Spring Issue 2006

Society of Toxicology History and Historians: a New Beginning

Ernest Hodgson, SOT Historian/Archivist, March 2006

As we approached our 45^th anniversary, SOT had reached a size, complexity, and importance as a scientific society probably never dreamed of by our founding members. Although previous society historians had prepared annual reports as well as some special reports at certain milestone anniversaries, the number of members available for first-hand information or as a source of early documentation was inevitably shrinking. For both of these reasons, it seemed to be a good time to re-examine not only the role of the SOT historian, but also how the Society would preserve its history for future members. As a newly appointed historian, it was soon apparent to me that the Historian should be a Historian/Archivist and that the Society should have properly planned and maintained archives. Thus, as time went by, anyone seeking detailed information concerning any aspect of the history of SOT, or indeed of the recent history of toxicology, should have an accurate source of information.

Interactions with Council, discussions with archivists, and interactions with SOT staff led to Council approval for the establishment of such an archive. The characteristics of the archive will be as follows: it will be, as far as is possible, electronic; it will be well protected against computer failure; it will be maintained as a separate entity, although in large part will function through links to other files; it will be readily accessible. Further, to facilitate efficient organization each “entry year” will start and finish on the same date as the change in officers.

The archive should contain at least the following:

• The membership rosters for every year
• List of officers
• Council minutes
• Annual Meeting Program and numbers attending
• Reports of Current Concepts in Toxicology workshops
• Communiqués and earlier newsletters
• List of awardees with award citations
• List of honorary members, with award citations
• List and reference information of award winning papers
• Committee rosters and committee reports
• Reports of Regional Chapters
• Reports of Specialty Sections
• Position statements
• List of supporting affiliates
• List of associated societies, with liaisons
• Special lists for unusual items, such as SOT member-recognized organizations, other than SOT, including other societies, national or international bodies, etc.

In addition to maintaining the archives, the role of the Historian/Archivist would then be to write or solicit occasional articles of topical interest, such as five year anniversary articles emphasizing growth and change and biographical sketches of founders, honorary members, etc. The Historian/Archivist could also function as member of committees planning anniversary celebrations and other events of a historical nature.

The current goal is to have the archive functional before the 50^th anniversary of the Society in 2011. To achieve that goal much help will be needed from members to locate earlier material, and calls for help in locating specific materials will be going out from time to time. Anyone with suggestions as to additional topics that should be archived or with material that they believe should be archived (particularly early hard copy material that will not be found in computer databases) should contact Clarissa Wilson at SOT Headquarters.

Many thanks to Gary Carlson, the 2005-2006 Council Liaison to the Historian/Archivist.