Members & guests met at Hope Historical Home at 9:15 & car-pooled to the Ralph C. Pearse Dairy Farm. Joining with others who arrived on our own, about 50 people took William
Pearse's tour of one of their barns where they have been storing and displaying historic farm implements for some time. The historical tour was followed by a business meeting at the Hope Historical Home.

President Lois Hebb called the business meeting to order. Present were: Bob Appleby, Hope Chase, Faith Hart, Bill Jones, Dottie Kimball, Ann Leadbetter, Barbara Ludwig, Evelyn Ludwig, and Arthur Small.

Treasurer Faith Hart's Treasurer's Report was presented and accepted. Our bank balance fell from $8,625.82 to $7,044.35, largely as a result of $1,377.52 expended on heating oil. A member asked whether we had shopped around for the best price. Faith reported that we had.

The minutes of the May meeting were read and approved as read. It was pointed out that the Secretary had misreported the hours we are opening as a museum in press releases and flyers. On open Thursdays, hours are 10-12 AM; on open Sundays, 2-4 PM. The secretary should do what he can to correct this mistake.

Committee Reports and Announcements:

For the Building Committee, Obed Hart and his young men had almost finished staining. President Lois and Rick Bresnahan agreed that back of the building needs re-staining. Rick will donate the labor and the Society will buy the stain.
The committee thanks Barbara Carver for keeping the grounds mowed and Herb Hart for all his work on the memory garden.

Bob Appleby reported for the Website Committee that we were getting a lot more visits to hopehist.com now, possibly because Google has found us.

Old Business:

More volunteers were needed to man the historical museum on July 29th, August 16th, 19th & 30th. Hope Chase volunteered for the 16th & 30th; Bill & Judith Jones for July 29th.

New Business

With regard to hopehist.com, Bob Appleby is going to put our video of the Hope Fire Department anniversary celebration on the website. He would like to film the Society's historical records and to film a digital tour of the house for our website. It was reported that Gwen Brodis, who was not present, is worried about this. Some members worried whether we have permission to put this material on the web, also about whether thieves would see what we have on the web, making it more likely that they would break in and steal. It was pointed out that all the material in question is already public and that, therefore, no permission is needed. Faith will talk with Gwen about her concerns.

For the aural history collection, it was agreed that we should get permission from the people interviewed. It was also agreed that we should get help to set up the two computers we had received from the Town and from Ruth Pearse upstairs.

Next meeting will be a tour of the former Gould Hospital on Alford Lake Road, now the home of Doug, Sonia & Emma Theobalds, on August 21st at 7 PM. Carpooling arrangements will be announced. Emma will draw on her paper for her Hope Elementary School class; Bill Gould will explain how it was.
The September meeting will feature past president Edw. True drawing on the unpublished letters of his great aunt Elizabeth Spears to elucidate Hope at the centennial in 1904.

The meeting adjourned at 11:32.

Respectfully submitted,

Bill Jones, Acting Secretary

Bill Jones, Acting Secretary                                                                                                                                                   RETURN