Volume 14, No. 1
November 2001
New SHOT International Scholar
In Search of the First Personal Computer
What Mercurians are Reading and Writing
That's As High As It Will Ever Get: Getting Into Orbit
The Campaign for SHOT
The Society for the History of Technology (SHOT) has launched an adventure of sorts. Like any adventure, it has some risks, but success also promises to open horizons.
SHOT’s journal, Technology & Culture, has been key to the field’s growth in size and stature. And, as you probably know, SHOT has been extraordinarily fortunate in having had three outstanding editors whose home institutions have helped to support their work on the journal. You also know that scholarly institutions, whether universities or museums, are under increasing financial pressures. Figuring that it will be hard enough, when necessary, to locate an editor of the calibre of Melvin Kranzberg, Robert C. Post, or John M. Staudenmaier, S.J., SHOT has recognized the importance of endowing the editorship. That way the choice of editor can focus on continuing Technology & Culture’s editorial quality.
Timing is everything. The National Endowment for the Humanities now has a program to help organizations build such endowments for their journals. SHOT must raise two-thirds of the required amount in a timely fashion in order to receive NEH matching funds for the other third. This could be a good deal.
If you think that the next step is to ask you to dig, you’re almost right. SHOT members will be receiving a brochure with more details calling for pledges, and information will soon be on SHOT’s website <www.historyoftechnology.org>. You could end this year well, and start off the campaign at the same time. Checks should be made payable to SHOT and sent to Richard Hirsh, SHOT’s Treasurer (3009 Stradford Lane, Blacksburg, VA 24060; rhirsh@vt.edu).
Keep in mind that foundations look for numbers of pledges from members, not just amounts. The possibilities are exciting. Also a little scary—like any good adventure.