From the President:

One of my predecessors started the tradition of introducing himself in the newsletter. I am glad to continue that tradition, even more since I am a foreigner amongst you. As a native Netherlander, I became involved in Dutch-American studies without realizing it. When I was an eleven-year old boy, the Swierenga family came to live in my native town of Katwijk, a resort town 10 miles north of The Hague. Robert Swierenga was at that time (1976) working on his immigrant lists. Our families became friends, but that was mainly at the parental level. Only when I approached the end of my studies at Leiden University two decades later, did I become involved in the subject matter. Leiden University offered an excellent program in American history, taught by Jan Willem Schulte Nordholt till 1983 (my entry at Leiden) and his successor Alfons Lammers. I was able to take every course that Lammers offered and do my M.A. thesis under his direction. My research investigated the influence of Dwight Moody and Ira Sankey — in combination with the Holiness preachers, Robert and Hannah Whitall Smith — on the Netherlands in the 1870s (Abraham Kuyper was really charmed by them). When I learned of the possibility of studying in the United States, I pursued it, and the most natural place was to enroll at Kent State University, where Robert P. Swierenga was teaching at that time. I loaded my program with U.S. history and completed another M.A. with a thesis comparing the life courses of two Seceded ministers in the 1860s-1890s, one of whom joined the RCA while the other chose the CRC. This research brought me to the archives of Hope and Calvin College, where I discovered the many historical treasures and the viable Dutch-American subculture.

I was very fortunate to be able to continue my work as a budding historian at the Roosevelt Study Center (RSC) a newly founded institute for American history in Middelburg, Zeeland. This institute started in 1986 to collect primary sources on twentieth-century America, Dutch-American relations, and the Roosevelts, making them available to European students of U.S. history. In the mid-1980s American Studies boomed in Europe and the need for these sources became evident. While working for the RSC, I simultaneously did my research for my Ph.D. at Leiden

University. I combined my interest in the Progressive Era, the history of journalism and of immigration to write a biography of Edward W. Bok (1863-1930). Bok was an immigrant who did not settle in the Dutch enclaves, but lived in Philadelphia, where he gained fame as the successful editor of the Ladies’ Home Journal, and later as a philanthropist. I finished my Ph.D. in 1995 and saw the thesis published in 2001 as The Model Man: A Life of Edward W. Bok (Rodopi, Amsterdam). Since 1997 I have been the assistant director of the RSC which has grown to employ eight researchers (half of them Ph.D. candidates).

Frequent research trips to the United States have enabled me to attend a few AADAS conferences and present papers. I started to do research on the area where my Center is located, the province of Zeeland, and organized an exhibit to celebrate the sesquicentennial of the founding of Zeeland, Michigan, and made a number of good friends on the west side of the Atlantic Ocean. While a fair number of Dutch scholars have done research on immigration to the United States in the past (Pieter Stokvis, Rob Kroes, the late Henk van Stekelenburg, Annemieke Galema, Lucas Ligtenberg), most of them are no longer active in this field.

(Continued on page 2)

Advance Notice We are pleased to note that Dordt College of Sioux Center, Iowa, has agreed to host the next biennial conference of AADAS at some date between late May and mid-June 2005 (exact dates are being determined). Renowned author and Dordt professor James Schaap has agreed to be a keynote speaker. Tentative conference themes will be the Dutch immigrants on the Plains— incorportating Dutch/Native American relationships, rural churches and families, and trans-Mississippi Dutch-American communities. Further topic suggestions are welcome at this point and can be sent to AADAS News at hermdevr@calvin.edu. Please mark your calendars now and plan to attend!

I feel fortunate to have reconnected with George Harinck of the Free University, who has discovered the importance of the Dutch-American connection for understanding aspects of Dutch history. Together we have organized a series of conferences in the years when AADAS does not meet to stimulate research in our country. These conferences emphasize the comparative aspect and have covered subjects such as the reciprocal influence of Dutch and American protestantism, the continuity and rebuttal of Dutch church splits, the Dutch presence in California, and the 350- year long relationship between Amsterdam and New York. All but one of the proceedings of these conferences have been published by the Free University Press of Amsterdam. You will find a call for papers inviting you to participate in our next conference in the fall of 2004, dealing with the smaller Dutch groups in the United States. Our purpose is similar to that of AADAS: to advance the Dutch-American exchange. Thanks to the rise of cross-cultural studies, our conferences have encountered a growing interest.

As to my own projects, I have researched on the transatlantic temperance movement, the Zeeland emigration, Dutch-American diplomacy, and immigrant letters. My future project is the influence of evangelicalism (starting with the Billy Graham campaigns) in post-World War Holland, while I also hope to launch two Ph.D. projects, one comparing Dutch and Flemish emigration, and another to cover the post-World War II emigration. Presently, my priority is to complete a Dutch-language overview of Dutch immigration to the United States 1840-1940. The most recent such overview was that of Jacob van Hinte 75 years ago. Though I have no plans to compete with him in volume (he produced 1200 pages), my aim is to incorporate the recent work and emphasize the transatlantic connections at work in the formation of the Dutch-American subculture. I was honored by the generosity of the Van Raalte Institute at Hope College, which enabled me a six-week grant to immerse myself in the sources, talk with various experts, and start writing. At the same time I thank my own institute (and my family!) for permission to go.

My plans for AADAS entail four priorities. First, to strengthen the visibility of the organization by publishing the proceedings, thereby putting the results of our common effort in many more hands. During my stay at Hope College, I found at least ten articles in the past six AADAS volumes that greatly helped my own research (check my footnotes when my book is ready!). By the time you read this, the publication date of the 2003 proceedings is close by. Second, I hope we can broaden the scope of AADAS to include more colleges as conference hosts. I am delighted that Dordt College agreed to host the 2005 meeting. It would be great if we could also reach out to the Canadian institutes with Dutch roots. Third, it is necessary to catch and keep the

interest of the younger generation of scholars. It was very reassuring to see three young scholars participate in the latest AADAS conference at Trinity in Chicago. In order to attract them, we have to be welcoming toward scholars from outside the Dutch subculture. We must also encourage high academic quality of presentations and provide opportunities for scholars to publish their work (which is in progress). Finally, it would help the advancement of AADAS to explore where we can more closely cooperate with related organizations, such as the American Association for Netherlandic Studies (AANS), the Dutch International Society (DIS), and perhaps others, by exchanging announcements and organizing joint events.

Let me close my introduction by thanking those of you who invest in the Dutch-American studies: all who are members of the organization and participants of the conferences, the institutes that support the activities, the editor of the newsletter, Herman De Vries, and the copy-editor of the newsletter, Lori Trethewey.

Het beste,
Hans Krabbendam
President

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Urgent Request from the Dutch Heritage Center Archives at Trinity Christian College

We request that the person who stole the book, Seventy-fifth Anniversary of the First Christian Reformed Church of Chicago, 1867-1942, from our display at the AADAS Conference on June 5-7, please return it to the Trinity College library. This was an expensive book, leather-bound in a red and gold cover. You may return it to the library desk with instructions that it belongs in the Dutch Heritage Center archives, and no questions will be asked.

The high quality of the presentations and the excellent attendence at the most recent AADAS conference in June '03 has encouraged us to stimulate the dissemination of the proceedings. Publishing the papers in book form promises to be the best means to advance Dutch-American studies, which is our main mission. Our treasurer has assured us that if we raise annual fees by only five dollars per year (an increase from $15 to $20) we can offer all members a quality book publication for no additional cost. Since we also want to encourage the next generation to get involved, we are offering students a special membership rate of $10 per year. The book (of 150 pages) will sell for approximately $15. Participants of the past AADAS conference who are not (yet) members will receive a $5 discount and can order the book for $10. If they join AADAS, they will receive the book for free.

The publication is in its final stage and will be sent to you in early 2004. We hope that you will be as proud of this product as we are.

Yours sincerely,

Hans Krabbendam
President, AADAS

AADAS News is published twice yearly. Members are encouraged to contact me with any items suitable for future newsletters. Such items might include, but are not limited to:

—Information for an occasional “Institutional Spotlight” rubric. Let others know about any pertinent updates or activity in a Dutch-American archival collection

—Brief curiosity pieces (something shorter than a conference presentation or what might appear in a publication such as Origins)

—Calls for papers or announcements of relevant conferences

Please also note the membership enrollment form included in this newsletter issue. Be sure to pass it along to a colleague or acquaintance whom you will encourage to join. Or perhaps consider paying someone’s initial membership as a gift! AADAS membership has grown in the past year, but more members are always welcome.

Finally, please note that back issues of AADAS News can be viewed online at:
http://www.hope.edu/jointarchives/aadas/index.html

Herman De Vries Jr., newsletter editor
Calvin College
hermdevr@calvin.edu

The conference opened on Thursday evening with a reception at the Jennie Huizenga Library. Conference host Don Sinnema offered a brief history of Trinity Christian College as part of the opening festivities. Sinnema sketched Trinity’s growth since the 1960s, including the dramatic increase of the last decade to the point where the campus’s maximum population of 1200 students is anticipated within a few years. Particularly strong at the college are its nursing, education and business professional programs.

In the conference’s opening lecture, Robert Swierenga spoke on the Dutch of Chicago. He noted that the Dutch immigration experience was more of a transplanting than an uprooting, with those from the province of Groningen settling on the city’s west side, moving westward with succeeding generations and those from the province of Friesland on the south side in the Roseland area. He discussed the diversity of the Dutch immigrants as well as the importance of religion within this immigrant community.

Hans Krabbendam reviewed the history of Dutch consular officers in the United States. He argued that the Dutch government tended to lag behind other Western European nations in establishing this service and the professionalization of the consular corps did not build until after WW II. He demonstrated the importance of commercial activities in building this service and the important role that citizens in Chicago and Grand Rapids played on behalf of the Dutch government prior to WWII.

Geoffrey Reynolds discussed the history of boat building and boat builders on the shores of Lake Macatawa (also known as Black Lake) near Holland, Michigan. He focused on the progression from flatboats in the 1850s to motor-powered pleasure craft in the late 20th century. Among the companies discussed were Chris Craft, Roamer, SlickCraft and S2. He concluded by noting the personal craftsmanship of the industry’s heritage is still very much active in the Holland, Michigan area.

Huug van den Dool discussed George David Birkhoff, a second generation Dutch-American born in Overisel, Michigan and mathematician of some note, who is little known within the Dutch immigrant community. With a 1907 Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Chicago, Birkhoff established himself with pioneering work on black holes and went on to study the application of mathematics to esthetics and later also to ethics.

The work of Leonard Verduin on the history of Anabaptists and Mennonites was the topics of Gerlof Homan’s presentation. Homan noted that as a minister in the Christian Reformed Church (CRC), Verduin spent much time on the two of CRC’s foundational documents the Cannons of Dordt and the Belgic Confession, both of which contain criticisms of the Anabaptist movement. Homan concluded that according to Verduin because of existing political conditions, leading reformers had been required to make accommodations to civil authority in these two documents, for the first time such accommodation was not necessary when the United States was formed.

James Evenhuis’s detailed the history of the Dutch in the Detroit area and the prominent place of first the Reformed Church in America and, later, the Christian Reformed Church in that community. He analysis of post-WWII church growth evidenced in this community showed the importance of a solidly trained Calvinistic core membership for both denomination in their churching planting efforts.

Although Robert Schoone-Jongen was unable to attend the conference, his paper was read on his behalf. The paper investigated the financing of land settlement by Dutch immigrants. With detailed evidence the paper linked the desire of Wall Street financiers, particularly William Rockefeller, to invest in western economic development via railroad construction as the engine of economic growth. This was accomplished by channeling money through British investors through on-site land agents.

David Zwart analyzed the Dutch immigrant settlement in the San Joaquin Valley. This settlement was a bit unusual for in the Dutch in the western experience in as much as it involved direct settlement by newly arrived immigrants, rather than immigrants resettling from within the United States. He noted the determination and hard work of the immigrants which allowed them to turning the hard, dry land with often low fertility level into productive piece of agricultural land.

The second session of the afternoon began with Janet Sheeres’ discussion the Dutch Education law of 1806, which is part of her research on the life of Rev. Douwe J. Van der Werp. She demonstrated that this law, passed following the Napoleonic occupation, gave the government increased control over education and also prohibited the teaching of religion in Dutch schools. This became a point of contention for all those not of the State Reformed Church, including those in the secession of 1834. As a result, the religious freedom cited by many of the immigrant for leaving was in effect largely educational freedom.

The various efforts by the Dutch Government to keep the Netherlands in the fore of United States popular opinion was the topic of David Synder’s presentation. He noted that the Dutch government felt this was most important during WWII and the immediate post wars years because of the deprivation caused by the war. The resulting Netherlands Information Service found very fertile soil in Holland Michigan due to the offices of Willard Wichers. The archives of this program, available at the Holland Museum, offers great and diverse research potential.

Friday evening panelists Kathleen DeHaan, Hans Krabbendam, Janet Sheers and Lisa Zylstra discussed Suzanne Sinke’s book, Dutch Immigrant Women in the United States, 1880-1920. The questions, comments and answers emphasized the effective use of personal data in conveying the stories of these women for both family members and academicians. Among the points raised with changing gender roles among immigrants and that the next step of research will be how the Dutch women’s experience compares to that of other immigrant groups.

Joel Beeke presented the history of the True Dutch Reformed Church in South Holland, IL. The congregation founded in 1847 is still active, although its pulpit has been vacant since 1904. Beeke detailed some of the leaders and ministers in the congregation, detailed its theological heritage, and described how for the last century the congregation has survived without its own minister.

Paul Petraitis discussed the pre-Civil War presence of the Dutch in the Roseland area of Chicago. He noted the reasons the Dutch were attracted to the Calumet River watershed and the crucial role of people in the Roseland area in the anti-slavery movement and the Underground Railroad. He also detailed the unique photographic resource of the Roseland area and the Dutch flight from the area in the 1960s.

Significant research on Dutch truck farming patterns of the south Chicagoland Dutch was David Zandstra’s topic. He described the reason for settlement, the symbiotic relationship between the truck farmers and the leading Midwest entrepôt. Manure was obtained from the stock yards, packing plants and rail yards, while produce was sold in the city’s markets. The arrangement required hard labor from the entire family, adapting production with changing consumer tastes, and for the those who took the produce to market to be in the city but not of it.

The conference concluded with panelists Richard Harms, Martin Essenburg, Melvin Holli, and James LaGrand discussing Robert Swierenga’s Dutch Chicago. The discussion noted the level of detail brought insight into the community’s dynamics and that the book added significantly to the ethnic history of Chicago. There were also comments about the importance of clanships within the community as well as some brief comments on white flight, which the community itself saw not as leaving of the city, but rather a moving within the metropolitan area.

The conference concluded with a tour of the Roseland and Pullman neighborhoods of Chicago.

Summarized by Richard H. Harms, Secretary

On September 29-30, 2004, the Free University of Amsterdam will organize a symposium entitled: Morsels in the Melting Pot: The Persistence of Isolated Dutch Communities in North America, 1800-2000. The organizing committee invites proposals fitting the following description:

Historians have paid considerable attention to the Dutch presence in North America. In the body of literature that has been formed on the crucial role of religion in the formation of a Dutch-American subculture the smaller Dutch groups have predominantly been left aside. Most of the studies were devoted to the two major Protestant denominations, the Reformed Church in America (RCA) and the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA), and in some part to Roman Catholic and Jewish communities. However, outside of these networks other, much smaller, communities of a great variety existed which derived their identities from the Low Countries and tried to maintain these in the New World. These minor, sometimes marginal, groups can be categorized in five groups: (1) Utopian, (2) Pietist Reformed, (3) Strict-Calvinist, and (4) Free Church, while also (5) Roman Catholic and Jewish communities should receive their due. While the studies on the denominations of RCA and CRCNA are not the focus, interaction between these churches and more marginal groups are welcome. The goal of the conference is to determine the role of migration in the formation of religious identities.

An analysis of these small (mostly religious) communities which found themselves commonly in isolation from their co-patriots will provide usefull materials for comparison with other groups. The key question is to assess the points of comparison are the patterns of assimilation and modernization, the role of formal (institutional) and informal (personal) networks in maintaining a group identity, educational programs (for instance home schooling) and well-defined practices of raising children, intermarriage, connections with other Dutch Americans or alternative groups in America, development of language and connections between worldview and the preservation of the native tongue, the position of women in the group, connections with the Netherlands, expectations of the future (of America and of Holland), social and economic adaptation processes and their interaction with religious views, successes and failures in negotiating specific liberties with the civil authorities, subtleties in controlled change, the nature of (religious) leadership, the role of the local church in processes of assimilation and preservation of identity, and products of historical reflection.

Specific communities may include:

1. Utopian and Modernist communities (Frederik van Eeden/Hugenholtz)
2. Netherlands Reformed, Heritage Reformed, Protestant Reformed, Free Reformed, United Reformed
3. True Dutch Reformed (Hackensack), Canadian Reformed
4. Mennonites, Pentecostal churches, Vrij Evangelischen
5. Jewish and Roman Catholic communities (Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Flemish connections)

Paper presenters are expected to cover their own travel and hotel expenses. The conference is organized by Peter Ester, George Harinck, Hans Krabbendam, Fred van Lieburg, and Peter Versteeg. The organizers again envision a publication. To be acceptable for publication revised conference papers should be a maximum of 7,000 words (notes included), written according to the guidelines of The Chicago Manual of Style and submitted as a Word for Windows document.

Perspectives from a variety of disciplines, including history, social sciences, religious studies, and literature, are welcome. Those interested in submitting a proposal (1 page) for a presentation (20 minutes) and a cv are invited to write before March 1, 2004, to:

Dr. Hans Krabbendam, Roosevelt Study Center, PO Box 6001, 4330 LA Middelburg, the Netherlands tel. 31 (0)118-631590, fax 31 (0)118-631593, email jl.krabbendam@zeeland.nl, www.roosevelt.nl.

Organizing institutions:

• Historical Documentation Center for Dutch Protestantism (1800-present), (HDC), Vrije Universiteit (Free University), Amsterdam
• Roosevelt Study Center (RSC), Middelburg
• Centre for Dutch Religious History (ReLiC), Vrije Universiteit
• Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Vrije Universiteit
• Sociology Department of Tilburg University