Nebraska History posts materials online for your personal use. Please remember that the contents of Nebraska History are copyrighted by the Nebraska State Historical Society (except for materials credited to other institutions). The NSHS retains its copyrights even to materials it posts on the web. For permission to re-use materials or for photo ordering information, please see: http://www.nebraskahistory.org/magazine/permission.htm Nebraska State Historical Society members receive four issues of Nebraska History and four issues of Nebraska History News annually. For membership information, see: http://nebraskahistory.org/admin/members/index.htm Article Title: The Nebraska State Historical Society in 1980 Full Citation: Marvin F Kivett, “The Nebraska State Historical Society in 1980,” Nebraska History 61 (1980): 473-500. URL of article: http://www.nebraskahistory.org/publish/publicat/history/full-text/NH1980NSHSin1980.pdf Date: 4/1/2014 Article Summary: This article is the transcript of Director Marvin F Kivett’s remarks at the Annual Meeting in Lincoln, September 6, 1980. It is, essentially, the “state of the society” address. THE NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN 1980 By Marvin F. Kivell, Director Presented in part at the Annual Meeting in Lincoln, September 6, 1980 It is always of interest to look back on the history of the Society and particularly as we observed our centennial in 1978. Common to most of the reports are statements dealing with a lack of an adequate budget and the increased workload. They all note progress in one form or another. At the meeting of the Society at the Commercial Hotel, Lin­ coln, on January 21, 1880, Secretary Samuel Aughey reported progress. A thousand printed circulars had been produced set­ ting forth the aims of the Society and listing the members. A legislative committee had also agreed to appropriate $300 a year for the Society. Aughey reported, however, that for some reason he "could not discern, this appropriation was left out" of the bill on final passage. For lack of funds to pay a copyist, he was unable to secure many important manuscripts. He had made a special effort to collect the Centennial addresses of 1876 and had those from two-thirds of the counties. The membership also took action to approve a budget for the year. The secretary was allowed $25 for incidental expenses of his office and a salary of $)00 for the year 1880. A century later we are still not always able to discern why our budget requests are sometimes left out of the final passage of the budget bills. but we do make a special effort to prevent such action. Authorized staff for the year stood at 118 full-time employees. Almost without exception the statistics that we tabulate to justify our annual budget request reflect an in­ creased workload. It is not my purpose to quote figures but rather to provide a summary statement on the overall work of each division. The Administrative Division headed by John Caleca handles all business affairs including budget preparation. Historian Leigh DeLay and Editorial Assistant Patricia Gaster edit all 473 474 NEBRASKA HISTORY Society publications, including Nebraska History. As Society Director, I serve on a number of boards or commissions, in­ cluding the Hall of Fame Commission and the State Records Board. A special function, that of State Historic Preservation Officer, accounts for some 40 percent of my time. Among the most important duties of a Society Director is to work closely with the Executive Board to secure an adequate budget to attract and maintain a qualified staff. History and other cultural activities have always had a relatively low priority with the competition for state funds increasing each year. This last year we were forced to cut many desirable activities from our operations, and this will be the pattern for the year ahead. Our budget has increased each year but with this increase has come added responsibilities. At present we have responsibility for the maintenance of some 27 important structures throughout the state, ranging from the small study used by Poet John G. Neihardt to the Meriwether Lewis, Missouri River dredge, which approaches the length of a football field. The most recent acquisition is the former Lincoln Elks Lodge building of some 70,000 square feet. Associated with these structures are some 225 acres of land, all of which must be maintained. Our largest land areas include some 80 acres at Chimney Rock and a similar acreage at Court­ house Rock, both major landmarks on the Oregon Trail. Our relationship with other state agencies during the year has been excellent and of benefit to the preservation and inter­ pretation of our history. We work closely with the Department of Roads under the direction of David Coolidge. The depart­ ment funds two archeologists on the Society staff to be certain that archeological remains will not be damaged by road con­ struction. We also have excellent cooperation with the depart­ ment in the historical markers program throughout the state. We continue to have excellent cooperation from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission headed by Director Gene Mahoney. Under a memorandum of agreement the Society pro­ vides research of various kinds, including archeological. This year Society archeologists began work at Rock Creek Station in Jefferson County. The Society is also aiding the Commission in its efforts to improve their exhibits and interpretation at several of the historical parks. Last year the Society completed exhibits for the new visitors' center at Ash Hollow in Garden County. Cllur/,'S C, Osbome of J/uslill}!.S rt'lir",/ frum I/li' Nt'bfllSlw Slim' flislorinll 5"..-;,,1.\' /Juur,/ fu//o"'lnf!, IIII' ,:all Mw/iIJf!, ;'1 I.i",'o /n , 1/(, sO'nw/ II,' Ih,' SlU'Ir'ly l'rl'.<iII" /II IN" I"',...." 196J Iwd 1967. Jumes C. Olsur! (Iefl), "rt'.I'idt'lII uf Ihe Unil'efIi/y uf Missouri .1)'.1'11'111, arldre~es Full Mee/in}:. AI ,iKill iI' E,'t,t'lIliI'e Uoard member auo KOIOIIC Jr.. IIl11nholr/l . .. (Be/ow) Edwin J. Fallfkn'" (riKhl). !.inculn, FOIlllrlrllion /'re.fidt'III, {1rt'sel1l~ Ar/r/isull E. Sheldon ,\/,'/IIQrll1{ A \\'lIrd /Q !.Iuyd M. Kllllkt'!, M.I). of lI"et.'/!iIl/<: IVII/l'f. IJ.'TI"is N. Milwfidl. C,,'i/o:hlOlI Ul1l\w.~il)', re!1.'i,·ed tire Jallles L. Sell..,! M(,lIIorllll ,1"'lIrrl. I'urticipanu ill rel/wur)' 29 SlI1mlm}l IJt'ur I)USI dedlcul;u/l, ,\'ehrulku Ilull of I:um,,: GOI'emOf Churl..s Th<J/U' ''''io: SIUII.' St'nUlOf Richurd Mu,,"I'/; Mrs. F,,,tI II'..I/s. Ilull uf Fume COIIIIIIIJ5lOn chulflllun; bil5/ JI"IllplOr Tell I,un}!; ,\fUrI'lII 8u::l1r(/. Nl'b,l1sA'u In­ l/iUII COlIIlIIll.l101i 1/i"'1.·/I1r; N<'/)fU)Au SIIP"·"'I.' COlirt )1I~IICt' NOf/llun Kr/l·osl.u: ,\filS Nrbrusku. KUliJy SIIIII/lUf/. .(/Ido"" M r. ulld Mrs. ,",ullk R(Jbms(J1I III ill/Kim 1 Jlule lii.f/Ofi("u/ lIIurk,-r d,·tll("lllllUI IWllr )oh" I/U/lIllUIi /Ifill'". Gllfflt'll CUlmly. ---~.. Thl' r('rOlls/rlle/cll offlrl' for S.'llu/or Clfl "I: Om!s was d,'di<'Uh'iI a/ 11'1' Harolll Warll l'iOIlCI:r ViIfU/i:I: , M illd/'/I, M a), J I, as pari of27/11 anll ;ITrsary OUSffl'al1cnfvr piolll'l'r Villal"', I '(lf/icipilll/S illdur/nl Mr.l. CllfiI'i (/('fl), St'III/lor CllrI;:" IlIId lIarold WIITII , • , , (IJdo"', SOdl'l," Dirt'ClUr Mufl'''' K/I'/'/1 (ri/i:/II ,·,'III,'r) nJIIJIIH'lIIls f. IIU"olll CVII/III/IIIII)' IVOIIII'II 'l CIllO " /miml/III I.Ulj Wi/ill/1m· (limliK u Jill)· ,~ /"Uffi\' f ur IIUI""'" ul ,III' I'('rgll'iull 1I 01l.~. Mr. and ,\Irs, Wilflam j'erteuson alfendl'fl Ihe Ocwber J opemng of Ihe Fj"l:lljon HOI,ue, Lincoln. Fe'lIl/son Il Ihe lI,am/soll of W,'IIum Hell'Y fergllSQII, .. ·ho hlllir rh.' hume III '909,/911. L)nne Irelallt! /, 5<)(·/,'/1' Cm/TIlllluIQ' fn' lir.' Celllf" fo' N"'"aJAu Pulkli/f', 1111"" Im'mer! 11/ liI(' n"III1~UII MIIIISioll. Crml/(Jf (If III,' m'arb)· Kf'lIlIu,d HOIIII' il' )0/ 111111' Ki~)('I . .. .(/I('/IIW) ~ l fI('II/I/lllIlht, (I/!I'II/III! "'('fl' I."'I,,..'IIUI/I (;01·""'0' /oIo/lItlll Lllefllkt· am/ ;\I,s. I.llet/tk,· (,/~Iu). 480 NEBRASKA HISTORY LINCOLN MUSEUM Museum Curator Wendell Frantz reports an attendance of 50,363, down slightly from 1979, reflecting a decrease in the traveling public, especially in July and August. Records show that school systems are curtailing class field trips. Interestingly, Kennard House attendance of 13,467, is up 1,100 visitors over last year. Special exhibits at the Ferguson Mansion have helped increase attendance at the Kennard House nearby. Seasonal ex­ hibits at the Kennard Hduse interpreting aspects of Victorian life included one titled "Wedding at the Residence of Thomas P. Kennard." "Christmas: A Child's Perspective" was accom­ panied by a related exhibit at the main Museum. An exhibit on cleaning and housekeeping techniques in conjunction with Nebraska folk crafts demonstrations was displayed at the Ferguson Mansion. The Center for Nebraska Folklife at the Ferguson Mansion is supervised by a coordinator, a state-supported position. A $15,000 federal grant has enabled the center to inaugurate a field survey of traditional artists and artisans with Kay Young as director. Following her research folk arts presentations will be made at the Cather Center, Neligh Mills, Neihardt Center, and Fort Robinson. Photographs, recorded interviews, and other materials gathered during the survey will be available to researchers at the Ferguson Mansion.