BETHEL – The Bethel Historical Society held its 42nd annual meeting on Sept. 13 in the meeting room of the Dr. Moses Mason House.

President Al Cressy noted that the record of the 2006 annual meeting and the 2004 financial report had appeared during the past year in the society’s quarterly, “The Courier.”

He called for a moment of silence to honor all those society members who had died since the last annual meeting.

They included Frances Lane Dunn, Ethel Mann, Elizabeth Lord, Lillian A. Rose, John K. Brown, Edward J. Tremblay, John W. Howe, Persis Post, Gayland Dooen, Jean Mills Hutchins, Ruth Kittredge, Richard Durnin and William Cousins.

Cressy reviewed some of the highlights since the last annual meeting, including receiving more than 90 gifts of artifacts, the gain of 53 new members, success of two course offerings on antiques and collectibles and genealogy and the opening of four new exhibits (Androscoggin River, White Mountain souvenirs, the Huntoon Indian collection and Maine minerals).

He reported participation in a museum assessment program governance self-study, the undertaking a capital and endowment campaign feasibility and planning study, the painting of the Dr. Moses Mason House and the upgrading of the alarm system at the Mason House.

Proposed amendments and revisions to the bylaws were approved unanimously as were changes in the dues structure to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2008.

Collections Curator Randall H. Bennett presented the 2007 Marjorie MacArthur Noll Volunteer Service Award to longtime volunteer Adaline Clough, who has spent countless hours through the years assisting researchers in the research library and gathering data from area cemeteries.

Six members with long service to the society were also given honorary memberships, the society’s highest membership honor.

Those cited were Francis and Mary Lou Berry for assembling and folding the Courier; Musa Brown for being a loyal volunteer working on mailings and in the museum shop; John B. Head, for his service as a trustee, chairman of the Investment and Annual

Fund committees and his work on the Capital Campaign Planning Committee.

Also, Virginia Walker for her service in the museum shop, Program Committee and piano playing at various society functions through the years and Jane Young for her service on the Program Committee and in assembling and folding the Courier.

Chairman Dean Walker reported for the Nominating Committee, which also included Arlene Lowell and June Abbott, the following slate of officers: president, Allen Cressy; vice president, Susan Herlihy; secretary and clerk of the trustees, William Andrews; treasurer, Walter Hatch; trustees for three years, Tineke Ouwinga and Kathy Kunkle.

The slate was approved unanimously by the membership.

Cressy thanked retiring trustees John Head and June Abbott as well as retiring secretary, Sarah Tucker, for their service on the board.

Dean Walker and Arlene Lowell were elected as members of the 2008 Nominating Committee, representing the general membership.

There were no other committee reports and the 2007 annual meeting was adjourned.

A potluck dinner preceded the meeting.