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       West River History Conference                July, 2015
Rapid City, South Dakota
Let the Games Begin:
Sports and Recreation
in South Dakota


Keynote Speakers Announced
The speaker at the Friday Awards luncheon will be Humanities Scholar Jean Patrick, of Aberdeen. The Girl who Struck out Babe Ruth, is the true story of how 17-year-old Jackie Mitchell struck out not only Babe Ruth, but Lou Gehrig, for good measure.  The chautaqua-style presentation will also include the wider context of the history of women in baseball, especially those in South Dakota and Iowa who played ball during the 1940s and 1950s.

Saturday's Westerners Breakfast speaker will be Dave Kemp of Sioux Falls.  Dave has a deep and varied background in sports, Irish, Black and music history.   As an archivist, exhibit coordinator, publisher and author Dave has participated in a number of South Dakota projects, including the current Deadwood Baseball Exhibit which will be on display at the conference.
Board Member Spotlight
Board Treasurer Diana Hayes, is not only the keeper of the books - she is the keeper of the
books (the published papers of the West River History Conference since 1993.)  However, like many of us these days she and her husband (honorary board member, Dwayne), are downsizing, and no longer have room to store the inventory of books from past conferences. Fortunately, Board Corresponding Secretary, Carolyn Weber has stepped forward and offered to house these precious stories of our past at the Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center (HARCC) in Deadwood.  The books will remain for sale at the conference and throughout the year online.  Thanks to both board members for your hard work and years of service!
Conference Registration

Although the leadership has changed over the 23-year span of this conference, it has remained united in its goal of uncovering and preserving the best possible history for its participants at a low cost.  For that reason, we have held fast to the original registration fees in the face of sharply rising expenses.  While the meal prices have risen slightly, we still kept them far below cost, because the board voted to subsidize them many years ago with help from conference sponsorships. 

However, because the cost of meeting space spiked this year - and alternatives are severely limited - the Board has reluctantly voted to raise conference registration fees for the first time in our history.  You will notice that meal prices too have risen, though still not at actual cost.  So when you see the sponsorship signs at meals and social functions, or read the ads in our program, please take the time to thank those sponsors for making this conference possible.

We hope you will agree that the cost of this conference is a good value, and still well below similar history conferences in the region. 

Conference registration for the 2015 West River History Conference is now open.
This conference is made possible by:
 
SD Humanities
An affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities
Deadwood Historic
Preservation
  
Westerners
Black Hills Corral
Call for Papers

Let the Games Begin:  Sports and Recreation
in South Dakota
October 1-3, 2015

Paper topics are not limited to the conference theme.  Topics must be submitted with a title, brief description, and biographical sketch of the presenter by August 17th in order to be included in the program. 

Please note:  Your completed paper is NOT due until the conference in October.  Only the abstract and above information is due August 17th. 
 
West River History
Conference Board

Shebby Lee, President
Wayne Gilbert, VP/Sponshorships
Bobbi Sago, Sec/Publications
Diana Hayes, Treasurer
Marguerite Kleven, Exhibits
Carolyn Weber, Corresponding Secretary
Carol Saunders,Student Liaison

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Quote of the Month
We cannot escape history and neither can we escape a desire to understand it.
Anonymous

 

 

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Vendors
Exhibitors and Booksellers Welcome

Friday, October 2, exhibitors and booksellers will be sharing their historically-related materials with conference participants. If you have a new book to sell, or especially an historical exhibit pertaining to this year's theme, please let us know! There is no charge for a table (or half table) - but are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. All participants must register for the conference.