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With the annual eighteenth-century studies conference, ASECS, coming up in Philadelphia, mid-April, the following details should be especially helpful for members of the SEA and for our colleagues whose interests touch on matters early American. Last year the Society of Early Americanists became ASECS's early-Americanist affiliate when we merged with the smaller organization that had been a part of ASECS since 1990, the Society for Eighteenth-Century American Studies. Last fall the SEA appointed a three-member "committee of correspondence" to smooth this transition and to maintain a strong, healthy liaison with the larger community of scholars working in the long -- and wide -- eighteenth century:

(Prior to this merger, all three were officers of SECAS, and many of that group's members were also SEA members anyway.)

It is a pleasure to pass along the following announcements from this liaison committee. I do look forward to seeing you in Philadelphia, particularly at the social event that our society is co-sponsoring with the McNeil Center for Early American Studies. On that note,

SEA session, "Neoclassicism, American Style," 4:30-6:00 p.m. in the Shippen Room, Sheraton Society Hill

CASH BAR, co-hosted by SEA and the McNeil Center, 6:15-7:15 p.m. in the garden at the historic City Tavern, across from the Sheraton at 138 S. 2nd Street (in case of inclement weather: their Cognac Room)

At the reception we will recognize the recipient of SEA's first annual Essay Prize (please see below).

(2.) SECAS ARCHIVE will be going onto the SEA homepage URL: http://www.hnet.uci.edu/mclark/seapage.htm

We have inherited this project from the Organization Formerly Known as SECAS: a prize for the best paper delivered at the ASECS national meeting on an Americanist topic. Julia Stern chaired this first committee, which also included Dan Williams (English, University of Mississippi) and Karin Wulf (History, American University). The 2000-2001 committee will be circulating a separate announcement inviting anyone who is presenting a paper on an Americanist topic at the Philadelphia ASECS to submit the paper for consideration. Next year's committee members are Eric Slauter (English, Stanford University), Sheila Skemp (History, University of Mississippi), and Laura Kennelly, chair. Dr. Kennelly made the original suggestion that has led to this prize.

(4.) LOOKING AHEAD to our SEA session at _next_ year's ASECS Again this year, ASECS is circulating forms on which members can propose sessions for the following year's meeting. Our liaison committee will choose one topic to submit as the SEA session (this year's topic: "Neoclassicism, American Style"), so suggestions should reach the liaison committee's chair, Dennis Moore, dmoore@english.fsu.edu, before the end of April.

Christopher Looby, for exemplary service on this year's ASECS Program.comm _and_ for arranging the cash bar Julia Stern, for chairing first Essay Prize committee, and her colleagues Karin Wulf and Dan Williams.

  Members of the Committee of Correspondence, for handling liaison with ASECS: Julia Stern, Thomas Krise, and Dennis Moore, chair

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