features of the year's labor, and, for details of the business done, invite your attention to a careful examination of the facts as set forth in the secretary's report. On account of limited quarters of the Society, a large part of its collections are deposited in boxes in the basement of the capitol, inaccessible to the public. The rooms allotted to the Society in the library building of the university only permit storage for the valuable library of over 32,000 volumes, newspaper files constantly made use of by students and those in quest of historical information, the archeological collections of the aborigines of the state, the splendid collection of Indian apparel and implements of warfare and the original letters, publications and domestic articles of the pioneers. To make a useful and reasonable display of the collections most eagerly sought after by visitors the quarters of the working staff have been reduced to the smallest recesses and nooks. In such hampered quarters employees work eight hours per day which is not only unhealthy but causes a loss of valuable time in devising ways and means to properly care for finished work. The Society's activities for the year have been directed more generally to compiling, classifying, arranging and indexing the material on hand, than to making collections, not having adequate and convenient storage capacity. During the year there have been held a greater number of meetings of the board of directors than in any former year excepting 1908, and when it is considered that none of the board, excepting the secretary, receives any pay for time and labor, it must be conceded that they have given generously in executing the trust confided to their care. One of the earliest matters which engaged the atten- |
tion of the executive board was the consideration of the historical building. The citizens of Lincoln, to meet the provision of an act of the legislature of 1907, had provided a commodious and valuable site, and in harmony with the provisions of said act the board proceeded to consider plans for a building sufficient for the needs of the Historical Society, not only for the present but for long years to come. No one can look up Eleventh street at the prison-like quarters of the state university, at the first structure and the irregular grouping of costly buildings, since erected, without criticising the allotment of land by the commission as being not only parsimonious but showing a lack of foresight in measuring the future possibilities of the educational interests of the state; yet not long ago I heard one of the commission say that at the time, considering all the conditions of the young state, its known resources, the unknown possibilities of all the vast region lying West of the hundredth meridian, the general lack of that unfaltering faith in the future greatness of the state, they thought the appropriation of four blocks of land a very generous donation. All of the early state institutions seem to have been constructed with particular reference to present necessities rather than future needs; the sums of money required to remedy these defects of forethought have been enormous and patched up and inharmonious structures the consequence. The board therefore, to avoid the evil results and consequent waste of money, endeavored to look into the great future and to plan a complete building to be erected in sections, each complete in istelf (sic), yet, so planned that in the years to come, when completed, it would be harmonious in architecture, kind and quality of material, and uniform in color. In harmony with that idea contracts |
were let for the construction of the basement story of the South wing, and were it not for the setting in of a vigorous winter, this story would by this time have been properly roofed over and used for storage of collections. In relation to what has been done in these preliminary steps looking to the construction of a historical building that would be a pride to the citizens of Lincoln who contributed so generously to the purchase of a site, and a credit to the state, there has been perfect freedom of thought and expression, and in the deliberations of the building committee or the board of directors I do not recall any instance of dissension. Some people have felt that it would be better not to begin the construction of any section of the building unless a sufficient appropriation was made by the legislature to complete it. But believing, as I do, that it will be completed only by small appropriations, I have favored the best use of every appropriation the legislators in their wisdom may grant. I believe that an erroneous impression, or a misunderstanding of facts, entered into the defeat of the last appropriation. It was reported that the Historical Society was asking for the construction of a building to cost over a million dollars and that as the present capitol only cost about three hundred thousand dollars it was inconsistent to ask for a building that would cost three times as much and at a time when a new capitol was greatly needed. The books show that the present capitol cost, in round numbers, seven hundred thousand dollars, and notwithstanding this vast expenditure, it is not such a structure that either Lincoln or the state points to it with much pride. I have seen two capitols erected in Lincoln. Less |
than ten years after the completion of the first one the cry went out that it was unsafe and in great danger of falling. A new building was commenced in 1879 and completed in 1882. In 1903, or seventeen years after this was finished, again came the cry that it was unsafe and the east wing was in great danger of falling while the legislature was in session and that a new building was an imperative necessity. Levels taken during that session showed no material changes in the foundation from those taken some years before. My opinion is that the present capitol is in no immediate or particular danger and by an economical use of its rooms and floor space is sufficient for several years. As a citizen and taxpayer I am opposed to all further capitol building schemes until the actual needs of the state require it, till the refunding to the school fund of the $600,000 loss by the Bartley defalcation, and till a sinking fund has provided the necessary funds for a building that will be a pride to the city and a credit to the state, and will be in no danger of falling for at least a hundred years. The late Lorenzo Crounse gave personal direction to his son to pay to the Historical Society out of his personal estate, the sum of five hundred dollars. The board has designated the same to be known as the "Lorenzo Crounse Memorial Book Fund." This I believe is the first bequest to the Historical Society. I understand that other citizens of the state have in contemplation similar gifts. Mr. W. J. Bryan has offered twenty-five dollars as a prize for the best monograph on Nebraska history presented to the Society before May 15, 1910, under such rules as might be adopted. These presentations of valuable gifts are tokens of the interest and confidence of public men in the work |
being done by the Historical Society. There are twenty-five historical societies, pioneers associations or organized old settlers societies in as many counties, nearly all of which have signified their intention of affiliating, or forming a closer relationship with the State Historical Society. I believe it would conduce very much to the welfare of these kindred organizations if a closer bond of relationship could be established by detailing members of the board, or working staff of the Society to attend their annual gatherings and give them needed encouragement and advice. The Daughters of the American Revolution were instrumental in having a bill introduced in the last legislature asking for an appropriation of two thousand dollars to assist in placing durable markers along the Oregon Trail, from the Kansas line to the western boundary of the state, a distance of about 400 miles. It must have been a great disappointment to that patriotic society to have it defeated. I have thought the vote on the bill would have resulted differently had those legislators ever traveled along the overland trails as I did in 1869. Had they seen the last wheel tracks and weary footprints, all but faded away or covered with the dust of shifting winds, and the countless graves which lined the way they could have appreciated the recollection of those broad and deeply worn wagon ruts; and they would have prized the precious memory of the few scattered graves that have been rescued from oblivion by loving hands which erected some simple durable memorial, that has saved them from being trampled into the earth by the westward march of an empire. The state of Nebraska cannot afford to let those great historical highways, over which three million people traveled in twenty years, pass out of sight and memory. |
It has been a prevailing idea with the administration, that in order to interest the people of the state in the work of the Historical Society, it is necessary to bring as many people as possible into closer touch with it. In harmony with this idea, 161 new members have been added to the rolls this year. The accounts of the secretary have been examined by a competent accountant and his report is set forth in detail in connection with the report of the secretary. To the Members of the Nebraska State
Historical Society: |
cash from others which are duly credited in this report. Several prominent citizens of Nebraska have promised to contribute, in the final disposition of their property, toward an endowment fund for the Society. It is contended in some quarters that historical societies in the West and South must, for the present, depend upon state appropriations rather than private gifts. It would seem, however, that in Nebraska we must supplement state appropriations with private donations until a public sentiment shall have been created which will compel legislative recognition of the merit and importance of the work of this Society. In Nebraska state appropriations have not been keeping pace with the growth and needs of the Society or with the appropriations for other state institutions. It ought to be possible to secure both public and private funds in support of the work here, as is so successfully done in Wisconsin, and we are in a fair way to accomplish this result. The bequest of Governor Crounse should be the beginning of an endowment fund to which others of our citizens will feel it a privilege to contribute. It seems pertinent to call attention to progress in historical research and the collection and conservation of historical data in neighboring states. The Wisconsin State Historical Society has become the Mecca of students of history, political science and sociology in every state of the Union and many foreign countries. Its library and museum building cost $610,000, and the whole property, including furniture, fixtures and ground, is valued at $850,000. This building, which was completed in 1900, is already outgrown, and the next legislature is expected to appropriate $200,000 for a wing, to accomodate the stack room of the university library, which is a tenant of the historical society. The historical |
society staff numbers twenty-eight people, and its annual salary roll amounts to $28,000. The highest salary paid is $2,400 annually, while the second highest is $1,600, and the third is $1,200. The total annual income of the society is approximately $55,000. The Minnesota State Historical Society was founded in 1849, the same year as the Wisconsin society. It has plans prepared for a building to be constructed of Minnesota granite at a cost of $500,000, which, with reasonable certainty, will be provided by the next legislature. The annual income of the society is $20,000. The annual salary roll amounts to $10,200. There are ten employees, the highest salary paid is $1,800, the second $1,500, the third $1,200, while the lowest is $600 per year. The society at present occupies 10,000 square feet of floor space in the new capitol and a part of the old capitol. The state of Iowa is fortunate or unfortunate, according to the viewpoint, in that two organizations, both supported by the state, are engaged in writing and preserving its history. While the most cordial relations exist between the State Historical Society, organized in 1857, and located at Iowa City, and the Historical Department, founded at Des Moines in 1892, there is necessarily much duplication of effort, and doubtless some waste of time and money. Through both institutions the state expends approximately $30,000 annually. The Historical Department of Iowa has recently occupied its new building which, while not wholly finished, has already cost $420,000. The salaries paid to eight employees aggregate $8,400 annually. The historical society of Kansas was organized in 1875. It has rooms in the capitol, but outgrew these and overran the whole building, basement, attic and corridors, until the occupants of other state offices were glad to |
join with the society in securing from the last legislature an appropriation of $200,000 for a new building, which is to be erected on a $15,000 site adjacent to the capitol. The Kansas society has an annual income of $15,102 and employs eight people, the salaries amounting to $8,900 annually. The highest salary is $2,000 per year with two employees at $1,200 each, and five at $900 each. Contracts had been let for the foundation of a building for the Nebraska society before the Kansas society had asked for a building appropriation, but it now looks as though the latter might be the first to occupy its new building. Even in Colorado, which had been backward in promoting its historical society, as most new states are, the last legislature appropriated $100,000 for the purchase of a site and to begin the erection of a building which is to cost at least $250,000, although the society has over 12,000 feet of floor space in the capitol, three times as much as is at present occupied by the Nebraska society. Of this appropriation $55,000 has been expended in putting in a foundation. The Colorado society has an annual income from state appropriations of $4,300, of which $3,600 is spent in salaries, the highest salary paid being $1,500, the second $1,200 and the third $900. The Nebraska State Historical Society, organized in 1878, receives from the state $7,500 annually which is the extent of its income, except the small amount received from membership fees and the gifts from individuals. The Society now employs seven people, and the aggregate amount paid for salaries during the year was $6,367.54. This includes the salary of the superintendent of the legislative reference bureau, a department, by the way, maintained by none of the other societies named. The following table will show at a glance the relative |
position of Nebraska among the states of the middle west in the important work of preserving the records, public and private, of the development of the commonwealth.  It will be noted from the foregoing
comparative statement that the Nebraska State Historical
Society occupies less space and has less income for
historical work than is devoted to the same work in any of
the states named. The total amount paid as salaries in
Nebraska is far below that which is paid in other states, as
is also the average for the individual, which is $909.64.
This is less than the average in Wisconsin, the next lowest;
although, in arriving at the average for Wisconsin, all
employees--some of whom work only half time--including
fifteen caretakers of the building, were taken into account.
Notwithstanding this showing the Nebraska State Historical
Society is now carrying on all the lines of work undertaken
by any of these societies and in addition is conducting a
legislative reference department. |
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