Tire Knights of Colm11b11-s Historical Commission
475
It was thought that it would be most advantageous to those doing research in the field of Texas history to find both the Knights of Colum- bus archives and the Bishop FitzSimon Collection, as it has become known, located at one and the same location. H. Conroy Scoggins, past State Deputy and present Supreme Director, representing M. J. Babin, Jr., then State Deputy, was deputed to negotiate with the Brothers of Holy Cross with a view of obtaining the relinquishment of their rights to the archives. While the Brothers of Holy Cross, represented by Brother Edmund Hunt, C.S.C., were most anxious to carry out the terms of the contracts entered into with the Texas State Council, and to retain the archives at St. Edward's, they nevertheless consented to relinquish all claims in order that the archives could be assigned to the newly chartered Texas Catholic Historical Society, Inc. The right to transfer the archives of the Knights of Columbus Historical Commission became effective with the adoption of Resolution No. 9, at the Waco Convention, May I r-12, 1948, which reads "Whereas, it is recommended by the Texas Knights of Columbus Historical Commission that the archives of the Commission be assigned to the Texas Catholic Historical Society, Inc.; Therefore be it resolved, that the Texas State Council of the Knights of Columbus in convention assembled hereby assign to the Texas Catholic Historical Society, Inc., the documents comprising the archives of the Texas Knights of Columbus Historical Commission as reported by an inventory to be made by the Historiographer of said Commission." The archives were transferred to Amarillo where His Excellency Bishop FitzSimon provided special space in the new addition to Price College, conducted by the Christian Brothers. Facilities have been arranged by the Bishop of Amarillo so that persons doing research can find ready access to the archives. Perhaps a word about these archives might illustrate the scope of the work accomplished by the Knights of Columbus in Texas. Thousands of photostatic copies of original documents dealing with the history of the church principally have been obtained from many archives which include those of Texas, Mexico and Spain. Much material dealing with the more modern periods has also been accumulated, and a representative collection of Texana has also been purchased. By means of newspaper collections. and newspaper clippings much material dealing with the events and affairs today is being gathered for the benefit of future his- torians. The Permanent News Committee in recent years, especially through the efforts of C. W. Crabbe and Adam Clay, is supplying much
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