their local meetings and then forwarded, as required by the statute of 1873, to the State society for preservation and publication; the other part consisting of publications of papers on historical subjects, and of archives collected by the committee of historians. This manner of publication originated in the idea that the society was what its original name suggested, a Pioneer Society, and which was later changed to a Pioneer and Historical Society.

The society as originally formed consisted mainly of those citizens who had come to the State at an early day, and who, with ax and plow, had subdued the wilderness and opened the roads for those who came later. As the number of these pioneers began to lessen, the attendance at the annual meetings grew smaller, for the next generation hardly felt that they could be included in the list of pioneers. The age limit that was fixed in the original articles of association tended to prevent the addition of younger members to the society, and there was some danger that the society would die as the pioneers were passing away. In order to meet and solve the problem of a continued and useful existence, it was proposed to strike out the age limit and extend the invitation to every one in the State to become a member of the society. That this was a wise move is shown by the interest that has been revived during the past year, and the increased number of members. There can be no valid reason for deciding that the pioneers are "dropping off." A person who seeks new industries, makes new settlements, tills new lands, or engages in any new enterprise, is just as much a pioneer as was his father or grandfather who came to the State half a century or more ago. To be sure, he cannot recount the hardships of a life far from markets, with poor roads, no schools or churches, and few of the surroundings that were termed luxuries, but he is nevertheless a pioneer, and the hardships of his early life will be as interesting to read, a century hence, as are those of the early farmer, who was the first man in his country. No more interesting memoirs can be found today than those of the old-time merchants of New York City, and yet those men were the pioneers in a city then more than two hundred years old, and were the grandsons and greatgrandsons of ancestors who lived and carried on business in these same streets of New York for generations before them. So every person is a pioneer in some sense, and his pioneer recollections ought to be preserved for the future pioneers to read and profit by.

The adding of new life to our society and the accumulation of historical material like Haldimand and Bouquet Papers cannot but be of great value to our reputation and usefulness. We are not building up our society for ourselves alone. The libraries and historical societies of

America are looking to us for assistance in their researches. The wealth of our historical matter is limitless, and it only remains for us to select and put in proper shape that which we have and can obtain to make our society known and appreciated as far as the English language is known. No other State in the Union has, I believe, as many volumes on historical subjects as have been issued by our society, and so, in that particular, we stand at the head of State institutions. In some other States, as in Massachusetts and New York, private societies have published a larger number of historical volumes, and in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, the Commonwealth has published State archives exceeding our publications in volume.

What I have said has been of the past, but what will be the future? We are just beginning to feel that we are of importance in this field, and we must work harder still to force our society and its objects before all the people. We ought to make every child in the State see how great a State we have and know its history. That history should form a part of the education of our young people in the kindergarten, the grammar school, the high school and the university; we ought to have an appropriation from the next legislature sufficient to employ a secretary who is capable to properly care for the work, and whose heart is in it, to collect and edit the proper materials, and who will push the knowledge of the existence of our society everywhere. We have a grand work to perform, and we look to the State for material aid in performing it.

The Historical Society is and always has been considered as a part of the State library, and the two should join in carrying out the work we have.

We must make it apparent to taxpayers and to the legislature that the work of the society is a necessary part of the school education, and we will have no trouble to obtain the material aid we need for successful work. The present government is favorably inclined toward us, and I do not think we need fear that we will ever again be omitted from the appropriations, but we want to do more work-grander work each succeeding year. We want to follow no State or society in the value and quantity of our work-we want to be the leaders, and I think we will be.

REPORT OF RECORDING AND CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.

To the Officers and Members of the Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society:

During the four months which followed the twenty-seventh annual meeting, held June 5 and 6, 1901, no work whatever was done, as the committee did not meet until September 25 to plan the labor for the year or examine the manuscripts for Vol. 31. The printers then requested us to hold this until December 1, and all the work of publishing this volume has been done in the past six months. During October and November letters were written to every State representative and senator, all of our congressmen, and to all others whose names we could secure, if there seemed the slightest prospect that they would be interested in our work. The result has been very gratifying, and the next few years will show more from this than the present one, if the policy be continued.

Each vice-president was notified of his or her position and asked to continue the work; from this correspondence we found we had thirteen vacancies to fill, some on account of increasing age, some had passed on. By persistent efforts we have supplied these places with new names, and have secured a representation in twenty counties never before on our list, making a total of fifty-eight counties, and the prospect seems good that the rest will be filled during the coming year. In the upper peninsula the Hon. Peter White has secured several for us, where the case would have been hopeless if we had been obliged to depend upon our own knowledge of the district.

In October we wrote the Federation of Women's Clubs regarding the subject of Michigan history, asking them to put one day in the year upon the program, to be known distinctively as Michigan Day. A number of the clubs have responded favorably, as have also several chapters of the D. A. R. If the matter is taken in time this fall it will undoubtedly receive official notice from the State society.

Early in December the Farmer's Clubs and the State Grange met here, and it was considered a good time to secure their co-operation. They are, in most cases, the lineal descendants of the Pioneers, and only need to be informed of our work to aid us materially. They have promised to hold a pioneer day once each year, and when the papers are of historic interest they will be sent us for publication, and perhaps secure relics for our museum.

In December I attended the State Teachers' meeting at Grand Rapids, and spoke to them of the importance of teaching municipal, township, county, and State history. The Department of Public Instruction has shown great interest in our work, and we outlined a plan of work which can be used by any school or organization desiring it. The schools are to have a pioneer day this fall, with the idea that it become a permanent feature of their work, and there is no reason why this may not be as prominent and important as any of the days now observed by them.

Judge Cahill has been writing the colleges, but just what the response will be is conjecture as yet, but if they refuse they will be the first, and I cannot suppose that. In fact, every one has been so ready to help, that it is only proper to acknowledge the many courtesies and favors we have received. To mention all the names will be impossible, as every room in the capitol would be included, and nearly every occupant.

Through the Secretary of State's Department nearly 4,000 invitations were issued, Dr. Wilbur taking charge of something less than 3,000 through the Bureau of Vital Statistics and O. C. Howe caring for the balance, sending them to the granges and editors of newspapers. These latter, in their turn, have printed the invitations in their local papers, reaching thousands in this manner, and in some instances have sent us marked copies.

The Wolverine Workman, a publication issued in the interests of the A. O. U. W., by the Hon. Perry F. Powers, and edited by Walter J. Wheaton, has a subscription list of 24,000, and printed our invitation in full. A very conservative estimate would give at least 100,000 people who have heard of us, at least, this spring, and this should be quite an element for future work.

Of the 209 names added to our list since last October, the Hon. Daniel McCoy, himself a new member, has brought in 50, and Henry Bishop of Kalamazoo, an adopted son of Michigan, sent us fifteen at one time. Dr. Kedzie has secured seven members from the M. A. C. It is impossible for the secretary to add many names, through correspondence, and we requested the vice-presidents to try to secure five each for us, but this met with the least response of anything for which we asked.

Mr. William A. Betts of Benzonia has been very helpful all through the year, urging our needs in his local paper, and in various ways keeping us before his friends. The French paper, "Le Canadien," has been sent us regularly, two books from Chicago Historical Society, through Mr. McCoy, State Manual, and for our museum we have received some singing books, one of which is 150 years old, from William A. Betts; a candle

stick, mold for making candles, lantern from N. E. York of Tuscola county; a flail, sickle, and warming pan, from H. K. Billings of Concord; some of the first beet sugar made at the Lansing factory, a gourd and gavel, spoken of at the opening meeting, Tuesday evening, from Mr. J. I. Knapp of Adrian, andirons from A. H. Owens of Lennon, and a collection of specimens of all woods native to Michigan, from Francis R. Beal of Northville.

Among the many pleasant incidents of the year came the unsolicited gift of Mrs. Susan G. S. Winpenny, of Philadelphia, Pa., of a check for $100, in loving memory of her father, Colonel Michael Shoemaker of Jackson, Mich. For many years Colonel Shoemaker occupied high positions in the affairs of State, and his interest was very intense for the history and welfare of Michigan. He took a very active part in the work of our society, being its President in 1879, and afterwards as chairman of the committee of Historians, doing very valuable and conscientious work.

No action has yet been taken regarding the disposition of this gift, but it is possible that a picture of our lamented friend will be secured with it.

Letters of regret have been received from Gen. Isaac D. Toll of Petoskey, Thomas G. Greene, P. H. Taylor, Gideon Noel, M. Brown, Byron M. Cutcheon, A. M. Eddy, Mrs. Nancy M. Wilson, Thomas Mars, J. C. F. Hollister, Grant G. Spur, Mrs. Mary R. Fairbank, The Atheneum Club of Lexington, Anna A. Palmer, and outside of the State from Rev. Meade C. Williams of St. Louis, Chas. Moore of Washington, William Gray Brooks of Boston, Dr. George Holbrook of Booneville, Arkansas, E. G. Holden of Coquille, Oregon.

Each year takes from us some of the faces of those whom we hope to meet again at our next session, and this has been no exception. Mr. Bishop wrote us a very cheerful letter, expecting to be with us today, but he has gone, and only leaves to us the memory of a friend. A younger generation has not been spared and we have to record the loss of Mr. N. J. Kelsey, who was on the committee of historians a year ago, and Judge J. W. Champlin, of our present executive committee. In their proper places will be found obituaries.

Perhaps a report may not be just the place for suggestions, but the work of the past is so closely interwoven with the future that separation seems impossible, and I feel that the whole society should understand the work done, so far as a report can show it. It would be wise, I think, for each vice-president to consider himself a delegate to act for his county society in our meetings, and to represent us there, and in addition to this the secretary should attend such meetings whenever possible.