Call to Order by the Chairman
Chairman Robert C. Murphy called the meeting to order at 12:26 p.m.
Present were:
On a motion by Comptroller Goldstein, the minutes of the previous meeting were unanimously approved as submitted.
Records designated for retention or disposal since the last Commission meeting were approved unanimously on a motion by Treasurer Maurer.
Dr. Papenfuse reported that there was no old business to come before the Commission.
Dr. Papenfuse noted that staff activities are reported regularly in the in-house newsletter, The Bulldog, which is incorporated into the minutes of each meeting of the Commission.
Dr. Papenfuse noted that copies of the Archives' Annual Report had been distributed with the agenda. He discussed the format of the report, noting highlights, and complimented Chris Allan for bearing principal responsibility for authoring the document. Dr. Papenfuse noted that budgeted funds for the Archives have remained about the same for the last few years, but that the work undertaken by the Archives has grown dramatically. He pointed out the increase in Special Fund expenditures, which has been the primary support for these increased activities. These Special Funds have been raised by the Archives through grants from outside sources and from the sale of products and services.
On a motion by Comptroller Goldstein, the Commission unanimously approved the Annual Report and endorsed its use before the legislative committees.
Dr. Papenfuse reported that he is a member of the Commission, and chairs one of two committees established to select a site for the statute. The two locations under consideration are on the State House grounds and on Lawyers' Mall. Dr. Papenfuse discussed the background report on Marshall that the Commission had prepared, and noted that the Commission was to report to the General Assembly at the beginning of the next session.
Dr. Papenfuse noted that Dr. Stiverson has served as the Archives' liaison with the Annapolis 300 Committee, and that the Archives' miniature ship, the "Maryland Federalist," was in the Annapolis 300 parade. He noted that the Archives is planning a special session of the legislature on February 28, 1995, the 300th anniversary of the first General Assembly session in Annapolis.
Dr. Papenfuse noted that the Archives had received during the last year more permanent record transfers than in any year since FY1987, the year the new Archives building opened. Because of the downsizing of government during the past few years, paper records that the Archives had expected to receive gradually over a number of years had come in much more quickly. As a result, the Archives building is essentially at capacity.
Dr. Papenfuse discussed the recent gift to the Archives of a portrait of Anne Wolseley, niece of the Ann Wolseley believed to be the woman in the lead coffin discovered last year at St. Mary's City.
Dr. Papenfuse discussed the records of the Maryland Deposit Insurance Fund, the agency that has overseen the recovery of assets from failed state savings and loans institutions. This agency has been "sunsetted," although many of its records must be retained and will remain to be active for some time. The Archives has proposed to take on the Maryland Deposit Insurance Fund records and the agency's warehouse, as well as one permanent and one contractual employee to continue to service the agency's records. This proposal has been approved as an "over the CPS" budget request in the Archives' budget submission. If given budgetary approval, this arrangement will provide the Archives off-site warehouse storage that will enable us to manage our own collections and those of the Maryland Deposit Insurance Fund, effectively, as well as the experienced staff necessary to service the records. The Archives' management of the Insurance Fund records, warehouse, and staff members will be paid for with special funds for the next two years; thereafter, continued support would require general funds in the Archives's regular budget.
On a motion by Treasurer Maurer, the Commission unanimously adopted the plan outlined by Dr. Papenfuse to manage the Maryland Deposit Insurance Fund records and warehouse, and to take on one permanent and one contractual staff member from the agency to support the records in the collection.
Dr. Papenfuse reported on meetings with Governor Schaefer's staff to work on details of transferring the Governor's papers and the electronic management system for them to the Archives. When this transfer is complete, the Archives will have direct terminal access to all of Governor Schaefer's files for virtually his entire eight-year term. This is the first time that such care has been taken to preserve and manage a Governor's papers, and will hopefully set a precedent for future administrations.
Dr. Papenfuse reported that he had been asked to sit on a review panel established by the Administrative Office of the Courts that selected a pilot vendor to scan Prince George's County court records. This afforded him a wonderful opportunity to see what was available and to ensure that what was done with these permanent court records would allow them to be easily transferred to the Archives.
Dr. Papenfuse noted that four new reader/printers had been purchased for the Archives, using the lease-purchase arrangements available through the Treasurer's Office. He added that financial support from volunteers and private groups as well as the sale of copies will cover the cost of the lease of the machines.
Dr. Papenfuse announced appointment of the Archives' first professional conservator, Hanna Szczepanowska. She will be an invaluable resource for the Archives and the state. She is currently undertaking a complex project of conserving oversized plats from Allegany County and will undertake the conservation of a rare map in private hands in return for which the Archives will be permitted to make copies suitable for publication and will be able to test some new procedures for the conservation of oversized materials.
Dr. Papenfuse displayed a copy of the new Maryland Manual, 1994-95. He noted that this edition was delayed a year because of budget constraints, and that the edition was ultimately funded not by an appropriation in the Archives' budget, but rather by the three branches of government agreeing to share the cost of providing copies for themselves and for the state's libraries and schools. He explained that this edition of the Maryland Manual is superior in many ways to earlier editions in the quality of information it contains and the extent of its coverage, and that it stands as a much needed historical benchmark of Maryland government in a period of dramatic change. He added that it will be an essential tool for anyone wanting to understand the transition in government in the state with the election of a new legislature and installation of a new executive administration.
Dr. Papenfuse reported that the Archives had received a $35,000 grant from the federal government to enable the Archives to become a "node" in the on-line SAILOR system, the computer network of the Enoch Pratt Library and the University of Maryland. The Archives plans to put its Organization of Maryland State Government on the internet, as well as changes to organizational structure and updated biographies and other information from the Maryland Manual. Dr. Papenfuse praised Diane Frese, the editor of the Maryland Manual, for her fine work. He noted that Ms. Frese has proposed going to a split edition of the Manual, with a state volume published one year and a county volume the next. Comptroller Goldstein suggested that the counties might be willing to help support the county volume.
On a motion by Comptroller Goldstein, the Commission unanimously expressed its admiration for the new edition of the Maryland Manual and extended its thanks to Dr. Papenfuse, Diane Frese, and other Archives staff who made the volume possible.
Dr. Papenfuse circulated a copy of the most recent edition of A Guide to Government Records at the Maryland State Archives, which is the Archives' main finding aid to the public records in its custody.
Dr. Papenfuse circulated a copy of the recently published annual edition of the Organization of Maryland Government. Delegate Conroy asked if the volume were available for purchase. Dr. Papenfuse explained that the book was done at the request of the fiscal agency of the state, and that we did not have permission to sell it. At Delegate Conroy's urging, Dr. Papenfuse agreed to see if permission could be gotten to sell copies of the book.
Dr. Papenfuse discussed the Archives' publication, Treasures of the Past/Resources for the Future, the final report of the conservation assessment program undertaken by Johns Hopkins University with participation by the State Archives. Doug McElrath, a senior archivist on the Archives' staff, served as project director for the survey and he was the principal author of the report.
Dr. Papenfuse circulated a copy of Jean Libby's From Slavery to Salvation, a reprint of a memoir written by an African American minister who lived in Western Maryland and in Baltimore City. Dr. Papenfuse wrote a foreword for the volume.
Dr. Papenfuse ciruclated a copy of one of the Archives' most recent "Documents for the Classroom" packets, which deals with Native Americans and their contact with Europeans.
Dr. Papenfuse also distributed a copy of the chapter on Maryland and the Constitution that he co-authored with Chief Judge Murphy, which appeared in a collection of essays entitled The Constitution in the Making.
Dr. Papenfuse updated the Commission on the historical pamphlet series that the Commission has agreed to support as part of the commemoration of the 300th anniversary of Annapolis becoming Maryland's capital. He reported that he has written the first pamphlet, which will be published by next February, and that two other pamphlets are nearly finished. He said that the Archives's commitment to the pamphlet series is limited to these first three publications, but that he recommended that the series be continued beyond the first three if matching funds could be found. The Commission unanimously endorsed the project and recommended continuation of the series as recommended by Dr. Papenfuse.
Dr. Papenfuse reported on a successful first summer in the Archives' National Endowment for the Humanities-supported summer institutes for teachers. He said that he would present a report on the summer's activities to the Commission at its next meeting. He also commented on the Archives' summer internship program, which this year was a partnership effort with funding from DHCD and St. John's College. This proved to be a model for cooperative funding of such educational programs.
Dr. Papenfuse reported that the Archives' "Colonial Encounters" exhibit continues to tour the state, and that the Maryland Federalist parade ship remains a popular State House exhibit. He also noted that the Archives is hosting an exhibit on Providence Plantation in the search room, and that repairs are being made to the Charles Carroll of Carrollton exhibit so it can be toured once again. Dr. Papenfuse noted that these exhibits travel at no cost to the Archives. The host institution is responsible for paying the charges to get the exhibit.
Dr. Papenfuse reported that he had been asked to recommend how to manage the Peabody's valuable art collection, which becomes the property of the state in 1 1/2 years. After consulting with people interested in the collection, he had recommended that the state's Artistic Property Commission be revitalized with an expanded membership, and that it be responsible for the Peabody art collection. He noted that most of the Peabody art will remain where it is, with the host institutions assuming responsibility for maintaining the art in their custody. Dr. Papenfuse has submitted legislation for the consideration of the next session of the General Assembly that would recast the Artistic Property Committee and provide funds for a curator of artistic property.
Dr. Papenfuse reported that the Archives' budget had been submitted, and that the bottom line remains that of the work that the Archives is required to do, only about half will be supported from general funds. The balance must be raised from private and other government sources, volunteer services, and from the sale of services and projects. Both Comptroller Goldstein and Treasurer Maurer suggested that it might prove helpful if Dr. Papenfuse invited Bill Ratchford to the Archives so that he would have a better understanding of what we do and what our resource needs are.
Chris Allan noted that DGS had been very cooperative in addressing a number of building-related issues, including replacement of the building's boiler and repairing leaks in roof flashing.
Dr. Papenfuse reported that to date $167,000 has been deposited in the Archives endowment fund. The principal cannot be touched, but the interest can be used for above-the-baseline education outreach activities.
Dr. Papenfuse reported that the Friends of the Archives had put on a genealogy training workshop that raised $1,400, and that another sold-out workshop is scheduled later this month that is expected to raise a similar amount. Funds raised will help pay the lease on the new reader/printers.
Dr. Papenfuse noted that he is part of this coalition, organized by the Maryland Humanities Council, that hopes to raise money to support history-related programs in the state.
Dr. Papenfuse and Chairman Murphy presented Senator Lapides with a book in honor of his long and productive service on the Commission. Comptroller Goldstein proposed a resolution, which was approved unanimously by the Commission, to thank Senator Lapides for his service on the Hall of Records Commission from 1979 until 1994, during which time he had been a good critic, staunch supporter, and good friend of the Commission and the Maryland State Archives, and wishing him the best in his future endeavors.
Dr. Papenfuse noted that General Orwin Talbott had asked to be relieved of his responsibilities as chairman of the Archives' Advisory Board. He and Chairman Murphy presented General Talbott with a book and thanked him for his service to the Commission. Comptroller Goldstein proposed a resolution, which was approved unanimously by the Commission, thanking General Talbott for his assistance and guidance in helping to build public support for the programs of the Archives, and wishing him the best in his future endeavors.
There being no other business to come before the Commission, the Chairman adjourned the meeting at 1:55 p.m.
Approved by the Hall of Records Commission - June 27, 1995
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Dr. Edward C. Papenfuse
State Archivist
Email:
If you have an Email account linked to your WEB browser, click here to activate your mail program to send an inquiry or message to me at archives@mdarchives.state.md.us or contact me at (410) 260-6403.
© Copyright 1995 Maryland State Archives