The Howellsian
Volume 2, Number 1 (June, 1997)

At the recent American Literature Association conference held in Baltimore, May 23-25, 1997, the Society actually sponsored not one session, as announced in the last edition of The Howellsian, but two. Panelists for the first, "Howells and Literary Morality", chaired by Jesse S. Crisler, were Patrick K. Dooley (visiting professor at the United States Air Force Academy), Sarah B. Daughtery (professor at Wichita State University), and Paul Sorrentino (professor at Virginia Tech University); those participating in the second session, "Howells and Pragmatism," also chaired by Crisler, were Sämi Ludwig (visiting professor at the University of California at Riverside) and Sam Girgus (professor at Vanderbilt University). Despite the early hour of the latter session (7:30 a.m.!), members of the Society as well as others attending the conference took advantage of these two opportunities to hear fine papers from solid Howells scholars. The Society will of course sponsor a session on Howells at the next ALA meeting, to be held in late May, 1998, again in San Diego. Please send abstracts or papers of no more than ten double-spaced pages to Jesse S. Crisler (3127 JKHB, English Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602) by October 30, 1997, for consideration for this session.

At the conclusion of the second session on Sunday morning, the Society held its first business meeting since having been organized at ALA last year in San Diego. Society members in attendance unanimously approved the By-Laws as submitted by a committee composed of David Nordloh, Don Cook, and John Clendenning. A copy of the By-Laws, as approved, has been sent to each member; certainly, the committee deserves the Society's hearty appreciation for its excellent work. Members then elected officers: Sarah B. Daugherty, President; Jesse S. Crisler, Vice-President (and Program Chair); and Donna Campbell (professor at Gonzaga University), Secretary-Treasurer. For the time being, the Vice-President will continue to edit The Howellsian. As stated in our By-Laws, officers will serve a two-year term, 1997-1999.

Donna Campbell has begun preliminary work on designing a Society Web page which will include a membership list, notification to Society members of forthcoming conferences, general announcements, and other items of possible interest to members. Should you have either contributions you would like to make to such a Web page or suggestions on how to make it "work" smoothly, please get in touch with her at the English Department, Gonzaga University, 508 East Boone, Spokane, WA 99258-0018.

At present, the Society numbers forty-six members, as indicated on the updated address list which has been sent to each member. This issue of The Howellsian begins the Society's second year of operation, meaning that now is the time to renew membership. Dues for 1997-1998 should be sent to either Donna Campbell or Jesse Crisler at the above addresses.