Society for the Scientific Study of Religion

Business Meeting Minutes

1965

October 30, 1965     New York, NY

AGENDA
SSSR BUSINESS MEETING

Saturday, October 30, 1:30 pm
Ballroom, Park Sheraton Hotel, New York, N. Y.


  1. REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY (Samuel Z. Klausner)

    - Presentation of new budget forapproval of the membership.


  2. COMMITTEE REPORTS:

    -REPORT OF THE FUND RAISING COMMITTEE (Kagan)
    -REPORT OF THE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE (Bram)
    -REPORT OF THE PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE (Williams)
    -REPORT OF THE 1966 ANNUAL MEETING COMMITTEE (Burhoe)
    -REPORT OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE ( Friess )

  3. OTHER BUSINESS

  4. ADJOURNMENT

Minutes
Annual Business Meeting of the
Society for the Scientific Study of Religion
October 30, 1965


The meeting was called to order at 1:30 P.M. in the Ballroom of the Park Sheraton Hotel, New York, Walter H. Clark, presiding.

Minutes of the last annual meeting were approved as printed in the Dec., 1964 Newsletter of the Society.

Samuel Z. Klausner reported relocation of the headquarters of the Society and reviewed other matters of general interest to the Society including the increase in number of members and in size of the budget. He announced that 450 persons were registered for the current meeting and that in various ways the Society was moving toward an important place among learned scientific and academic societies.

In the absence of the Treasurer, Mr. Klausner presented the budget of the Society for 1966. It was moved by Ralph W. Burhoe and seconded by Benjamin Nelson that this be approved. Passed.

J. Paul Williams, reporting for the Publications Committee, reviewed several of the questions being considered by the committee in relation to the Journal, announcing that James E. Dittes is expected to assume responsibility for the editorship of the Journal beginning with the Spring 1967 issue. Spring and fall issues, 1966, are under the interim editorship of the Executive Secretary of the Society.

James Luther Adams moved that the Society record its recognition and appreciation of the unstinting efforts of Prentiss Pemberton, first editor of the Journal, in behalf of the publication. Walter Clark announced that a statement of appreciation and of high regard for Prentiss Pemberton had been approved by standing vote at the dinner meeting of the Society the previous evening but that this would be made a matter of record in the minutes of the business meeting of the Society, and a copy sent to Dr. Pemberton.

Joseph Bram reported for the membership committee indicating that the committee had felt that suggestions and recommendations by current members of the Society of colleagues and others who might be invited to become members was an effective method of increasing our numbers.

Preliminary plans for the 1966 annual meeting in Chicago were announced by Ralph Burhoe, chairman, and members were urged to make further suggestions. Among others, Mr. Burhoe mentioned the probability of making recognition of the contributions of Anton Boisen, recently deceased,

Walter Clark announced the appointment of several members of the Society to serve as informal representatives or liaison persons between the SSSR and several learned and professional societies, including the American Psychological Association, the American Sociological Association, the American Psychiatric Association and others He also announced that the Secretary of the Society had been authorized to establish and maintain correspondence with foreign societies having objectives similar to those of the SSSR.

Brief reports were heard from Rabbi Henry Kagan regarding further plans for raising funds to match a proposed grant of $3000 from a foundation which has previously expressed special interest in the Society and especially in its Journal, and from Horace L. Friess who reported the outcome of the elections for officers and for Council members of the Society. Officers and Councils who will take office January 1, 1966 are:

Peter L. Berger, president
Charles Y. Glock, vice president
Joseph H. Fichter, Council member (through 1968)
James M. Gustafson, Council members (through 1968)

President Clark announced as interim appointees to the Council (to serve in the places vacated by Messrs. Berger and Glock) Benjamin Nelson and Robert J. Havighurst. He also announced that the Council had, in accordance with the By-Laws of the Society, elected Ralph W. Burhoe as Treasurer and reelected Allan W. Eister as Secretary in 1966.

Upon invitation from the chair, Professor Berger spoke briefly.

Benjamin Nelson, on behalf of the Program Committee, moved an expression of appreciation to all who have served in making the 1965 annual meeting as successful as it was. He also spoke appreciatively of the services of the outgoing president of the Society, Walter H. Clark. Seconded and passed.

Meeting adjourned.


Respectfully submitted

Allan W. Eister
Secretary