The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 60, July 1956 - April, 1957 Page: 381

the i/istoria in AAmerica
BOYD C. SHAFER
WHEN I told a friend that I was speaking in Texas about
the historian in America, he said, "Why don't you
speak of the historians in Texas?" I replied that I
did not know much about the historians in Texas except that
there were many of them and they were proud of Texas, that I
was going to Texas to learn about the Texas historians and that
I intended to listen much more than talk. I have been, however,
for the last three years studying the historian in America, of
which I am told Texas is a part, and I believe it worthwhile to
share some of my findings with you.
I represent the American Historical Association which, founded
in 1884 and chartered by Congress in 1889, exists "for the pro-
motion of historical studies . in the interest of American his-
tory, and of history in America." The Association for over seventy
years has carried on and fostered many historical activities-for
example, the publication of books, the collection of manuscripts,
the encouragement of sound teaching in the schools, the publica-
tion of the American Historical Review-the largest and most
universal review published in the world. I cannot and will not
enumerate all its activities here. One new activity, by way of
further illustration, is our Service Center for Teachers of History
which will attempt to bridge the gap between teachers in our
schools and professional historians by offering the services of his-
torians for consultation and by publication of booklets summariz-
ing late research and describing important books in the various
fields of history. But from the Association headquarters in Wash-
ington-a service center for history in America-I can see what is
happening in history, for news of much of what happens flows
through these offices.
I can report to you that historical study is flourishing, that his-
*This address was given by Dr. Shafer at the Sixtieth Annual Meeting of the
Association on April 27, 1956.