Recalling CCHS Roots:  How the Conference Came to Be

By Mary Lou Lyon

This article was originally published in the April 1991 issue of the California HISTORIAN.

Antecedents

The ancestor of the Conference goes back into the early 1900s. Money was set aside by the State for the formation of a statewide California history association.

Originally, it was based at the University of California, Berkeley but when Dr. Owen Coy, the director, moved to the University of Southern California, he took the organization south with him.

Several rival historians pressed the State that state funds could not be diverted to a private institution so the funds were cut off and the 20 years of archives sent to the State Archives in Sacramento. Dr. Coy urged that a statewide association be continued. Dr. Rockwell D. Hunt, dean of the Graduate School at USC agreed.

In 1947, Dr. Hunt was invited by President Tully Knoles of the College of the Pacific in Stockton to head up a California History Program there. He urged that some type of grouping of the statewide historical societies be considered.

In 1953, Dr. Hunt and Dr. Robert E. Burns planned a meeting at Columbia State Park at the Presbyterian Church of the ‘49ers with a luncheon in the garden at Dr. Burns’ summer home in Columbia. Dr. Hunt sent invitations to historical societies, museums and individuals.

Pioneer Leaders

Among those attending were Dr. Coke Wood; Harold Schutt of the Tulare Historical Society; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Meamber of Yreka; Dick Bailey of the Kern County Museum; Don Segerstrom from Tuolumne County; Warren Howell, book dealer and member of the California Historical Society; Michael Harrison of Sacramento; Joe Doctor of Tulare
County; Clyde Arbuckle of San Jose; Irene Simpson (Neashain) of Wells Fargo; Dr. Frank Stanger of San Mateo; Hal Goodyear from Weaverville; Jerry MacMullen, San Diego; L. Burr Belden, San Bernardino; Mrs. Doris Foley, Berkeley; Miss Ivy Loeber, St. Helena; Reginald and Grace Stuart; and others whose names I have not found. Unfortunately, there did not seem to be a list of participants.

Dr. Hunt was appointed temporary chairman of the constitutional by-laws committee with Harold Schutt, vice- chairman, and Grace and Reginald Stuart and Dr. Coke Wood as committee members.

Another meeting was called in 1954 and the Conference of California Historical Societies was officially founded. Dr. Hunt was unanimously selected as the first president, with Harold Schutt as vice president, Mrs. Doris Foley, treasurer and Dr. Coke Wood as executive secretary. There were eight regional vice presidents chosen.

First Annual Meeting

It was decided that the first annual meeting would be held in Monterey, June 24-25, 1955, with Mrs. Mayo Hayes O’Donnell, president of the Monterey Society and Mrs. Mary Green as co-chairmen for Local Arrangements.

The first meeting was highlighted by a luncheon at the Memory Gardens in Monterey, a theatre party at California’s first theatre and guided tours of Monterey.

Speakers on Friday included Mrs. Fremont Older of Cupertino, speaking on “A Novelist Discovers California History;” Eric A. Falconer of San Francisco on “The Unsettled Mystery of Drake’s Landing Place;” Earl E. Rhoads, San Jose, “A Kodachrome History of the Donner Trail.”

On Saturday, the papers were given by William Shepard, U.C. Berkeley, “Parisian Paupers in the California Gold Rush;” H. Price Webb, “The Adult Center Vagabonds, or Learning California History via a Greyhound Bus;” Joseph A. McGowan, Sacramento State College, “An Interpretation of the Relationship Between the Missions and the Indians of California;” Benjamin F. Gilbert, San Jose State College, “A Survey of Techniques and Procedures Used by Historical Societies of Other States.”

The luncheon was on the Overland Mail Centennial Committee. A business meeting followed the two full days of activities. A vote was taken among three areas who wanted the second meeting and San Jose was selected with Clyde Arbuckle as Chairman. It was decided to retain the first officers for another year.

Registration at the first meeting was 157 and 180 persons were served at the luncheon. The total attendance was over 200 members. Regional vice presidents were increased from eight to 15 to better serve the state. President Burns of the College of the Pacific notified the Conference that a suitable desk and chair and filing case would be installed in the California Room of the new Irving Martin Library as headquarters for the Conference.

It was also decided to publish the proceedings of the meeting to include the papers given, starting a precedent for the Conference.

In 1975, when the Pacific Center for Western Studies moved to its new quarters in the renovated Education Building, President Stanley McCaffery allocated a separate office and storage space to the Conference. As University of the Pacific has grown and its archives have grown, it has still supported the Conference with a small office and many benefits from the affiliation.