Society's annual meeting scheduled for May

By ALLEN STOKES
The 61st annual meeting of the University South Caroliniana Society will be held on Saturday, May 17, 1997. Dr. Carol Bleser, Kathryn and Calhoun Lemon Distinguished Professor of History at Clemson University, will deliver the address following the 1 p.m. luncheon and business session in the University's Russell House ballroom. Dr. Bleser's most recent publication is an edition of the correspondence of Maria Bryan Harford Connell entitled Tokens of Affection: The Letters of a Planter's Daughter in the Old South. Dr. Bleser will autograph copies of her book at the meeting.

Holding the meeting on Saturday is a departure from the Society's traditional meeting time on Friday evenings. The Society's Executive Council is hopeful that the Saturday date and time will enable more people from out of town to attend the meeting. Columbia is beautiful in May, and there are many other attractions including the University's historic Horseshoe, historic homes, museums, and the botanical gardens at Riverbanks Zoological Park.

Selections from collections that have been acquired through the generosity of the membership of the University South Caroliniana Society will be exhibited at the library which will be open on the day of the annual meeting from 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. and again after the meeting until 5 p.m. Our "famous punch" will be served at the library from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Invitations to the annual meeting will be mailed in April.

Library staff are currently working on the report of acquisitions for the year 1996. Every department of the library has been busy this year. Modern Political Collections, the Manuscripts Division, and the Book Division have added important materials that will be permanently available for scholarly research. In addition to gifts donated by members and friends of the library, materials have been acquired through purchase from book and manuscript dealers from California to North and South Carolina by our field archivist, library staff, and acquisitions volunteer.

We look forward to your attendance at the annual Society meeting to hear Dr. Bleser's address, to renew acquaintances with friends from other areas of the state, and to view the exhibit of recently acquired materials.

Thursday, April 17: tour of downtown Bennettsville, dinner in local homes, overview of area, candlelight reception at Jennings-Brown House.

Friday, April 18: business session, educational sessions on care and use of old photographs, lunch, and an organ recital at First United Methodist Church. Plus, a tour of homes, reception, awards banquet, and entertainment at the Marlboro Country Club.

Saturday, April 19: tour of county homes and buildings, picnic lunch.

For more information, contact Ben Hornsby, South Carolina Department of Archives and History, 803-734-8577.

June--December 1996
Barnwell County - The Rev. & Mrs. Posey Belcher;
Charleston County - Mr. Pinckney S. Wilkinson;
Kershaw County -Col. Frank K. Babbitt, Jr. and Mrs. John W. Zemp;
Oconee County - Mrs. Ann Russell;
Pickens County - Mr. David White;
Richland County - Mrs. Karen E. Donald-Tanney, Mr. Wim Roefs, and Mr. & Mrs. Emory Williams;
Sumter County - Mrs. Margaret L. Dinkins;
Out-of-state - The. Rev. Mary W. Anderson, Mr. William L. Gillespie, and Dr. John C. Guilds.

Membership in the society is by invitation. Any oficer or member of the society may nominate persons interested in the society's work. Please submit nominee's name and address to:

Allen Stokes
South Caroliniana Library
University of South Carolinina Columbia, S.C. 29208