF being discovered accidentally ae by perthe per- per eons affiliated with the association tion as is secured by the most painstaking research for some pedal object Mississippi funds Historical top i valley societies y have hao of united the states In r raising in ai n l the funds to pay for or the tho of preservation a af t record 5 cord lp of al tL th the tho Public documents f receding re referring re- re ferring erring to this Important to territory pre ceding its pin purchase pure from France This material is in Paris u und under rider r th the custody if of the French government systematic and a a. s systematic find and documents complete Is list 81 of th the contents t- t of these to American America now being prepared for publication pub pub- The commission or of public archives of tho American Historical I Is I now flow publishing the results of its recent rf r nt fn investigations regarding regarding the diplomatic S relations ViS' ViS ot of Texas durIng ring its dence ThIs report includes include many man letters Jk men connected with this Important era ra which h have never before been made iff and which throw much light the subject t upon the Oregon Historical society has haa in progress of publication an interesting manuscript pertaining to the earl early history 0 of that state tatE It Is a journal written bv by peter Deter Skene Ogden describing binS binS' the famous expedition made into that territory terri terri- tory from Canada in hi 1826 1526 and 1827 This Thi expedition was under the auspices of the tho Bay company and the material rial now note being published has hag been copied bv by Miss Hiss Us Agnes A. A Laut from the original origin l manuscript in th the pos possession of ot the tho Hudson Hud Hud- son Ba Bay company The Oregon State Historical association through David also it Ih pursuing an interest Jug tUg research regarding tn the History of tit the e Indians native nathe to that locality The organ of the be t A American Historical association i fe Is the th American Historical Rb Revl l Iw w a large magazine issued quart quarter quarter- r- r ly b This magazine publishes most of th thA material gathered r d by fh tho the association I in n th the form of or special pe al articles reproduced reproduce documents and historical narrations The Review is sent to all members The other ther publications of the association con con- silt siet chiefly of reports 1 issued from time to time through the agency of the Smithonian Smith Smith- roman onlan institution An important branch of thy tho work being performed p by br the public archives commission commission commis coromis- sion slon Is the examination of the condition ah and J character of the public documents o othe of the tho nation in the different states wit wita with witha h a a view to obtaining such information concerning them as will make their ex ex- ex more generally known and r. r MA blo for y The commission endeavors endeavor s to secure state stat le legislation whenever necessary necessary necessary essary to provide for the preservation of these documents The state of ot Maryland Mary Mary- land through its le legislation has recently made liberal for this purpose purpose pur pur- pose as has also Virginia and several other states In connection with ith the preservation of historic documents as well as their systematic Systematic systematic arrangement ment it must be noted that the New England states arc are greatly in advance They have authentic records and minute details of most matters connected connected connected con con- with the en early history of the country Including even personal records of the private soldiers enlisted In the revolutionary war wan They arc are still tireless tireless tire lIre less in increasing their wealth of local historical resource Other parts of the country are follo following ing their example a a. vast amount of valuable historical data was lost before such stops steps were tal taken en The state of Maine last year ear completed the record of a large collection of or public documents regarding the earliest landownership land tand landownership ownership of that state Maine Maino historical cal students are now especially Interested In tn securing more information regarding the earliest expeditions against the French in n Canada a large number of which were made before the revolution A prize of Is Js annually awarded by the association for the best est monograph upon a historical subject alternating be between between between be- be tween American and an history In the even years the Justin Winsor prize named in honor of a former president dent Is awarded for tho the best monograph upon American i history and in the odd years the Herbert Baxter Adams prize is awarded the writer of tho the best bost monograph upon a subject of European history These monographs are published and constitute valuable additions to the tho historical historical historical his his- literature of association A large larso number of other publications devoted to American history besides those of the American Historical association are arc Issued each year ear Almost every state now publishes one or more moro p periodicals devoted to historical and genealogical re re- re search Through their correspondents the rural villages are reached with excellent ex excellent excellent ex- ex re results Village improvement so societies societies societies so- so womans woman's clubs and various other organizations through the influence of a local periodical frequently become awakened awakened awakened awak awak- ened to the need of preservation of records and historic events in fu their vi vicinity vicinity vi- vi and much material Is secured through their aid ald During the past year the tho South Carolina Carolina Caro Caro- lina Una Historical magazine has devoted de some space to epitaphs from old grave grave- yards ards This inaugurated investigation and valuable facts regarding the lives and work of persons once prominent In the nations nation's history has been brought out by bya a little study stud of bf the stones which marked their thell last resting place I I BY POWDER lON GREENSBURG GREE Pa Dec Three 26 Three persons Ore re dead ei eight hl ar ar in danger of ot death from their Injuries s. s and ten more are in the Westmoreland hospital with serious burns as as a penalty for somebody's somebody's somebody's some some- body's carelessness or somebody's Vengeance vengeance ven Ven- wh while 10 miners miters were ere holding a Christmas celebration at Ke Keystone stone shaft near here late lato Saturday night The accident ent occurred at the home of or Michael Wilding while he was entertaining entertain entertain- ing a party part of ot about twenty-five twenty men and women some of whom had come from 1 Youngstown n. 0 Ot to work in the mines It is believed that ore one of the men while the dance was In pro progress Jess threw a cigarette butt carelessly un under er the stair stair- way Twenty five pounds of black minIng mining mining min min- ing powder were stored there in an open can Flames from the powder shot through the room and the acrid smoke blinded the dancers as they tried to es es- es cape The Tho clothing of nearly all the dancers took fire from the explosion and although al although al- al though the room was burned and blackened blackened black black- ened the house was not seriously damaged dam dam- aged Men in adjoining houses rushed In with blankets and wrapped them about the tho burning women saving many from death A. A special train brought the he injured to this city |