The importance of the adaptability of historical societies to grow from the amateur to the professional

76 Pages·2015·2.37 MB·English

Lehigh University
Lehigh Preserve
Theses and Dissertations
2008
The importance of the adaptability of historical
societies to grow from the amateur to the
professional : an examination of four local historical
societies
Tiffany A. Fisk-Watts
Lehigh University
Follow this and additional works at:http://preserve.lehigh.edu/etd
Recommended Citation
Fisk-Watts, Tiffany A., "The importance of the adaptability of historical societies to grow from the amateur to the professional : an
examination of four local historical societies" (2008).Theses and Dissertations.Paper 1002.
This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Lehigh Preserve. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an
authorized administrator of Lehigh Preserve. For more information, please [email protected].
Fisk-Watts, Tiffany
A.
The Importance of
the Adaptability of
Historical Societies
to Grow from the
Amateur to the
Professional ...
May 2008
The Importance ofthe Adaptability ofHistorical Societies to grow from the Amateurto
the Professional:
. An Examination ofFour Local Historical Societies
By
Tiffany A. Fisk-Watts
A Thesis
Presentedto the Graduate and Research Committee
ofLehighUniversity
in Candidacy for the Degree of
Master ofArts
In
History
LehighUniversity
25 April 2008

Table ofContents
Abstract 1
Introduction 3
The Historical Society ofBerks County 10
The Moravian Historical Society 23
.TheNorthampton County Historical and Genealogical Society 37
The Jacobsburg Historical Society 47
Conclusion 58
Bibliography 67
Vita 69
111
Abstract
Forovertwo hundred years, historical societies have played an important role in
preservingthe heritage ofthe United Statesfor future generations. As American society
faced rapid growth and industrial and social change, historical societies initially emerged
as institutions designed to preserve the cultural dominance and historical legacy ofwhite
elites intheir communities. Overtime most historical societiesbecame more inclusive in
their membership and mission, acting as repositories ofabroader community history
while engaging awider public audience. As they grew more inclusive, the curatorial and
educational responsibilities ofhistorical societies grew more complex, and the boards of
the mostsuccessful societies hired professional staffand made the transition from
amateur to professional curatorial practices. The role ofthe board ofdirectors was, in
fact, a critical factor inthe success or failure ofhistorical societies. Effective, involved
boards ensuredthat a society had the support it needed to function successfully by
establishing clear policies and supportingthe professional staffin avariety ofways.
Historical societies that struggledto function effectively did so because they
failed to acknowledge their growing role as both stewards ofhistory and as educational
institutions, bythe late twentieth century. To be successful, historical societies had to
recognize their expanding responsibilities as curators, preservationists, educators, and
publishers, all ofwhich demanded a transition from amateur to professional historical
practices. The transition to professional practices also had to include a change inthe way
eachboard operated, for the most successful historical societies had boards that
understood the increasing demands offinancial oversight and fundraising, as well as the
necessity to hire and support atrained staff.
1
An examination ofthe Historical Society ofBerks County, the Moravian
Historical Society, the Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society and the
Jacobsburg Historical Society provides support for the argument that adapting to social
change, acknowledging ever-broadening roles inthe community, and focusing on
professional practices at the board and the stafflevel are all essential to the success of
historical societies ofthe twenty-first century.
2
Introduction
Late-nineteenth century Americawas aperiod ofconstant change and social
turmoil. Innovative technological advances and, in particular, waves ofimmigration
brought rapid social change that seemed frightening and even threatening to the dominant
classes. Many upper-class men who were anxious aboutsocial change were what
historian Carol Kammen calls the "nascent professional class whose occupations allowed
1
them the leisure to engage inthe writingofhistory." What currenthistorians referto as
"local history" or "public history" was born outthe men's fear oflosing that which (they
felt) made them American. As men incommunities throughoutthe United States wrote
abouttheir counties, towns, businesses, industries, and traditions, they organized
themselves into historical societies. Amethod ofpreserving history that had emerged in
the late eighteenth century, but gained popularity in the nineteenth century, historical
societies beganto appear, first at the state level, then county and tOWfilevel throughout
the United States.
For overtwo hundred years, historical societies have played an importantrole in
preservingthe heritage ofthe United States for future generations. Traditional
membership consisted ofwhite, upper-class men, resulting in collections with an
especially narrow focus. Research pertainingto the local prosperous businesses ofthe
pastwas common, as well as anything connectingthe local community to the national
history? Despite the lack ofdiversity in the early years ofhistorical societies, the
dedication demonstrated by their founders setthe standard ofexcellence in local historic
I CarolKammen, OnDoingLocalHisto/Y(New York: AltaMira Press, 2003), 12
2SaraLawrence, "HistoryofHistorical Societies in theU.S."Written forthe Public History
Resource Center,www.publichistory.org. December, 2003; Kammen, OnDoingLocalRisto/Y·
3
preservation for years to come. Ironically, the high standards established by nineteenth
century upper-class men have both helped and hindered historical societies inthe
twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Throughoutthe nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the manner in which historical
societies have handled history has changed to meet the needs oftheir communities rather
than onlythe needs ofwealthy patrons. The changes and challenges historical societies
faced reflected the challenges faced by historians inthe larger field oflocal history.
During the Progressive Era, historical societies underwent their first significant transition.
As the public were more socially aware, and were becoming more involved in programs
promotingthe bettermentofhumanity in general, many "historical societies shiftedtheir
objectives and beganto embrace this new form ofsocial responsibility.,,3 Many societies
began outreach programs with local schools, and developed more informative exhibits.
In 1939, historian S.K. Stevens, ofthe PennsylvaniaHistorical Commission,
spoke with much concern before the Conference ofHistorical Societies in Washington
D.C. Stevens acknowledged the trend at the time was that historians accepted the
argument that interpretation ofstate and local history was integral to the interpretation of
national history.
As anation, we are also becoming more conscious ofthe importance of
conserving records, documents, newspapers, antiquities and buildings from which
much ofour future history must be written or dramatized. We have very probably
reached the end ofthat erain American historical scholarship when sweeping
hypothesis, such as the frontier influence, orthat ofeconomic determinism, will
be used glibly to explain all ofthe intricacies ofournational development.
History will come more and more to be regarded as an evolutionaryprocess with
3Ibid.
4
the roots ofculture, institutions and behaviour [sic] strongly attached in native
local soi1.4
Unfortunately, according to Stevens, despite the recognized trend, state and local
historical societies lackedthe necessary sources to sustainthemselves inthe new era of
history. Local historians needed bettertraining, more staff, more volunteers, and of
course, more money. With foresight, Stevens stressedthe need for anational
organizationthatwould allowfor the sharing ofideas among fellow historians,
promoting the ideathat the more the societies helped eachotherto supportthe
enrichment oflocal history programs, the more complete the national history would be.
It is unclear whether ornot Stevens had knowledge ofthe upcoming formation of
the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) in 1940,buthis
recognition ofthe need for suchan organization demonstrates the rapid awareness ofthe
potential historical societies had atthat time. The purpose ofthe AASLH was "the
promotion ofeffort and activity inthe fields ofstate, provincial, and local history inthe
United States and Canada."s The formation ofthe AASLH was the result ofabreakwith
the American Historical Associationfounded inthe 1870swith avery academic focus.6
The organization quickly became anetwork for historical societies and history museums
throughout the country to exchange research and ideas. The formation ofthe AALSH
provedthat local history was gaining popularity and also reflected the need for state and
local historical societies to worktogether to promote the study ofhistory.
4S.K. Stevens,"Organization andAidfor Local Historyin the United States,"Pennsylvania
HistOlY vol7, no2(April 1940),79.
5TheAmerican AssociationforStateandLocalHistorywebsite: www.aalsh.org.
6Roy Rosenzweig, "Marketingthe Past:AmericanHeritage andPopularHistoryin the United
States," in
5