The Woodstock Club
Indianapolis, Indiana
Saturday, November 3, 2001
Our 86th Annual Meeting and Dinner was a most enjoyable evening. The Woodstock Club in Indianapolis (across 38th Street from the entrance to the Indianapolis Museum of Art) was the venue for a very pleasant social and educational evening.
Our speaker was Dr. James H. Madison, Indiana history scholar and popular professor from Indiana University-Bloomington. A former chair of the Department of History, he holds the Thomas and Kathryn Miller Chair in history. Dr. Madison spoke to us about “The Pioneer Legacy.” Dr. Madison is much in demand as a speaker, and he brought life and meaning into the history he knows so well.
Since our founding in 1916, five persons have been named Honorary Members of the Society: Evaline MacFarlane Holliday, Miss Charity Dye, Robert Todd Lincoln, Dr. I. George Blake, and Alfred A. Trefz. A highlight of this Annual Dinner was the recognition of Dr. Donald F. Carmony as the sixth Honorary Member of The Society of Indiana Pioneers. Indiana University Professor Emeritus Dr. Carmony is the distinguished author of Indiana, 1816-1850: The Pioneer Era, thought by many as the seminal scholarly work on this period of our state’s history.
His research, teaching, writing, and public service have added immeasurably to our understanding of the period in which our ancestors carved a state out of the wilderness. The Board of Governors recognized Dr. Carmony, known as “Mr. Indiana History”, for his distinguished career. Dr. Carmony was in attendance, along with his wife, Mary, as our honored guests.
There are many new areas being explored by members of the Board to improve the operation and health of the Society. Computerization of membership records, along with fundraising, marketing, and promotion, are prioritized under the enthusiastic chairmanship of new Vice-President Leigh Morris. New committees for these areas have been formed, and they are actively at work on their tasks.
The Nominating Committee presented a slate of nominees for the Board of Directors and officers of the Society.
The Annual Meeting began at 4:30 p.m., followed by an informal time with a cash bar at 6:00 p.m. and dinner at 7:00 p.m.
