I talked a bit about these issues with you in Atlanta, Mark, but for
     the benefit of others...
 
     I've been to every SHA meeting since the '76 conference in
     Philadephia, helped organize the Kansas City meeting in 1993, and
     served on the SHA Conference Committee for about five years.  A list
     of successful actions and problems areas does not exist, as such, but
     there is a rather lengthy Conference Manual that is designed to
     provide guidance to each new organizing committee (remember that SHA
     meetings have always been put together by local volunteers, rather
     than a professional staff, and they get only a little enhanced
     visibility, maybe some satisfaction when things go right, and
     certainly headaches when things go wrong or simply disappoint the
     masses).  The manual states what must be done and what can't be done,
     but leaves wide latitude for committees to innovate between those
     extremes.  Further, there is a geat deal of institutional memory
     among former organizers who remain on the SHA Conference Committee,
     and that is passed along informally to planners.
 
     One thing that must be understood is that advance planning requires
     setting a venue and selecting a hotel at least three years in advance.
     I know that many were disappointed with the outskirts location of the
     Crown Plaza, but I am told that all the suitable downtown were booked
     with major conventions even earlier.  Since delaying the conference
     into the academic calendar was not an option, the Crown Plaza (which
     was otherwise an ideal setting) was chosen.  The overflow situation
     was indeed unfortunate, but that is going to be a recurrent problem as
     membership and attendance continues to increase (bear in mind that the
     Atlanta meeting, with over 1,000 registrants, outdrew the average SHA
     meeting by nearly forty percent).
 
     Indeed, many of the good things noted about the meeting may not have
     been possible to obtain at another hotel.  In 1993, for example, coffee
     service was something like $30/gal (keg beer for receptions was $250
     each!), making day-long coffee prohibitive without a substantial
     registration fee increase.  Sandwich service is not always an option.
     I'm glad to see, though, that some conference goers are no longer
     shocked by hotel beer prices.  I can remember when $2.50 was considered
     an outrage, and it wasn't that long ago, either.
 
     As for paper scheduling, there seems no way to satisfy everyone.
     Those scheduled late in the afternoons have it no better than the
     early risers, as the session rooms empty and the bar fills up.  Nobody
     liked Sunday morning sessions, so those are now less common.  Mind
     you, papers started at 8am and often went till 5pm even with 10
     concurrent sessions in Atlanta.  Five years ago we had only six
     concurrent sessions in KC following a Wednesday evening plenary, and
     some considered that too much at once.
 
     The SHA is getting big, make no mistake about it, and it's going to be
     harder as each year passes to keep things confined and low cost.  To
     my horror, I actually heard people at the Washington meeting
     complaining about the $79/night room rate, not having any idea that
     the going rate for government travellers in D.C. was over $120 at the
     time.  The days of $30 rooms in Williamsburgh are long passed, I'm
     afraid, and much else with them.  We can only hope to select the best
     all-round venue among few proposals in consideration of such factors
     as meeting space, room rate, amenities, etc.  The rest is totally
     within the control of the hotel industry.
 
     Mark's impressions are well worth considering, of course, and at one
     time that kind of feedback was actively solicited by organizers via
     surveys in the registration packets.  Mike Polk has already made a
     response, and I am sure that Tim Riordan, SHA's Conference
     Coordinator, would welcome any comments about this recent meeting or
     past SHA gatherings.  By the way, he is always looking for volunteers
     for future meetings.  His e-mail adress is <[log in to unmask]>.
 
     As one who rarely got out of the Crown Plaza, because of business
     obliigations, I was glad that it was such a comfortable and attentive
     facility.  Pat Garrow and all the rest involved are to be commended
     for a fine job of organizing.  It's hard to compare it with the KC
     conference, but I'd have to say from my perspective that 1998 was so
     much better than 1993.  And I'm sure Pat will be saying the same about
     future meetings--when he can sit back, enjoy a cold one, or listen to
     a paper, and not have to worry about a damn thing.
 
 
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