Present: Dick Drinon, Nancy Haines, Lynn Hughes, Peter Hughes, Jeanne Kinney, Liane Speroni, Marcia Matthews (new member)
The meeting was called to order at 7:05 following a moment of silence.
We discussed ideas for a speaker for fall Peace Lecture. We selected November 2 as a tentative date, subject to the availability of a speaker.
Liane suggested as a possible speaker: Jeremy Brecher, author of books on historiography and peace & justice issues, including STRIKE! and HISTORY FROM BELOW. (See www.stonesoup.coop) Possible topic: Is local history a peace & justice issue? What does it mean to do history in Hopedale?
Liane and Marcia were selected a committee to approach Jeremy Brecher. The committee is authorized to offer $100 plus up to $50 expenses, and an offer of home hospitality from Jeanne.
Other suggestions for speakers: American Anti-Slavery Group, Somerville (modern-day slavery in Africa); Park Service on Underground Railroad history
Note: the list of past Peace Lecture speakers on the web site should be corrected. The speakers are: 2000 - Michael True; 2001 - Elise Boulding; 2002 - Dick Scobie.
New England Yearly Meeting - Nancy took copies of books and pamphlets on consignment
September 20, Hopedale Day in the Park. FAB will either get a table or share the table with Hopedale Unitarian Parish.
October 4, New Massachusetts Universalist Convention - this year's annual meeting is dedicated to Adin Ballou. Lynn and Peter will repeat the talks given earlier (see under Recent Events). Peter Reilly will give an accountant's perspective on the finances of the Hopedale Community. Although sponsored by a UU organization, per organizer Richard Trudeau, "the whole world is invited."
April, Hopedale Community celebration - re-creation of Hopedale Community spring festival featuring actors from the Milford UU church.
April, Lynn delivered a talk on "Adin Ballou: American Pacifist" for the Unitarian Universalist Historical Society Spring Lecture.
June, UUA General Assembly - Peter delivered a talk on "Adin Ballou: Unitarian Universalist." Friends of Adin Ballou shared a table with the UU Historical Society, at which we sold books and pamphlets and gave out copies of the Hopedale Walking Tour and the June issue of PeaceWork (with an article on Adin Ballou by Michael True). Copies of Christian Non-Resistance, inscribed by Friends of Adin Ballou, were presented to the recipients of the Adin Ballou Peace Award (presented by the UU Peace Fellowship).
Recent additions to web site: Adin Ballou's first published work (review of a sermon by Hosea Ballou) and the Restorationist sermon that signaled the beginning of the end of his Milford pastorate
Two new books, Christian Non-Resistance by Adin Ballou and To Live a Truer Life by Lynn Hughes, are now available in Blackstone Editions' Hopedale Collection.
Marcia's poem "Streets of Hopedale" appears on the poetry page at www.worcestercounty.com
Peter Reilly has copies of two Community ledgers from the Hopedale Collection on microfilm & is using them to continue his study of the Community's financial affairs.
Lynn and Peter have copies (not always very good quality) of the Practical Christian through the end of 1856.
The July issue of the FAB newsletter, Vine and Fig Tree, was not ready in time to announce this meeting, so a postcard was sent to everyone who has previously attended a meeting. The newsletter will be sent out soon. We discussed ways to reduce the cost of copying and mailing the newsletter. The September/October issue of the newsletter will include a form asking people to indicate whether they want to receive the newsletter on paper or electronically. Except for active members and a few people who receive the newsletter as a courtesy, recipients will have to respond (by mail or e-mail) in order to continue receiving the newsletter.
There was no treasurer's report, as Bill was not present. Jeanne will contact Bill to ask him whether he still wants to be treasurer. Liane volunteered to serve as interim treasurer if Bill does not want to do it.
Jeanne and Bill were appointed a committee to investigate how to open a bank account with the smallest possible minimum balance and monthly fee.
Lynn reported on income from publications (see below). We have received $285 to date from sales of pamphlets. This covers the initial cost of printing 150 pamphlets with a profit of $38.74. We still have 55 pamphlets in stock. When Blackstone Editions receives from FAB the $1000 grant for the printing of To Live a Truer Life, Blackstone will pay FAB 7% of the proceeds from sales of the book.
The Hopedale Cultural Council was supposed to reimburse us $100 for a speaker in 2002. Jeanne will check on that.
Nancy has prepared draft bylaws. The bylaw committee will meet in the fall to consider them.
There was no formal program at this meeting. There was some informal discussion of matters related to the history of the Hopedale Community, particularly the financial circumstances surrounding the dissolution of the Community.
prepared by:
Lynn Gordon Hughes, Secretary
15 August 2003
| Date | Description | Expense | Income | Balance | |
| Oct. 2002 | Printing pamphlets
(50 copies each of 3 titles) |
246.26 | (246.26) | ||
| Oct. 2002 -
June 2003 |
Sales of pamphlets
(95 sold @ $3) |
285.00 | 38.74 | ||
| June 2003 | Income from To Live a Truer Life
(see below) |
29.12 | 67.86 |
Note on income from To Live a Truer Life: This book was partially financed through a grant of $1000 from the Unitarian Sunday School Society, awarded in the name of Friends of Adin Ballou. As the cost of printing plus estimated royalties for the print run of 2,200 copies comes to $14,000, the grant amounts to approximately 7% of the cost of the book. Blackstone Editions will therefore return to Friends of Adin Ballou 7% of the proceeds from the sale of the book (the actual proceeds from sales, not the list price).