Minutes of the Meetings of the Executive

Minutes of the 2006 Henry James Society Executive Board Annual Meeting

December 29, 2006

Philadelphia, PA

1) President’s Report, Peter Walker: Peter reported that all went well at ALA sessions and the one MLA session held on 12/29/06. He looked forward to the final session the next day. There was discussion of ways to keep the Society’s website updated. Greg Zacharias said that he would work to keep it more up to date. Peter and Tamara agreed to work together to establish a more formal calendar of the president’s duties.

2) Vice President’s Report, Tamara Follini: Tamara thanked Peter Walker for helping her with the postings of HJS sessions to be held at the 2007 ALA and MLA meetings. She added that all was going well in terms of planning for those sessions.

3) HJR Report, Susan Griffin: Susan announced that Eric Haralson would take over at book review editor. The group discussed strategies for assinging reviews and for reviewing more comprehesively. Susan announced and overviewed the next special issue of the HJR (fall 2007), which will be devoted to “Jamesian Forms.” Susan also reported on submissions for the Edel Prize, international submissions, and the status of subscriptions.

3) Newport Conference, Julie Rivkin:  Julie was not able to be present, but the following points raised in her report from December were discussed. 1) Peter reminded the group that we need to complete our arrangements with Salve Regina College. Tamara agreed to remind Julie to do that. 2) The group endorsed the proposal to ask Bill Brown to give one of the keynotes. 3) Discussion of the proposal to invite a fiction writer or poet to give one of the keynotes concluded with the following list, in order (to be discussed with Julie): Richard Howard, Michael Cunningham, Edmund White, Mary Gordon. The group suggested that Michiel Heyns should be sent an invitation to attend. The group endorsed Julie’s suggestion for the conference name, “Jamesian Strands.”

4) Exec. Director’s Report, Greg Zacharias: Greg reported on the election and the results of the election with our new procedure. He also reported on the HJS finances from 2006, which overall kept the Society at approximately the same place as in 2005. The group decided to cap the cost of any gift for outgoing presidents at $500.

5) Old Business—none

6) New Business—Greg Zacharias thanked Peter Walker for his service to the HJS, which is deeply appreciated. The group concurred.

Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Executive Group of the Henry James Society, Inc.

December 29, 2005

Washington, D.C.

Meeting convened: 7.30 pm.

Present: Susan M. Griffin (Editor, Henry James Review), Greg Zacharias (Executive Director), Leland Person (Board member), Gert Buelens (President), Pierre Walker (Vice-President), Tamara Follini (Secretary/Treasurer).

1. President’s report: Gert Buelens reported that submissions in 2005 for the ALA and MLA conferences were very good, and the numbers substantial: 20 proposals for the ALA and 30 for the MLA. He also noted how he would miss his involvement in the Society over the last three years. At the end of the reports by Society officers, Greg Zacharias praised Gert’s gracious expertise in handling the Presidency and presented him with a travelogue, from James’s library and containing his signature, on behalf of the Society.

2. Vice-President’s report: Pierre Walker announced the topics he had devised for the ALA and MLA; the former included a panel on ‘James and Other Women’ and one on ‘James as a Character’, the latter would present a second panel on ‘James and Other Women’ and one on the contribution of Adeline Tintner to James studies.

3. Henry James Review: Susan Griffin’s report happily noted the good health of the HJR: subscriptions were up in the past year, from 446 to 471, of which 207 were libraries, the remainder individuals. She also noted that 13 institutions subscribe to the electronic-only version of the magazine, and that it is available to an additional 1161 institutions through Project Muse. Article views have also been buoyant and growing: 16,205 in 2004-5 and for 2005, January through November, 25,400. Review submissions this year have been representative of an international range of interests, but for the Leon Edel Prize were down from 25 to 7 (the highest figure for any year was 40). Susan said she would give some thought to strategies to boost submissions, especially how and when the call for entries was announced. She closed her report with a request for special funding this year, $3,015, to purchase much needed new equipment for the Review offices and to support a pay rise for a deserving member of staff. The request was approved.

4. Executive Director’s report:

(a) Secretary/Treasurer election: Greg Zacharias reported the election of Julie Rivkin as the new Secretary/Treasurer of the Society and provided figures on votes.

(b) Venice conference and (c) Budget: Greg explained he was still sorting out the delay in receiving the return of the deposit to San Servolo and the caterer’s invoice, but that there seemed to be no dispute about the money actually owed to the HJS. He summarized the expenditure for last July’s Venice Conference, ‘Tracing Henry James’, noting that expenses gross amounted to nearly $28,000, and that the Society, after recouping a portion of this, funded the conference in the amount of $9,836. Yet the Society’s finances were in better shape than expected, currently totaling approximately $39,000. Discussion followed on new or especially high areas of expenditure involved in mounting the Venice conference, notably the introduction of a stipend for the Conference director and guest speakers, and it was suggested that the latter might be reviewed for the next international conference in 2008. But the point was also made that these gatherings were invaluable for James studies and must be sustained, and Greg noted the very positive responses that he had received from participants affirming the conference’s beneficial nature.

5. 2008 International Conference: Suggestions for US locations for the conference were put forward. It was decided that Burlington, Vermont was too small and isolated to attract international visitors, but that Newport might be more appealing. Concerns were raised as to the availability of good accommodations, higher overall expense, and the difficulty of direct transportation to Newport from a major airport. Boston was suggested as an alternative, on all counts, and the point was made that the number of attractions for James scholars in that city was greater, while the venue would still allow for the organization of a trip to Newport. It was agreed that further investigation into the advantages and disadvantages of both locations would be undertaken before a decision was reached.

6. New Business: The issue of how officers were elected to the Society was raised. All acknowledged that it was important to find a method that would make the best use of the resources of the James community of scholars and minimize members’ reluctance to stand against each other. After some discussion of possible models, it was suggested that changes be formally announced in the HJR. Finally, Susan Griffin proposed that the HJR might include summaries by Society representatives of publications in their respective countries. Warm support was given to the suggestion that details of cultural events relating to James also be included, and ways to facilitate the gathering of such information were discussed.

7. Adjournment: 10.00 pm.

Minutes of the 2002 Meeting of the Executive Group of the Henry James Society, Inc.

December 28, 2002

New York City

Meeting convened at 6.30 p.m.

Present: Philip Horne (President), Wendy Graham (Vice President), Eric Haralson (Secretary/Treasurer), Susan M. Griffin (Editor, Henry James Review), Greg Zacharias (Executive Director), Leland Person (Board member)

1. HJR, Susan Griffin: Susan reported that journal submissions continue strong, both in quality and quantity. Submissions for the Edel prize were especially strong this year. Susan also reported that she would like to increase the compensation for her managing editor, whose work has been stellar. However, to do this, her office would faced a funding shortfall. In the face of U of L’s financial struggles, Susan asked whether the Executive could take up the shortfall, which would be $3,000 per year at most for each of the next three years. There may be a need rather soon for $500. Following discussion, it was agreed that the Society would support Susan’s request. Finally the Executive members thanked and congratulated Susan for her fine work with the journal.

2. Budget, Wendy Graham: given the previous decision re: the HJR, Wendy asked whether we shouldn’t begin to monitor our spending more closely. She proposed that we begin to limit the amount of travel money officers could request to ALA and MLA. Discussion followed. It was agreed that we would limit the president’s reimbursement to $1,000 for MLA and $1,000 for ALA. It was agreed that the journal editor’s and the executive director’s reimbursement would be limited to $500 for MLA. It was agreed that these rules would not apply to Gert Buelens, having been elected before this policy was adopted. It was also agreed that officers could petition the Executive group for exceptions. It was also agreed that we would inform officer candidates of this policy at the point of offering nomination.

3. Executive Director, Greg Zacharias: reported that the preliminary accounting for the “Henry James Today” conference was in error, due to the miscalculation of subsidies. Greg reported that he would supply a revised accounting soon. A revised budget was sent to the Executive members on January 6, 2003. All accounts were reconciled on February 12, 2003. Greg reported that the Society was in good financial shape, even with the conference expenses. Thus, accounts (as of 23 December):

CD: $21,391.61 (@2.43%)

Savings: $10,010.55 (.74%)

Checking $ 5,549.95

TOTAL $36,952.11 (excludes $750 “HJ Today” reimbursement to be received from Creighton.)

The following is a report of the membership:

Members: Total: 280

189 U.S.

91 outside U.S.

26 Japan

19 UK

11 Canada

9 France

7 Rep. of Korea

3 Italy

2 Greece

1 each: Belgium, Colombia, Czech Republic, Hungary, India, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey.

Greg anticipated that the Society would receive $4,000 royalty from sales of the HJR. (Actual royalties for the year were just over $7,000, better than anyone expected.)

Greg offered the names of new James Society representatives: Donatella Izzo (Istituto Universitario Orientale, Napoli) and Dai Xian-mei (Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications), who were approved unanimously.

4. HJR book reviews, Lee Person: assured the group that he is “almost” caught up.

5. President’s Report, Philip Horne: reported on all the fun he’s had as president. Suggested that a calendar of deadlines be written and provided for the use of each president to use in setting up ALA and MLA panels, etc. Greg asked that copies of all session calls and then panels be sent to the James Center for inclusion on the HJS website.

6. Vice-president’s Report, Wendy Graham: Sessions for ALA and MLA are set. All proceeds smoothly. The ALA Conference will take place May 22-25 at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge, Massachusetts. The session calls are as follows:

1.     James’s spatial imagination. Presentations exploring James’s contemplation of buildings, bridges, thoroughfares, churches, theatres, parks, museums, monuments, and landscapes in fiction or travelogues. Possible topics include: “structures of feeling,” cultural transmission, panopticism, “the house of fiction,” the picturesque, realism.  

2-page abstracts by 15 January; Wendy Graham (wegraham@vassar.edu)

2.     James and letters. Papers addressing any facet of James’s correspondence, including relationships conducted through letters, identity construction, the function of letters in James’s biographies and autobiographies. The function of the letter(s) in James’s tales or novels.

2-page abstracts by 15 January; Wendy Graham (wegraham@vassar.edu)

Modern Language Association, December 28 - 30, 2003

1.      James and visual culture. 15-minute presentations exploring James’s aesthetic outlook with respect to the reigning and emerging fine and popular arts of his day and today. Topics may include illustration, photography, and film.

2-page abstracts by 1 March; Wendy Graham (wegraham@vassar.edu)

2.      The Jamesian body. 15-minute presentations exploring intersections between hunger, digestion, Fletcherization, elimination, eroticism in Jamesian texts and contexts. Topics may include James on again, sexuality, or his stammer.

2-page abstracts by 1 March; Wendy Graham (wegraham@vassar.edu)

7. Next HJS-sponsored conference: Following discussion, the Executive decided to pursue the next conference in 2005 in Italy. Greg agreed to begin preliminary investigations.

8. Executive Board thanks go to Philip Horne, who did so much during his three years of service to help develop the HJS beyond North America. As a sign of our thanks, we presented Philip with a previously “unknown” Henry James letter on behalf of all members.

9. Adjournment: 9.30pm.

Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Executive Board of the Henry James Society, Inc.

December 29, 2000

Washington, D.C.

Present: Michael Anesko (President), Sheila Teahan (Vice President), Greg Zacharias (Executive Director)

Zacharias convened the meeting at 7.30 pm.

I. 2000 Officer Election: Zacharias reported the results of the election for Secretary/Treasurer: Wendy Graham, 50; Beverly Haviland, 38; Lee Mitchell, 38. There were 2 spoiled ballots, 1 with 2 votes and 1 with 3.

II. Society Finances: Zacharias reported that the Society held $30,447.71 in its Creighton Federal Credit Union account, $6,000 at Hopkins for the HJR, and about $1,000 at L.S.U., for a total of $37,447.71. Noting that the main account was a checking account, Zacharias proposed that $15,000 be placed in a 12-month CD, and $8,000 be placed in a 6-month CD, leaving $7,447.71 in checking. After brief discussion, it was agreed unanimously that the proposal should be carried out.

III. Henry James Review: Zacharias summarized the new contract with Johns Hopkins UP-Journals . The main discussion had to do with Hopkins’s proposal, forwarded to the group by Susan Griffin, the journal’s editor, that the James Society spend $2,000 - $3,000 to promote the journal. Hopkins expected that such a promotion would yield “32-55” new subscriptions. Zacharias opened the discussion by noting the following:

1) That JHUP, not the James Society, was obligated by contract to promote the journal. This is specified in Section 6, points A and C of the new contract, which articulate the Press’s responsibility for “obtaining new subscriptions to both print and online editions of the Journal” and “Servicing subscriptions to both print and online editions of the Journal, including, without limitation [. . .] soliciting renewal of subscriptions [. . . ].”

2) Hopkins’s proposal does nothing to help our members.

3) Hopkins’s proposal does nothing to address the main loss in subscriptions over the past eight years or so, which is in the number of individual subscribers.

4) Hopkins’s plan is financially unsound, for even if the expense should be $2,500 and would yield 55 new subscriptions, the cost would be $45.45 per new subscription, more than giving subscriptions away.

Zacharias proposed a James Society subsidy of new subscriptions and subscriptions renewed over the next six months.

Anesko and Teahan agreed that there were problems with Hopkins’s proposal and that a subsidy might be the best course. Anesko also proposed that the Society subsidize graduate student subscriptions, although that would establish a 2-tier subscription rate. Nevertheless, it was the sense of the directors that if Society money were used to try to boost subscriptions, that the above plan ought to be tried, not the Hopkins plan. Zacharias agreed to carry the counter proposal to Hopkins’s attention.

HJS, Inc., 2000 Exec. Minutes 2/2

Michael Anesko asked whether the Society received royalties on HJR hits on Project Muse. Zacharias said that he believed we did not, but probably should. He said that he would make such a point during the next contract negotiation. Anesko asked wither it would be possible for Hopkins to find out and report to us whether the decline in individual subscribers was related to the proximity of Muse subscriptions. We wanted to find out whether there was a chance that those who dropped subscriptions are using the journal now online at their home institutions.

IV. Proposed Henry James Conference in Paris for July, 2002: Peter Walker outlined the history of plans to carry out a Henry James Conference in Paris in July, 2002. He reported that he had been in contact with administrators at the American University in Paris, who seemed interested in allowing its facilities to be used for the conference. Walker outlined the requirements for moving ahead with the conference, including forming an international committee, investigating requirements for establishing conference bank accounts in France or elsewhere in the EEC, and securing a commitment from the American University in Paris.

Following discussion, it was agreed unanimously that the James Society should sponsor the conference. The directors asked Walker to move ahead with his plans to form a committee and explore details for the conference. Zacharias asked for a timetable within a reasonable time. All were excited by the prospect for this conference. Zacharias and Teahan volunteered to help Walker with planning and administration.

V. Old Business: There was no old business.

VI. New Business: Michael Anesko noted that the ALA was asking its member organizations to establish web sites, and that it would be a good idea for the James Society to have one. There was discussion about the merits of such a site for members and those interested in becoming members. There was also discussion about the need to maintain such a site. There was unanimous agreement that a web site should be created, that it should be a “bare bones” site, that the person creating and maintaining the site should be compensated (Zacharias mentioned $500, Anesko $300, Zacharias asked whether $400 would be acceptable and there was no objection), and that the site would be located at Creighton.

Finally, on behalf of the Society, Zacharias presented Michael Anesko with a first English edition of The Wings of the Dove as a token of gratitude for his two years of service to the Society. Anesko accepted and regaled the group with the particular publishing history of the volume and with the pathetic decline of the publisher.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 10pm.

Minutes of Executive Board Meeting, Henry James Society, Inc.

December 29, 1999 Hotel

Chicago

Present: Greg Zacharias, Michael Anesko

1. The results of the election were discussed, including Zacharias’s invitation to Haviland and Ian to join the Executive’s nominating committee. Anesko suggested for consideration a process whereby there would be only a single slate of candidates nominated and that slate offered for the membership’s approval. The strategy would be to avoid alienating “losing” candidates. No decision was reached.

2. The ongoing negotiations with JHUP over the HJR were discussed, including the new reserve figure (over $22,000) and strategy for negotiating a new royalty figure. The current contract, singed by Dan Fogel, was examined. It was decided that Zacharias would continue to consult the Executive regarding strategy and that it might be a good idea to hire an outside lawyer with expertise in publishing to represent our general position.

3. The procedure of the business meeting was outlined.

4. The meeting adjourned at 12.30pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Greg Zacharias

January 15, 2000