----------------- HES POSTING ----------------- [The following letter is a response from Dan Hammond (President, HES) and John Davis (Past-President, HES) -- on behalf of the Society's executive committee -- to the HOPE 2001 letter circulated earlier on the list. -- RBE] July 27, 2001 Signers of HOPE conference letter (June 7, 2001) c/o Professor E. Roy Weintraub Department of Economics Duke University Box 90097 Durham, NC 27708-0097 Dear Colleagues: We want to thank you for your letter of June 7 apprising us of discussions at the annual HOPE conference and making suggestions of initiatives to enhance the future history of economics. We received the letter in the same spirit in which it was written, with an interest in invigorating and expanding opportunities in history of economics. The HES Executive Committee discussed the ideas in your letter over two luncheon meetings June 30 and July 1 at the Wake Forest HES conference. The first decision we made with regard to the letter was to distribute it to HES members at the business meeting. We did so, stating that our purpose was to inform them that we were using the letter as a basis for discussions within the committee and to stimulate reflection and discussion among HES members. We also asked Ross Emmett to distribute the letter over the HES e-mail list. Ross posted the letter on July 5. After consideration of matters raised in your letter the Executive Committee voted to form three committees, and to ask each to report back to us with proposals for consideration at our next meeting in January 2002. The three committees and their charges are as follows: Committee 1 Composition: Five persons, including individuals from HES Executive Committee, HES membership, HOPE conferees, and other interested parties. Charge: Bring proposals to enhance the field of history of economics to the HES Executive Committee for discussion at the January 2002 Executive Committee meeting Committee 2 Composition: HES President-elect, President, and two immediate Past-presidents Charge: Study the structure of the History of Economics Society annual meetings, and suggest changes that will enhance history of economics and the HES. Distribute report to the Executive Committee for discussion at the January 2002 meeting. Committee 3 Composition: Four members from the HES Executive Committee Charge: Develop proposals for joint activities between the History of Economics Society and the European Society for the History of Economic Thought. Distribute proposals to HES Executive Committee for discussion at the January 2002 meeting. We are now in the process of forming these committees. On behalf of the HES Executive Committee we want to thank you for initiating what we expect will be a period of growth and enrichment of history of economics. Sincerely, (original signed) J. Daniel Hammond President, History of Economics Society (original signed) John B. Davis Past-president, History of Economics Society ------------ FOOTER TO HES POSTING ------------ For information, send the message "info HES" to [log in to unmask]