The 2022 Annual Meeting of the Ticknor Society was our first in-person annual meeting in three years and was also the 20th anniversary of the very first meeting of the Ticknor Society, which took place on May 22nd, 2002. The speaker at that first meeting was Nicholas Basbanes, and Mr. Basbanes joined us again this year with a talk fittingly titled “On the Highway of Letters: Forty Years Among the Gently Mad” because aside from a fellowship of book lovers, we all know Ticknorites are the definition of “gently mad”!
The business meeting began with a recap of events from our 2021-2022 season, delivered by our vice president, Dale Stinchcomb. Shannon Struble delivered the membership report noting that we currently have 114 active members, with another 118 who are lapsed, meaning that their membership was not renewed by February 1st. The number of active members is only 3 less than where we were at last year. Christopher Carter delivered his last treasurer’s report, as he stepped down from the position at this meeting. He was thanked by Shannon Struble and given a gift.
Elections followed, with Lorna Condon running for the newly opened treasurer position. There was no opposition and no nays, so Lorna Condon assumed the position of treasurer. Three board members stood for re-election as members-at-large. Christian Dupont, who joined the board in 2018, Drew Griffin, who has been a member-at-large since 2020, and Jean Maguire, who also joined the board in 2020, were all elected for another term.
One candidate was proposed for election as a new board member: Maida Tilchen, who won the Ticknor Collecting Prize in 2021. She was elected unanimously to the board. This concluded the business meeting, and Shannon Struble introduced the night’s guest speaker, Nicholas Basbanes.