Society for the Scientific Study of Religion

Council Meeting Minutes

1960

Meeting Dates and Location:

June 10, 1960     New York City
October 28-29, 1960    New York City


Minutes of Special Meeting of the Council
June 10, 1960
in the offices of the
National Council of Churches
Bureau of Research and Survey
475 Riverside Drive

Present: Horace Kallen, Paul Williams, James Dittes, and Dr. Benson Landis representing Lauris Whitman. (Three members of the Council constitute a quorum, according to Article 5, Section 3 of the Constitution). The meeting was convened at about 1:00 p.m.

Journal - Mr. Kallen reported an offer by the J. M. Kaplan Fund for a grant of $5000 to be used to help underwrite the budget for the proposed journal. This offer was made in response to an application by Mr. Kallen on December 15, 1959, requesting a grant of $16,890 to provide a complete subsidy for the journal for the first six years, with the expectation that the journal would be self-supporting after that time. The application had proposed an annual budget of $5000 for the journal. It was anticipated that the deficit for the first year would amount to $4,190. The offer by the Kaplan Fund was made on condition that the S.S.S.R. raise its membership dues by a substantial amount to help meet the budget of the journal, that publication begin promptly, and that support from additional sources be sought. Mr. Kallen reported that of the absent members of the Council, Messrs. Adams, Clark, and Pemberton had written to express approval of this offer, no disagreement had been expressed by members of the Council. In the discussion it was noted that the budget of $5000 appeared to be a generous one and that economy could be effected; it was noted that intensive promotion would be required to increase the membership and subscription at a rate of two hundred per year for six years as contemplated by the journal proposal; it was noted that a campaign for library subscriptions would be particularly appropriate. Mr. Kallen reported that solicitation of funds from the New World Foundation is contemplated, and members expressed approval of this plan.

It was voted to continue a Publication Committee, comprised of Messrs. Williams, chairman; Pemberton, editor; and Dittes. The Committee was instructed to establish the working budget for the journal, including a careful review of costs of publication and other expenses; to undertake a campaign for promotion of circulation; and to see that editorial procedures are established. It was recommended that the editor, in consultation with the Publication Committee, appoint a group of consulting or assistant editors. The Committee was instructed to consider a name for the journal and to make a recommendation to the Council in October, 1960.

It was voted to raise the dues of the Society beginning with the annual dues of 1961. The amount of the new dues is to be determined by the Council at its meeting in October 1960. It was noted that the membership of the Society at its business meeting November 1, 1958, voted that the Council "be given power to increase dues to $6 a year."

1960 Annual Meeting - Mr. Kallen announced the program for the 1960 meeting as presently schedule. It will begin in the morning of Friday, October 28, and extend through lunch Saturday, October 29. It will be held in the quarters of the Inter-church Center, 475 Riverside Drive, New York City. The Council is called to meet at 12;30 Friday, October 28, recessing at 2;30, and at 2:30 Saturday, October 29.

New Members - It was voted to elect to membership in the Society 29 persons who have applied for membership since November 1, 1959. They are listed on attached pages. Membership is now listed at 374 persons. However, the Secretary reported that only $485 has been received in dues during 1960, the equivalent in dues from 242 members. An additional bill is to be sent to delinquent members shortly.

Council Vacancy - It was voted to elect James Luther Adams to fill a vacancy on the Council for a term expiring at the end of 1960. It was noted that by that time it is anticipated that a Constitutional Amendment will have taken effect which will make Mr. Adams, as immediate past president, a member of the Council beyond the end of this term, for another three years.

Nominating Committee - The president appointed Walter Houston Clark as Nominating Committee to report recommendations to the business meeting October 29, 1960. Two members of the Council are to be elected at this meeting for terms expiring in 1963. The president and the secretary are to make suggestions to Mr. Clark. Article 4, Section 2 of the Constitution requires that "Nominations will be announced in the call for the business meeting at which the elections take place."

Special Issue of Pastoral Psychology - the secretary reported that the editor of Pastoral Psychology has proposed that a special issue of that journal in 1962 be devoted to the theme of the psychology of religion and that it be co-sponsored by the Society and edited by the secretary. In light of the prospective publication of its own journal by the Society, it was voted to defer action on this proposal until the Council meeting in October 1960.

Expenses of Council Members - It was voted to reimburse the travel and related expenses of members attending this meeting of the Council. This will amount to about $25.

The meeting adjourned at about 3:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

James E. Dittes

Secretary-Treasurer

Minutes of the Meeting of the Council
October 28-29, 1960

The Council met at 12:40, October 28, in the cafeteria of the Interchurch Center in New York City. Present were Messrs. Adams, Clark, Dittes, Eister, Kallen, Pemberton, Williams.

Minutes of the meetings of October 29, 1959 and June 10, 1960 were approved as previously circulated. The treasurer's report was approved:

Balance on hand Jan. 1, 1960     $ 121.48
Income from Membership Dues     735.00
      $ 856.48
Expenses      
Stationery & office supplies   $ 35.60  
Postage   75.10 
Telephone   5.56 
Mimeographing   51.83 
Clerical assistance in mailing   38.25 
Secretarial assistance   28.58 
Bank charges   10.03 
Meeting expenses:      
Council meeting June 10
$ 25.62   
APA meeting Sept. 2
29.53   
Annual meeting Oct. 28-29*
     
500 lapel badges
21.00   
1500 programs
86.00   
   $162.15  
Total Expenses     $407.10
Balance as of October 25, 1960    $449.38

*Additional expenses outstanding in connection with annual meeting are estimated at about $75.00.

New Members. It was voted to elect to membership in the Society 58 persons who have applied for membership since June 10, 1960. They are listed on attached pages. This raises the membership to 451 persons.

Report of Publications Committee. On motion of Paul Williams, Chairman of the Publications Committee, the Council voted to recommend to the membership establishment of semi-annual publication for the forthcoming journal of 128 pages in each issue for the years 1961 and 1962. On motion of Prentiss Pemberton, editor of the journal, the Council voted to name the journal: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF RELIGION. It was voted to establish membership dues for 1961 at $5.00, membership to include a subscription to the journal, and to offer a subscription to the journal without membership for $5.00. It was voted to authorize a discount up to 20% for libraries, to agents, and for other special groups at the discretion of the Publications Committee. It was voted to recommend to the membership the establishment of a student membership for $3.00 per year to be available to bona fide full-time students and to include all privileges of the Society, including a subscription to the journal, except that of voting in business meetings.

Nominating Committee. Walter Clark, as the Nominating Committee, reported to the Council that the Committee will recommend to the membership the following persons: to fill out the term on the Council expiring in 1962 left vacant by the death of Howard Becker, O. Hobart Mowrer; for terms expiring in 1963: Allan W. Eister and Theodore Sprague.

Next Annual Meeting. The Council voted to hold the next meeting of the Society Friday and Saturday, October 27 and 28, 1961 in Cambridge or Boston, Massachusetts.

The Council recessed at 1:30 P.M.

The Council was again called to order at 3:15 P.M., October 19, 1960 in the conference room of the Bureau of Research and Survey on the eighth floor of the Inter-church Center. Present were Messrs. Adams, Clark, Dittes, Eister, Kallen, McCann, Pemberton, Sprague, Whitman, Williams, and Mrs. Williams as a guest.

Journal. On recommendation of the editor, it was voted to authorize the first issue of the journal to appear in early fall of 1961. It was noted that it might be desirable to make adjustments in the membership dues since members would be receiving only one issue during the calendar year 1961. The editor reported some of his plan for articles in the first issue. Additional suggestions were made to him. It was voted to establish the following budget as the guide for a full years' operation of the journal:

Printing costs, including wrapping and mailing of journal. $2800
Stipend for editor. 500
Secretarial assistance for editor. 250
Promotion. 1000
  $4550

It was voted to authorize the Publications Committee to make additional decisions concerning publication details, including the choice of the publisher and plans for the format of the journal. It was voted to assign the Publications Committee to implement the Society's agreement with the Kaplan Fund by seeking additional foundation support for the journal during the next year. It was voted that the $5.00 annual membership fee for 1961 be divided so that $1.50 is assigned to the treasury of the Society for general expenses and $3.50 is assigned to a separate account for the journal. The treasurer of the Society was authorized to act as business manager for the journal.

Additional Publications. It was voted that a list of recent publications in the fields covered by the Society be compiled by Walter Clark and Kenneth Thompson and distributed by the secretary to members. It was voted that abstracts of the 1960 meeting be distributed by the secretary to members.

1961 Meeting. Dr. Dorothy Lee was elected by the Council as Chairman of the Program Committee for the 1961 annual meeting. Mr. Adams was elected as temporary Chairman and requested to invite Dr. Lee to serve. In the event of her refusal, Mr. Adams was requested to extend an invitation to Dr. Peter Berger to serve as Program Chairman. It was noted that members of the Council residing in the Boston area were available to assist as members of the Program Committee or as Program consultants. It was also noted that there are other persons in the Boston area not now members of the Society who would function effectively on the Program Committee. It was generally agreed that the pattern set by the 1960 meeting should be followed in 1961, including a high-level formal presentation Friday evening and workshop on Saturday morning divided according to professional specialization.

Special Meeting of the Council. It was voted to hold a special meeting of the Council at 10:30 a.m. January 14, 1961 in Hartford. Mr. Clark is to make arrangements for the Council. The treasurer noted that the Council might wish to vote to pay some or all of travel expenses of members for this meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 4:30 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

James E. Dittes
Secretary