News Letter Page 4

Newsletter of the Society for the History of Discoveries
Page 4	May 2003

From the Secretary-Treasurer (continued)
Netherlands. The announced dates happen to coincide with the Jewish high holidays. Other dates are being considered, so stay tuned, and check with sochistdisc.org for new information. Fortunately, we have ample time to make final arrangements for that conference.
     Finally, I wish to apologize to the membership for sending out a blanket e-mail request for dues to everyone, rather than just to those who had not yet renewed. This was done to save money on postage, and I had hoped that the disclaimer at the top of the message, telling those who had already paid to disregard it would be heeded. Alas, it was not. My request evidently created a lot of angst, and I will not do that again. Sorry!!
     I am looking forward to a great meeting in New Orleans, where I expect a large turn-out. It will be good to see old friends again, and I hope to meet young scholars who will use our venue to present their research.
Sanford H. Bederman

SHD 2003 Meeting Theme (continued)
In keeping with the meeting theme, our co-sponsoring organization is the Historic New Orleans Collection. The Prince Conti Hotel and its adjoining 1829 Townhouse will be our meeting site. They are located within easy walking distance of -- less than two blocks from -- the Historic New Orleans Collection in the fabled French Quarter. All papers will be presented at the 1829 Townhouse, but there will be a tour of, and reception at, the Historic New Orleans Collection. The reception and tour of the Historic New Orleans Collection will be one of the conference highlights, as will the Sunday field trip to historic sites in New Orleans. Alfred Lemmon of Historic New Orleans Collection is our local arrangements chair.
     Those wishing to present a paper should respond to the call for papers on the SHD website (http://www. sochistdisc.org). Mark your calendars now, and plan to attend what promises to be an informative and enjoyable SHD meeting. For additional information, contact Richard Francaviglia, Center for Greater Southwestern Studies and the history of Cartography, Box 19497 – Central Library, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019. [Phone (817) 272-3997; FAX (817) 5797;
e-mail: francaviglia@uta.edu.
Richard Francaviglia

Election of Officers, 2003 (continued)
The Council in 2003-2004 will be comprised of Richard Francaviglia (president), Ralph Ehrenberg (vice president) Sanford Bederman (secretary-treasurer), Karen Cook (2004) John Docktor (2004), Donald McGuirk (2004), Susan Danforth (2005), Louis De Vorsey (2005), H.G. Jones (2005), David Buisseret (ex-officio) and Thomas Sander (ex-officio).

Figure 2 – Robert Highbarger admiring map while on post-meeting field trip in northern Mexico

Mercator’s World
     With the March/April issue (volume 8, number 2, 2003), Mercator’s World ceased publication. The magazine’s demise is a terrible blow to its more than 13,000 subscribers. Not only did the magazine provide unusually interesting articles about maps and geographical discovery, it was a major outlet where SHD members published their research. Furthermore, of the fourteen persons who served on the Editorial Advisory Board, nine were members of SHD.
     When Managing Editor Gary Turley died of pancreatic cancer at age 50 on February 11, 2003, an enormous following mourned along with his wife, Kim, and his daughter Katherine. He was the glue that bound the editorial staff of Mercator’s World together, and his loss evidently was too difficult for the publisher to overcome.
     Writing for the Washington Map Society, Tom Sander wrote Kim Turley that “Gary’s enthusiasm and dedication to his work was felt by us all, and we will feel his loss.” Sanford Bederman, writing for SHD, expressed to Mrs.Turley that “Gary was one of our most important ambassadors of the history of cartography, geography, and geographical exploration. In fact, he and his magazine were in the vanguard of making our discipline relevant, exciting, and even fun.”
     Let us hope that someone in the future will take the reins of this important magazine, and start publishing anew.

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