MINUTES OF THE DOGTOWN HISTORICAL SOCIETY

April 13, 2002

The meeting of the Dogtown Historical Society was held on April 13th, 2002 at the Fire Fighter’s Office 1223 Tamm Avenue . The meeting came to order at 1:00 pm.

15 people were in attendance: Nina Kassing Bryans, John Corbett, Virginia Lopez, LaVergne McEvoy Lee, Jim Glaser, Kay Richard, Sally Sharamitaro, Dominic Justin Robinson, Bob Corbett, Ed Cody, Pat Liston, Linda Liston, Henry Herbst, Bill Vorbeck, Betty Vorbeck

To start the meeting, we all introduced ourselves.

Reading of the minutes by Virginia Lopez - approved as read.

Bob Corbett has started a new website for the organization: http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/dogtown/dhs/dhs.html

BUSINESS ITEMS

1. Nina Bryans suggested we set a certain day each month for future meetings. Bob Corbett mad a motion to meet the second Saturday of each month. Henry Herbst seconded. Motion Passed.
   
   
2. Ed Cody gave a report on the Charter. He said in order to operate as a non-profit organization we could raise$10.000 over a 4 year period for a fee of $500.00; the fee for a lessor amount would be $150.00. Bob Corbett made a motion to accept the larger amount. Henry Herbst seconded the motion. Motion passed.
   
   
3. In order to satisfy bylaw requirements a statement was made outlining the terms of the service for board members and officers. A motion was made for the president and secretary to serve 2 years; Vice president and treasurer 1 year. We have 11 board members. The first 6 members will serve 4 years with the other 5 serving 2 years. Ed Cody made motion to accept these bylaws. Bill Vorbeck seconded the motion. Motion passed.
   
   
4. Ed Cody said he has to give the IRS a statement regarding where our receipts will come from. Possible sources are: dues, corporate and private donations. Bob Corbett suggested we ask for a $10.00 donation from everyone on our mailing list. Henry Herbst made a motion to charge $10.00 a year dues. Jim Glaser seconded the motion. Motion passed.
   
   
5. Jim Glaser will write a memo for the list of qualifications. Ed Cody suggested that to be a member a person would have to have an interest in Dogtown history. Benefits of membership (based on dues) would be receiving information about the organization and its progress.
   
   
6. Ed Cody hopes to have everything ready for the IRS by next meeting May 11th, 2002.
   
   
7. Bob Corbett and Nina Bryans attended a meeting at St. James School regarding their Centennial celebration. St. James is planning a one day get together on Saturday, September7, 2002 They will have other projects throughout the coming year. Bob said we should help them as much as we can.
   
   
8. St. James‘ homecoming will be June 8th, 2002. Bob would like to have a booth at the homecoming to display pictures of the St. James graduating classes in order to get help from attendees in identifying people in the pictures. St. James Homecoming would also be a great place to get interviews from people about their lives and memories of Dogtown. John Corbett suggested format for oral interviews of people of from Dogtown for identifying who they are and what they remember about Dogtown. Nina Bryans will take the lead in finding people. Bob and John Corbett offered to do the interviews.
   
   
9. Bob Corbett talked to the painter’s union about the sign on the wall next to Seamus McDaniel’s Restaurant. He found it was a lot more complicated than we expected . There are six companies capable of doing the job who we can ask to bid on the job.
   
   
10. Henry Herbst talked to the Route 66 Historical Society. Route 66 came through Dogtown from Clayton Avenue down Oakland avenue, alongside the park to McCausland Avenue. He brought a booklet titled St Louis County — Show Me Route 66 from 1926-1932. It was an interesting book with a map of the entire route from beginning to end.
    
    
11. Sally Sharamitaro and Kay Richard are working on the census of Dogtown in the early years. Sally brought an alphabetized list of 1880 census of Dogtown. It was a lot of work with close to 1000 people involved.
    
    
12. Tourism
    
    Bill Vorbeck suggested we send an inquiry to the St. Louis Post Dispatch regarding tours of Dogtown. It was also suggested we develop a newsletter with a membership coupon on the bottom to be handed out in the neighborhood. We may contact the neighborhood association for help with this.
    
    
13. Dogtown Statue
    
    Bob Corbett went with Tom Bauer to Rudy Torrini’s house to see a mock-up of the statue little boy in knickers. The statue will be 8 feet tall with a four-foot marble base. Bob thought it was breath-taking. He also said Rudy’s progress had gone too far for us not to get into it.
    
    

NEW BUSINESS

1. Bob Corbett offered to have a table set up in his front yard the day of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and to have volunteers to give out information on Dogtown Historical Society to get new members. John Corbett may have his truck in the St. Patrick Parade.
   
   
2. Sally Sharamitaro and Kay Richard completed the project on the 1870 census and submitted it to Bob Corbett to be put on the website. They will now start on the 1860 census.

Next meeting will be held May 11, 2002 at 10:00 am at John Corbett’s home

Meeting adjourned at 3:30 pm.

Minutes submitted by
Virginia Lopez, Secretary