Hall of Records Commission
Minutes

of a Meeting 
at the Maryland State Archives
Electronic Classroom

October 23, 1997

Call to Order by the Chairman

• Attendees

Introduction of Special Guests

• Mrs. Ardath Cade
• Dr. Carson Gibb

Reports and Minutes of Previous Meetings

• May 29, 1997
• Special meetings
• Dedication of the Portrait of Chief Judge Robert C. Murphy (Ret.)

Records Retention and Disposal Schedules

• Retention  (approved on motion of Secretary Lynch)
• Disposal  (approved on motion of Treasurer Dixon)

Archivist's Report & Staff Activities

• Illness of Marion Warren, a good friend, volunteer, and benefactor of the Archives

The Secretary informed the Commission about the illness of Marion Warren and indicated that best wishes for a speedy recovery had been conveyed.  As a tribute to Marion and to demonstrate how accessible and well indexed the photographic collections are at the Archives, the Secretary demonstrated the new addition to the Archives web page featuring photographic collections.

• Keeping an Eye on the MEC and Maryland State Archives web sites for improvements and additions
• staff activities as reported regularly in the in-house newsletter, The Bulldog, now also published on the World Wide Web.
• report on State Court Historian's conference at the Supreme Court, June 3, representing the Vice Chairman (deferred to a later date)
• report on the proposed work on the State House

Secretary Lynch reported on the work which is being done on the State House. He said that completed projects included the replacement of gutters on the new section of the building and that there have been no leaks since this was done. He reported that the Board of Public Works has approved contracts to replace the central roof and to reseam the skylights. He also said that the underground drains have closed up over the years, causing harm to the building. They will be digging to make a new manifold system; the work is being done by hand so there will be no damage. They are working with the Maryland Historical Trust so that the right people will be on site in the event artifacts are discovered.

Secretary Lynch also reported that he has examined similar buildings in Hartford and Boston and found that the quality of our State House is unique. He said that people in Connecticut and Massachusetts are amazed at the condition and the amount of original fabric in it. He reported that other projects planned are mostly to the mechanical systems and he thanked Dr. Papenfuse for his advice on cutting through the cornices.

Dr. Papenfuse asked that Secretary Lynch put the Archives in touch with those who are doing the work as the Archives has done a considerable amount of research on Joseph Clark, the architect of the dome and has discovered that when George Washington established Washington, D.C., the first person he talked to was Clark about where to seat the capitol. This was discovered in a letter among the papers of L'Enfant. He also said that Clark put the lightning rod on  the dome with advice from Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush,  and it would be great to discover where it is grounded, perhaps in an artesian well. He noted that  this is also a  great opportunity for archeological investigation on the State House grounds.

• report on the House Appropriations Committee visit, September 9

The Committee expressed appreciation for the electronic presentation, tour of the building, and lunch.  They also expressed a keen interest in making as much of the history of the General Assembly available on the web, funding permitting.

• report on the press conference with the Comptroller Goldstein & Secretary of State Willis announcing the implementation of the NEH grant to the Archives and the Anne Arundel County Schools

Dr. Papenfuse reported on the Constitution Day Press Conference (September 17) on the implementation of the NEH grant ot the Archives and the Anne Arundel County Schools.  This grant makes possible the introduction of archival materials into the classroom via a direct electronic link to the Archives also funded by the grant and matching private contributions.  Comptroller Goldstein provided a stimulating history lesson on the importance of the day and of the program with the teachers.

Recent Acquisitions

• State Agency Records (accessions & transfers)

In addition to noting recent accessions and transfers, Dr. Papenfuse explained to the Commission that there was no more space for records in the present building without transferring unprocessed material temporarily to a warehouse facility and that funds were requested in the FY 1999 budget for additional warehouse space.

• Special Collections and Special Collections microfilm

The Commission was referred to the lists of special collections and special collections microfilm and their attention called to the Conroy Collection, MSA SC 4817,  which consists of a form book, probably created in 1794 containing manuscript transcriptions of colonial era legal forms, possibly used for the instruction of law students, and  a copy of  Laws Made and Passed by the General Assembly of the State of Maryland, 1828 (Annapolis: Jonas Green, 1829),  which were given by Delegate Mary Conroy in memory of her husband, Senator Edward Conroy.

Finding Aids, Reference Services, and Publications

• the Archives on the World Wide Web
• Museum Without Walls

Dr. Papenfuse showed the Commission the new Museum Without Walls for which the Archives has applied for trademark registration. The Commission commended the idea and encouraged the Archives to continue to mount exhibits in this fashion. As an example of how instructive the exhibits can be, Dr. Papenfuse read from a rare letter describing the first Battle of Bull Run.

• Biography On-Line & proposed publications:
• First Ladies & Official Hostesses research project: proposal for a book
• proposal for a History of the Maryland State House

On a motion from Delegate Conroy, seconded by Secretary Lynch, the Commission endorsed both book proposals.

• publications featuring the records of the Archives:
• Dr. Carson Gibb's supplement to the Early Settlers of Maryland

Dr. Papenfuse distributed copies of Dr. Gibb's new publication, indicating that it includes all those early settlers missed in previous indexing attempts. As well as being in paper format, it is also on line on the Archives' web site.  The cover image is the Jesuit request for land, some of which they still own.  Dr. Gibb spoke of his work and received the warm appreciation of the Commission for his efforts.

• The Baltimore Strikes and Riot of 1877, the most recent publication in the Archives of Maryland Documents for the Classroom series

Dr. Papenfuse demonstrated the new document packet in the Archives of Maryland Documents for the Classroom series.   He indicated that he hoped that one of the buildings featured in the packet and now apparently owned by Peter Angelos would be interpreted in the context outlined in the packet as well as a museum of Baltimore baseball history.

Education & Outreach

• Summer Internship Program

NEH, Anne Arundel County Schools, Maryland State Archives Collaborative Program

The work of the summer internship program was reviewed in the context of articles written by the interns for the Bulldog:
Vol. 11, No. 15, August 11, 1997

1997 Summer Internships at the Archives
• From Frederick to Thurgood
• Maryland First Ladies and Official Hostesses Project
• Governor's biographies
• Building Capital: The Public & Private Life of Joseph Clark, Architect
• Archival Conservation
• Transer 68 - Miscellaneous Archives materials
Dr. Papenfuse also invited the Commission to follow the progress of the NEH grant at the web site.

Administrative & Fiscal Matters

• proposed cooperative program in the filming and/or scanning of Maryland newspapers from the Library of Congress
• proposed cooperative web based project in research and writing about historic sites with Goucher College
• Report on Dr. Papenfuse's trip to England in July to do research on the Early Settlement of Maryland and Watermarks on Paper (deferred)
• Loan of the original recorded version of the Act of Toleration to the Library of Congress (consideration of a resolution of approval for the loan)
• Peabody Art Collection
• introduction and report of the new Curator of Artistic Property
• Conservation grant proposal
The Commission, on a motion by Treasurer Dixon and seconded by Mr. de Lorenzo, recommended that the Archivist pursue the possibility of the sale of newspapers once they had been filmed, but to bring a formal proposal back to the Commission that included a careful analysis of costs and benefits associated with the project as well as a review of any rules that might govern the sale such surplus historic property.  The Commission approved proceeding with Goucher College on a grant application to provide a web based research and retrieval system for Hampton Historic Site.  It also approved the temporary loan of the original recorded version of the Act of Toleration.  After being introduced to the new Curator of Artistic Property, the Commission also indicated its approval for a grant application to secure funding for a conservation appraisal of the Peabody Collection.

Budget Issues- Present & Future

• FY 1999 Budget submittal
• The Archival Challenge: ensuring quality, reliability and permanence for all forms of the historical record
• The Archival Challenge: space for existing collections and future acquisitions- beyond the year 2000
• The Archival Challenge: providing a spatial context for interpretation and education
• Securing non general fund support to access & preserve the historical record
• re-submittal of a proposal for the National Digital Library Competition (Ameritech/Library of Congress)

Dr. Papenfuse reviewed the FY 1999 budget submittal with the Commission.  On a motion of Treasurer Dixon, seconded by President Miller, the Commission unanimously supported the budget strategy outlined in the original submittal and the 'over-the-cps' proposals, and the re-submittal of the proposal to the National Digital Library Competition.  Chairman Goldstein noted that there is plenty of space for expansion of the building on the site, especially if additional land were secured from the Naval Academy.  The concept of the electronic archives and the idea of providing a spatial context for interpretation and education on the existing site met with the Commissions enthusiastic approval, as did the efforts to enact standards and provide a permanent archival environment  for the preservation of permanent records that only exist in electronic form.

Special Presentations

• the Commission presented Counsel Richard Israel with a framed newspaper clipping of an article from the Annapolis Capital in appreciation for his frequent and most helpful advice to the Archivist and the Commission.
• a presentation by Mrs. Ardath Cade to the President of the Senate and the Curator of Artistic Property of two prints in memory of Senator John Cade

Ardath Cade presented President Miller with two prints, one of General Stonewall Jackson, and the other of Robert E. Lee, which she has donated in memory of her husband, Senator Jack Cade, to the Commission on Artistic Property to be displayed where the Senate thinks most appropriate. The Commission and Senator Miller thanked Mrs. Cade.  Senator Miller also indicated that he had received an award of $10,000 from the Association of State Legislators which he has given to the University of Maryland College Park to help fund a chair in Senator Cade's name.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Next meeting

Adjournment (followed by a special showing of The Eye of the Beholder, an MPT tribute to Marion E. Warren)

 
Approved by the Hall of Records Commission, March 19, 1998

____________________________________________
The Honorable Robert Mack Bell, Vice Chairman

____________________________________________
Dr. Edward C. Papenfuse, Secretary

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 1998 Maryland State Archives