Report24Scholtzp57 - page 1 of 1.pdf

PAST - PRESENT - FUTURE

After the lapse of a decade we again

herewith present a sign of the life and

activity of the Society for the History

of the Germans in Maryland. To the

papers of the day we leave the presenta-

tion of the days' happenings, alarms

and sensations, the while we quietly re-

cede into the shade of the past, thereout

to pick random events and personalities

and pass them in review. In doing so,

we note, with some measure of inward

satisfaction, that, after all, their cares

and joys were much like our own.

In retrospection we find that this ever-

changing world is a never-changing

world. Every man lives the lives of all

men, and in this likeness feels a fellow-

interest and comfort. So when we pre-

sent the picture of a family of some

ninety years ago emigrating in troublous

times to seek a new home and a new

existence in a far-away new land, the

happenings herein depicted in the Stein

letters, it brings to our minds and con-

sciousness the hardships endured, to-

gether with the saddened heartaches and

sufferings, that, under similar conditions

may have been the experience of our

own immigrant parents and grandpar-

ents.

Again, in the story by Professor Zuck-

er, we have a picture of an ardent, en-

thusiastic heroic young man, a poet in

heart, and his soul fired with the al-

truistic ideals of youth, risking every-

thing he had for the good of his Father-

land, only to be cast out and disavowed

by those therein in authority. Such was

Carl Heinrich Schnauffer, just one of

thousands of his day, as now again of

our days. 'Twas America's gain, Ger-

many's sore loss.

The Greisenheim's vacating its old

home at the corner of Baltimore and

Payson Streets, caused the removal of

the Society's possessions to the Pratt

Library on Cathedral Street. Through

the courtesy of Dr. Joseph L. Wheeler,

its librarian, we have secured space in

the Maryland Department for the shelv-

ing of our books, and in the basement

vaults for the storage of our supplies

and the repository of our other posses-

sions. Further, under the arrangement

made, we have the privilege of holding

meetings and lectures at the library

when and as occasion prompts. The

thanks of the Society are also due to

Mr. James W. Foster, of the Maryland

Department, who has courteously aided

us in every way.

GIFTS—The Society was fortunate in

receiving the rich monetary bequest

from its late member, Ferdinand Meyer.

Though himself of a quiet, retiring dis-

position, he always showed a lively in-

terest in the Society's work, and ne'er

missed a meeting when in the city. This

gift lays a foundation, which, we hope,

may be supplemented by other like gen-

erosities, upon which the larger aims

envisaged by the Society's founders,

may find achievement.

From Mr. Frederick F. Schneider,

German Counsel, we received the large

folio edition of the statutes and decrees

of the Holy Roman Empire German Na-

tion, covering the years 1663 to 1675.

From the estate of our late member,

Henry G. Hilken, we received a large

number of pictures, programs and mis-

cellanae, pertaining to social and cul-

tural G.-A. activities of the past. We

also received from the Misses Minnie J.

and Emma I. Witthaus, a collection of

concert and theatrical programs of half

a century ago, cherished by their moth-

er, the late Charlotte E. Wellinghof

Witthaus.

Through August Ruedy, secretary of

the Swiss Historical Society of Amer-

ica, we received a copy of their interest-

ing publication, as also reports and

bulletins from sister historical societies.

From Dr. Heinz Kloss, pamphlet of

24 pages, entitled "Stufenjahre in der

Entwicklung des Deutschthums der Ver-

einigten Staaten."

From Dr. Paul G. Gleis, of the Catho-

lic University of America, a 148-page

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dissertation on "Heinrich Armin Ratter-

mann, German-American Author, Poet,

and Historian, 1832-1923," by Sister

Mary Edmund Spanheimer, M.A. A

scholarly work of great interest.

From other sources we have received

the minute books of several organiza-

tions that have passed out of existence.

Among these the minutes of the latter

years of the Liederkranz Singing So-

ciety, as of the Bavarian Beneficial

Union; both useful in their days and

in their ways.

The Society, through its financial aid,

promoted the Zion Exhibition, elsewhere

herein referred to, as also the publica-

tion of the 70th Anniversary pamphlet

history of the Turnverein Vorwaerts and

the 150th Anniversary Souvenir of the

German Society of Maryland. Its mem-

bers also contributed articles to the

1938 Saengerfest Souvenir Program. In

doing these things the Historical Society

is but following precedent, for in 1900

it published Hermann Schuricht's two-

volume History of the German Element

in Virginia. Though these things may

seem small yet they give evidence of

what could be done with larger funds

at the Society's disposal.

A matter that has for many years ob-

sessed the writer is the publication of

neatly gotten up booklets, written in

plain words and appropriately illus-

trated, depicting incidents of the story

of German-American pioneers and their

activities in the fields of industry, in-

vention, science, art, education, and in

every cultural field, as well as their part

in the wars from the French-Colonial to

the last.

The Society, though modest in its es-

timate of the value of its work, is some-

what amazed at what has been accom-

plished through the years, as shown by

the index herein published. Many of

the articles and sketches printed in the

course of the past half-century are high-

ly interesting, covering a wide range of

subjects, and, if here and there, now and

then, someone finds something therein

of appeal or use, we are content.

There is much that could be done by

our Society and which it would like to

do, but therefor money is prerequisite.

For example:

*A preservation through the new process of

photographic reproduction in miniature of

the German newspapers we have, the paper

of which is gradually but surely disintegrat-

ing.

A careful recording of happenings of today

which will later form source material for

the historians of German-Americanism in

the future. Herewith—

The employment of some competent person

equally versed in English and German, to

act as archivar and take charge of and

ordinate our possessions, care for new acqui-

sitions, and help in securing data and in-

formation incidental to our aims and pur-

poses.

Particularly valuable would be a source in-

dex of articles referring to matters germane

to our work appearing in books and publi-

cations, magazines, newspaper articles, etc.

Such now enjoy a brief notice and then are

destined to oblivion.

Searching out and preserving old records

and papers, of churches, schools, societies,

and the like, which are being discarded as

being of little value.

Seeking and preserving family papers, line-

ages, letters, pictures and other material

Such matter, elaborated, would often prove

useful in meeting the enquiries of persons

in quest of ancestors once resident in our

community.

Indexing the contents of local German news-

papers, books, magazines, and like publica-

tions, of a past era. We tried to do this

with an early volume of the "Deutsche Cor-

respondent," but the work was too stupen-

dous and our resources were not equal to

the burden.

Compiling a list of German immigrants, with

names, date of coming, place of origin, activ-

ities and other pertinent matter. Our late

secretary, Andrew Hartman Mettee, under-

took such a work as far as the Germans of

the early days of our State and City were

concerned; unfortunately his death ended

the task.

Setting up some Central Headquarters where

articles of craftsmanship, pictures and paint-

ings, books, papers, and anything and every-

thing pertaining to German-American cul-

tural, social and family life from colonial

days to our own times could be preserved

and publicly displayed.

Annually setting aside a sum of money suf-

ficient to encourage students of our Univer-

sities to seek subjects for their academical

dissertations in the study of the past of

German-American influence and activities in

our communities. Unplowed and vast is the

field offered by the rich border counties of

Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick and Washing-

ton, the richest and most substantial in our

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State, and largely made so by the thrift

and industry of men of German blood and

descent.

Many, aye many, who were our com-

patriots and fellow-workers, have, in

the decade gone, passed into the

shadowy realms beyond the ken of man.

Some, "Have drunk their cup a round or

too before, and, one by one, crept silent-

ly to rest." Of these, a few we give

space herein to their memory; others,

equally meritorious, we have passed by,

for the list is long and our memory

slight.

Pride of race is a creditable virtue in

all, and with no intent to assume a bet-

ter than thou attitude towards others, we

feel justified in voicing our own praise

when and as circumstances justify. In

doing so we but enrich the heritage we

hand down to our posterity.

And so, valet!

K. A. M. S.

This is to Certify

That we, John G. Morris, Louis P. Hennighausen, Lewis H. Steiner,

Charles F. Raddatz, Edward F. Leyh, Frederick Ph. Hennighausen, and

George Wm. Gail, being citizens of the United States and a majority of

whom are citizens of the State of Maryland, do hereby certify that we

do, under and by virtue of the general laws of this State, authorizing

the formation of corporations, hereby form a corporation under the

name of: "The Society for the History of the Germans in Maryland

of Baltimore City."

WE Do FURTHER CERTIFY, that the said corporation so formed

is a corporation for the purpose of gathering, publishing and preserv-

ing material for the History of the Germans in Maryland, that the

term of the existence of the said corporation is limited to forty years,

and that the said corporation is formed upon the articles, conditions

and provisions herein expressed and subject in all particulars to the

limitations relating to corporations, which are contained in the general

laws of the State.

WE Do FURTHER CERTIFY, that the operations of the said

corporation are to be carried on in the State of Maryland and that

the principal office of the said corporation will be located in Baltimore

City.

WE Do FURTHER CERTIFY, that the said corporation has no

capital stock.

WE Do FURTHER CERTIFY, that the said corporation will be

managed by a board of officers and that John G. Morris, D.D., LL.D.,

Louis P. Hennighausen, Charles Weber, Robert M. Rother, Dr. Lewis

H. Steiner, Edward F. Leyh, Charles F. Raddatz, Ernest Hoen, are the

names of the nine officers who will manage the concerns of the said

corporation for the first year.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunto set our hands and seals

this twenty-ninth day of March one thousand eight hundred and eighty-

nine.

WITNESS

WILLIAM B

. NELSON

JOHN G

. MORRIS

LOUIS P

. HENNIGHAUSEN

LEWIS H

. STEINER

CHARLES F

. RADDATZ

EDWARD F

. LEYH

FRED

'K PH. HENNIGHAUSEN

GEORGE WM

. GAIL

(SEAL)

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