SIDEBAR Fall 2021 - 17

MONTGOMERY B AR .O R G
recent photos and many dating back to the nineteenth century; menus, programs, song
sheets and invoices for banquets held before World War I and admission records, to
describe just a few of the items. All of what the Association has is now accessible to the
members.
Much of the archival material was produced during the quotidian affairs of the
Association to be used and discarded. Owing to good fortune or inertia, it survives to
this day to reveal things we might otherwise have not known or thought about. The
materials in the archive are the past and not a recreation of it, representing a physical
manifestation of our collective history. Are those who came before us a reflection of
who we are? In what way were the men and women who sought membership in the
Bar Association 60, 70 and 80 years ago unlike us? Has our profession changed so
much that the imprint of the past is no longer upon us? A cursory examination of
the material shows that those who came before us looked to the Bar Association for
the advancement of the profession as a positive force in the community and a guild
to instill professionalism and maintain the status of its members as leaders and role
models. Above all, the materials capture a pervasive sense of bonhomie and pride
coupled with responsibility.
Published county histories, going back many years, mention issues that affected
the Bar Association at various times in the past, such as the admission of women,
minorities, and, above all, non-resident practitioners. The streamlining of the court
rules of procedure and professional conduct was also a frequent topic of concern. More
mundane things were also debated such as the use of typewriters in the office of the
recorder of deeds or if our judges should be garbed in black silk robes. It is hoped that
with the availability of the archives, research can be undertaken to flush out and bring
clarity to these and other issues to afford us a better understanding of those who came
before us and who we are today.
It is tempting to imagine what a careful examination of the material will yield in
providing us with a fuller and more nuanced appreciation of the unique and peculiar
history of our Association.
The Historical Committee is charged with not only preserving and maintaining our
history but to adding to it. The committee intends to meet that obligation essentially
to expand our " historical perspective. " Moreover, the committee intends to update this
perspective in future issues of the SIDEBAR and to provide periodic glimpses of the
Association's illustrious and, at times, humorous past.
So, stay turned.
FALL 2021 17

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SIDEBAR Fall 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SIDEBAR Fall 2021