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   Rev. Michael Allen Shine was born May 19, 1869, in Kinsale County Cork Ireland. He early came to America, however, and received his education in the public schools of Massachusetts, St. Charles College of Ellicott City, Md., and St. Mary's University of Baltimore, Md. On December 19, 1896, he was ordained priest by His Eminence James, Cardinal Gibbons, in the cathedral at Baltimore. His first charge was at Red Cloud, Nebr., with Riverton, Guide Rock and Superior as missions. Harvard, Nebr., was his next charge, with missions at Aurora and Nelson; then Sutton, with Fairfield as a mission, until July, 1903, when he was appointed Rector of the Cathedral at Lincoln. In August, 1908, he removed to his present parish at Plattsmouth, Nebr. Father Shine holds active membership in numerous societies, religious, educational and commercial. The major portion of his leisure moments has been devoted to researches into the early history of the Nebraska region, and he has contributed widely to literature in that field.

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EDITOR'S PREFACE

   A cloud of obscurity long hung over the history of the Nebraska region prior to the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804-06. We knew that the early French maps located with approximate accuracy the position of the Nebraska Indian tribes. We knew that occasional French trappers and fur traders ventured up the Missouri. After the publication of the sixth volume of Margry's memoirs in 1888, we knew something of the brief reports regarding the "Missouri Country" which these bold adventurers brought down the river to New Orleans nearly one hundred years before Lewis and Clark. But for the most part the record of Nebraska in the world's history was a blank prior to 1804.

   Father Shine has rendered a great service to this early and almost unknown period of Nebraska, history by bringing together in a brief article the important historical information we have regarding the Indians of Nebraska during the eighteenth century, citing sources so that each statement can readily be located and verified. Since Father Shines paper was given a year ago a most important additional document has been discovered at Seville, Spain, and published in French in the American Historical Review for January, 1914. This is the "Journal of Jean Baptiste Truteau on the Upper Missouri," from June 7, 1794, to March 26, 1795, by far the most valuable contribution yet discovered regarding actual conditions of the early fur trade in Nebraska a hundred and twenty years ago when this region was under the dominion of the king of Spain and adventurous French fur traders from St. Louis were endeavoring to establish permanent fur trading posts in the region of Nebraska and the Dakotas. Truteau's journal gives us the most definite and vivid first hand portrait of the great Omaha chief Blackbird found in any literature. Besides this it gives us an actual account written from day to day of life among the Nebraska Indians in that distant time. A translation of this document from the French, together with other early

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French documents relating to Nebraska, has been made by the editor of this series and will shortly appear in another pamphlet of the series.

   Meanwhile Father Shine's story of Nebraska Aborigines in the Eighteenth Century furnishes the best condensed account of early Nebraska Indians yet written, and is printed in pamphlet form as a valuable contribution to Nebraska history and an incentive to further study of early Nebraska sources by our people.

ADDISON E. SHELDON.

Nebraska History Seminar,
University of Nebraska.
October 12, 1914.

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DIRECTORS OF UNIVERSITY RESEARCH IN NEBRASKA HISTORY,
ETHNOLOGY, POLITICAL SCIENCE AND ECONOMICS.

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   In the years 1885-1891 Dr. George E. Howard, as professor of history in the University of Nebraska and secretary of the Nebraska State Historical Society, laid the foundations for systematic research in Nebraska history and exemplified his plans by publication of two important volumes of collections of the society.

   When Dr. Howard was called in 1891 to the chair of history at Leland Stanford University, California, the work in history was divided. Prof. Howard W. Caldwell became professor of American history and civics and secretary of the Nebraska Historical Society. Nine volumes of Nebraska historical publications followed under his editorship, between the years 1892 and 1907.

   In 1895 Professor Caldwell founded a seminar, consisting of graduate and advanced students in the University of Nebraska, for study, research and publication in the field of American history. From 1899 the work of this seminar was for some years largely directed to the study of problems in Nebraska history and government. Among its members at this time were C. E. Persinger, Leon E. Aylsworth and Addison E. Sheldon, all now members of the University history and political science faculties. Gradually the number and interest of advanced students so increased that two seminars were formed, one for the general field of American history, the other for special research in Nebraska history. Both of these are increasing in numbers and interest at the present time.

Growing out of this work in Nebraska history several publications have been made, among them these:

   Interest in Nebraska history as a field for profitable research and historical training increases each year. The present seminar in Nebraska history is conducted by Professor Caldwell and Director Sheldon of the Legislative Reference Bureau. The seminar meets each week. Investigations in the original documentary records of the state, in files of Nebraska newspapers, in personal letters and recollections are carried on by each student under the direction of the instructors. Reports on these investigations are read and criticized. In the course of one, two or three years a thesis is worked out by the student with a carefully edited list of sources of information. From time to time the most available of these theses are published as chapters of Nebraska history. A partial list of topics pursued in these researches at present and during the past two years follows:

   Upon the return of Dr. George E. Howard to the University of Nebraska and the establishment of the department of political science and sociology in 1906 courses were founded leading to original research work in living questions of the day.

   As an outgrowth of this work was established the Tuesday Evening Seminar under leadership of Dr. Howard and Professor Aylsworth. This seminar is composed of graduate students, many of them candidates for the M. A. or Ph. D. degree. Independent and original investigations are made in the whole field of political and social subjects.

   Nebraska topics are chosen so far as practicable. The experiences of other states and countries in government and social betterment are brought into comparison with those of our own. Men and women are thus trained in knowledge of Nebraska affairs and better fitted for their duties as citizens.

   The written results of this Nebraska research work are edited with care and published for the information of the general public. Into many of them go months of most careful investigation, comparison and criticism. When completed they become an author-

ity upon questions of fact in their field and the basis of intelligent action by the citizens and the legislature.

   Under the act of the Nebraska, legislature of 1911 the Nebraska Legislative Reference Bureau is affiliated with this department in courses of study, research and publication.

   Among the subjects of Nebraska research now under way or recently undertaken by this seminar are the following:

Under direction of Prof. J. E. Le Rossignol and Prof. G. O. Virtue a seminar on economics has been instituted in the department of political science and commerce. Below are some of the research subjects under investigation there, the work being largely done in the Nebraska field:

Agricultural Credit	R. A. Canady
Comparison of Producers' and Consumers' Prices of Agricultural Products	H. C. Filley
Division of Sources of Revenue for State and Local Purposes	M. S. Pate
Nebraska State Railway Commission	F. F. Laune
Assessment of Real Estate in Lancaster County	V. D. Smith

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