Pennsylvania Abolition Society General Meeting, Thursday April 24, 2003
Present: Theopolis Fair, Cary Isard, Charles Woodson, David Smith, Cindy Little,
Patricia Wilson Aden, Walton Burwell, Christine Piven, Phil Lapsansky, Arthur Larrabee,
Celeste Johnson, V. Chapman-Smith, Byron Thomas, Kay Camp, Margaret Bacon, Elijah
Anderson, Pamela Haines. Regrets: Charles Blockson, Jean Moore.
1. Welcome. The meeting was convened by President Theo Fair. Members and
prospective members were welcomed, introductions were made, and dues were paid.
Prospective members include: Patricia Wilson Aden, Arthur Larrabee, V. Chapman-Smith,
and Byron Thomas.
2. National Underground Railroad Family Reunion Festival. This festival, to be held June 27-29 in Philadelphia, was called to our attention by Theo Fair. 3. Minutes. The minutes from the meeting of April 2002 were read in summary and
approved.
4. Treasurer's report. David Smith offered the Treasurer's report. After questions of
clarification it was approved with appreciation.
5. PAS Collection Committee report. Charles Woodson apologized for not
convening the committee, but reported the Board of Managers' suggestion of making a
$5000 grant to PHS as a step in offering support for the collection. Theo Fair clarified that
we own the PAS collection, but PHS houses it. Cindy Little explained that it used to be
common for organizations like PHS to have collections on deposit (where they paid the
expenses of the collection without having ownership), but the current trend is to clarify
those relationships. It can be hard for the PHS to get grant money for the special needs of
some of our documents because they don't own them. Margaret Bacon suggested that we
defer the committee report until they have a chance to meet. She also suggested that the
committee research the nature of the contract that we drew up with PHS when we did the
microfilm project. These suggestions were approved, and the committee agreed to meet
before the fall Managers meeting.
6. PAS and Schools Committee report. Walton Burwell introduced the report
about interesting high school students in using the PAS collection. Christine Piven
suggested that to put some part of the collection on line, we would first need to prioritize
the documents, then learn the process of getting microfilm on a website, learn to build a
website, and get the information to apply for grants. Phil Lapsansky said that on-line
access would be a great way to help high-schoolers do research into the topics of the PAS
collection, that a logical focus would be the age of American slavery, but that the process of
prioritizing the documents would take time. It was noted that PAS has made several efforts
in the past to make the materials more accessible, with a cataloguing and then a
microfilming project; this is the next obvious step in accessibility. Cindy Little suggested
that we send a Request for Proposal (RfP) to Penn and the HSP to do a discrete document­
based on-line lesson plan that would be suitable for high school use; this could help make
our materials available nationally. Others agreed that we can't just put materials on the web
without a framework. Theo Fair commented that we need a web site of our own; it was
suggested that HSP might serve as a host. HSP and UPenn have both expressed interest
and may be willing to come up with other resources as well; if we put out an RfP with
financial parameters, the onus is on them to come with the costs and details. V noted that
we could look into other institutions as well, that this provides an opportunity to tell the
world that this is a living Society. HSP will have to be involved in some way since they
house the collection. Part of the RfP could include getting a place that would act as web
site host We agreed that the committee can develop a list of groups to which the RfP can
be sent, fill out the draft RfP (to include who selects the documents, the requirements of
HSP, our expectations, our hope for a scaleable pilot, etc.), and propose a range of
financial commitment from PAS. Margaret Bacon's proposal that we devote our resources
in 2004 to this project received general approval. The committee will make a report to the
Board of Managers meeting in October.
7. Grant applications. We received applications from the Friends Neighborhood
Guild, The Fairhill Burial Ground, and the Physicians for Social Responsibility Peaceful
Posse project It was clarified that we have a policy of not becoming part of an
organization's regular budget, and therefore not giving grants in consecutive years; we
agreed that this policy needs to be clarified in the next revision of our brochure. Since the
Friends Neighborhood Guild got a grant next year, we will not fund their request this year,
but give them a special grant of $1000 in acknowledgment of their fine work with youth in
a community that lacks resources. They will be informed that this was an off year for a
regular application. We agreed to give $3000 to the Fairhill Burial Ground, with the
suggestion that they work with the PAS collection in their attempt to create interpretive
materials. We agreed to give $2000 to the PSR Peaceful Posse project, in response to their
good reputation and the overall need for youth programs in these financially straitened
times. With $8000 available for grantmaking, this leaves an excess of $ which we agreed
to hold over for next year and the PAS/Schools project and/or use to refurbish the
gravestone in the Fairhill Burial Ground of Robert Purvis, a past president of the PAS.
Theo Fair asked that we all to spread the word to other appropriate organizations and
encourage them to apply in the future.
8. Nominating Committee. Margaret Bacon proposed the following slate of officers:
Theo Fair for president, Charles Woodson and Margaret Bacon for vice presidents, Pamela
Haines for Secretary, Robert Smith for treasurer, and Carolyn Isard, Cynthia Little and
David Morrison to fill out the Board of Managers. These names were approved. It was
noted that we have one open space on the Board of Managers, but don't need to fill it now;
historically we have had a lawyer in that slot. New members of the general membership of
the PAS will be voted in at the October Board of Managers meeting.
9. New business. Elijah Anderson suggested that we look for ways to get to know each
other more than we are able to do at one yearly meeting. There was general agreement that
this is a problem; Theo Fair suggested the possibility of giving a party at his house.
Margaret Bacon proposed that we look for ways to speak out as PAS in the newspapers
when issues relevant to our mission and history come up in the news. Kay Camp invited
all to a play in Norristown about a historical incident in which a Quaker teacher decided to
.
open her school for white young ladies to students of color.
10. Adjournment. Theo Fair called for a motion for adjournment. We adjourned to
meet the fourth Thursday in April, 2(X)4.
Respectfully submitted, Pamela Haines.