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aa = ge Ts * = ™ é MARINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF DETROLT § The Story of its Founding ) : Because there has arisen some doubt and misunderstanding about the early history of our Society, the Founder, Mr.Roy M.Bates, has been asked to relate the events which brought the organization into being. The following account has been prepared by him with the approval of the co-founders, Mr.Robert H.Larson and Mr.dohn M.O'Brien, Early in 1943 Mr.Bates visited the Detroit Historical Museum in the Barlum Tower in Cadillac Square, Detroit, and made the acquaintance of the Curator of the Museum, Mr.Robert H.Larson. Having common interests and friendship they discussed the possibility of getting together a group of people interested in Lake Shipping, to meet occasionally at the Museum | or elsewhere, and talk boats, lock at photos and eventually work out a program of meetings along marine lines. At the same time a Museum Gom= mittee on Shipping was being appointed to design models and to plan an annual Museum Shipping Exhibit. Among the members of this committee were Mr .William A.McDonald and Mr.John M.O*Brien, both of whom Mr.Bates con= tacted and both of whom were enthusiastic backers of the idea of a ship lovers’ organization. Mr.O*Brien saw Mr.Bates frequently thereafter, and it was his enthusiasm and insistence that did much to bring the plans to a head. So Messrs.Larson,O'Brien and Bates began work in easnest to organize what is presently the Marine Historical Society of Detroit. Mr.Larson persuaded Mr.George W.Stark of the Detroit News to mention the proposal and announce the first mesting oe July ee dee in his "Town Talk" column in the News on July 9, 1 | 4 On that eventful evening, hign in the Barlum Tower, the following > persons appeared: Bates, Larson, McDonald, Norbert Neff, O'Brien, Kenneth E.Smith, Captain W.d.Taylor and Alastair Weir. Bates called the meeting to order and brpiefly announced what was intended to be done, and then turned the meeting over to O'Brien. A temporary organization was set up with Smith as chairman and O'Brien as secretary. A committee on Constit- ution and By Laws was appointed, comprising Bates, McDonald and Neff ] This group completed its work at a later masting at the old Bob Lo Club at the foot of Woodward Ave. | The next meeting of the organization was held on July 27 with Captain William J.Taylor ylas the first speaker to appear on our program. His subject was "The Lighthouse Service.” At this meeting too, the organ= ization was officially named the "Marine Historical Society of Detroit.” At the August 31 meeting the Constitution and By Laws were dis- cussed and adopted, and the charter membership cloased with the addition of the following names: Miss Louisa Butler, Rev.Edward J.Dowling,S.J., Gerald Holland, John G.ivers, Lagwell Johnson and Thomas Weber, making a total of fourteen charter members. On September 28 another meeting was held and Mr.Smith led a brief discussion on the history and ships of the White Star Line. Permanent officers were then elected, as follows: President, Kenneth #.Smith; Vice President, Roy M.Bates; Secretary, John M.O'Brien; Treasurer R.H.Larsone ) Thus the organization brought intonbeing by a Swede (Larson), an Irishman (O'Brien) and a Hoosier (Bates) was on its way. That which has happened since is a matter of secretarial record. Rey M.Bates | Fort Wayne, Indiana June 3, 1955 a