Society for the Scientific Study of Religion

Council Meeting Minutes

1963

Meeting Dates and Location:

October 25-26 1963     Cambridge, Massachusetts


October 25, 1963
The meeting was called to order at 6:15 in the guest dining room of Harkness Graduate Commons, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. Present were Messrs. Adams, Clark, Dittes, Eister, Friess, Kallan, Klausner, Pruyser and Spraguie; and Prentiss Pemberton (editor) and J. Paul Williams (chairman of publications committee). President Friess presided.

The minutes of the meeting of October 26, 1962 were distributed and approved.

Reporting for the special committee on the Hazen Conference on Sociology of Religion, Messrs. Eister and Pemberton reported that because of the recent year's leave of absence by Lauris Whitman, the transcription of the conference has not been completed. Mr. Whitman has suggested that the transcription appear as part of the publication "Information Service" of the National Council of Churches. Mr. Eister and Mr. Pemberton reported that they had strongly disagreed with this proposal by correspondence. It was agreed that Mr. Friess would inquire by telephone of Mr. Whitman as to the present state of the transcription.

The report by the executive secretary was received. The financial report by the executive secretary was received and approved, contingent upon a subsequent audit. It was voted to approve the disbursements in excess of budgeted amounts for Newsletter printing, Journal printing, and Journal promotion, as these were outlined on page 3 of the secretary's report.

Council members suggested that a special effort might be made to obtain additional contributions from members of the Society when they are next billed for dues, emphasizing that they recently received the Directory free and that the Society is at the point of expansion and maturity with new possibilities and new responsibilities. Specifically mentioned were the need to stabilize the functioning of the central office, the probable expansion in the future of the Journal, and the possible development of a committee on projects and research.

Reporting for the publication committee, Mr. Williams reported that promotion in recent years has included individual letters to about 25,000 persons. He suggested that future promotions be in the form of display advertising in such journals as the Christian Century, the Unitarian-Universalist Magazine, and Science. This advertising might be supplemented by articles placed in these journals discussing the "scientific study of religion." Mr. Klausner and other members suggested that future promotion might be based on an analysis of the characteristics of our present members and readers. It was voted to authorize $40 for such an analysis, with the understanding that it would be supervised by Mr. Eister, with the cooperation of the executive secretary and Mr. Klausner. It was also suggested that some campaign might be made to obtain foreign subscriptions and that other income-producing activities should be kept in mind, such as a book club.

The editor reported that in his present judgment the materials submitted to the Journal do not now justify a major expansion in size. At most he foresaw a possible increase to 160 pages per issue within a year, if financing and the material warranted.

Mr. Williams reported the suggestions of the publications committee and the editorial board that the term of the editor be established as six years. It was voted to establish the term of the editor as six years, with the exception that the present editor's term should end at the end of 1965 so that the new editorship would coincide with the assumption of the presidency by a new officer.

The question of formal membership qualification was discussed, including the possibility of the establishment of two grades of membership. This was referred to the membership committee to present formal recommendations, especially in the light of the contemplated analysis of the membership characteristics.

In discussing the question of locations of future annual meetings, it was generally agreed that a location away from the Northeast coast was desirable, to represent the national nature of the organization. It was also generally agreed that any location other than New York or Cambridge is more difficult practically. It was agreed that a special effort was necessary to develop a constituency and program for a meeting in a new location. This might include such procedures as an early general call for papers that would attract volunteer papers both nationally and locally; more effort at the time of announcing the meeting to encourage members to attend, such as by facilitating their hotel reservations; local publicity and cooperation from local persons, which might begin with involving local people as consultants in planning the meeting.

It was voted to hold the 1964 meeting in Washington, the 1965 meeting in New York, and the 1966 meeting in Chicago or another Western location.

The executive secretary's report of his definition of the responsibilities of the position was received. It was voted to refer with power to an ad hoc committee the responsibility of further defining the job and appointing an executive secretary to take office January 1, 1964. In negotiating with the candidate, the committee was empowered to make internal rearrangements in the budget. The committee is to consist of the former and past secretary and the outgoing and incoming president.

It was voted to approve the budget for 1963-64 as proposed by the executive secretary:

Income:  
Membership dues
$ 6,000
Journal subscription
5,000
Contributions
100
Journal advertising
250
Interest
50
  $11,400
Expenses:
Central Office:
Office supplies
$ 300
Postage
400
Newsletter printing
400
Office Secretary
1,800
Meeting expenses
50
Telephone
20
Insurance, legal & auditing fees
200
Bank charges
30
Executive Secretary (Jan.-Sept.)
900
Journal
Printing
$ 5,500
Editor
500
Office Expense
300
Journal promotion 1,000
  $11,400

The Council was reminded that it had voted unanimously by a mail ballot to incorporate the Society and that such incorporation would be ratified by the membership at next day's business meeting. The Council recessed until Saturday noon. October 26, 1963.

Respectfully submitted,

James E. Dittes, Secretary

October 26, 1963

The Council was called to order at 2:30 p.m. in Sperry Hall of Harvard Divinity School, Cambridge, Massachusetts immediately following the organizational meeting of the Society. Present were Messrs. Adams, Eister, Friess, Nelson, Pruyser, and Sprague, and Prentiss Pemberton (editor) and J. Paul Williams (chairman of the publications committee), also Mr. Clark and Mr. Dittes. It was voted to elect the following persons to office for terms ending at the end of 1963:

James E. Dittes, Secretary and Assistant Treasurer
Walter Houston Clark, Treasurer

It was voted to authorize payment of special meeting expenses beyond the budgeted amount, as described by Mr. Friess. These include mimeographing of papers, and paid transportation expenses for Mr. Butler.

The meeting adjourned at 2:35.

Respectfully submitted,

James E. Dittes, Secretary