A festive annual Jung Society meeting and dinner marked the completion of a successful program year. In addition to the business of electing the board for 1997-98, members of the Jung Society and the greater Jungian community were present for the dedication of the Kate Millard Memorial Library. Special guests included Jungian analysts Dr. Ladson Hinton with Mrs. Darlene Hinton, Louise Bode, Pat Warming, and Peter Elting.
Dr. Charles Chavkin, friend and executor of the Kate Millard estate, was present. He spoke of how important it is that the Kate Millard Collection be available and useful to the Seattle community interested in Jungian psychology.
The annual meeting was a special success because of the enormous time and energy spent preparing for it. I wish to extend special thanks to Darlene Hinton, chairperson of the Kate Millard Memorial Collection, who oversaw the selection of volumes for the Collection. Together, Darlene and Bunny Brown organized the Collection and also the silent auction and the used book sale. I am also grateful to Cass Clark, who oversaw hospitality for the event; Judith Capelli, who assisted with the organization of the library and with hospitality; Daisy Lu, Jung Society member and an accomplished harpist, who provided background music and entertainment for the evening; Karen Campbell, who designed and donated the invitations; and to Kent Devine, who barbecued the delicious salmon. In addition, I extend special thanks to our valued Jung Society members and the members of the Jungian Psychotherapists Association who were present to make this evening a memorable, enjoyable community event.
The Jung Society Board held its annual retreat on July 19, one of those rare sunny days in the Pacific Northwest. We are extremely fortunate for Peter Elting's fine program planning, and look forward to an exciting series of lectures and workshops for 1997-98. Having the program already planned freed the Board to focus on the library, membership, fundraising, publicity, and new ways to create dialogue around Jungian thought.
Several new volunteers were present at the board meeting, and they contributed refreshing new ideas. Ron Story attended as part of the bookmark publicity campaign. We welcome John Krausser to the Membership committee. John has begun to work very industriously toward some new ideas for membership dues, an orientation for new members, and renewal of lapsed memberships. We extend a very special thanks to Lynn Hillberg for her dedicated service during the last two years as Membership Chairperson. Judith Capelli has volunteered to oversee the activities of the Jung Society's library. We welcome Golda Posey and Pauline Erera as volunters on the Program Committee. Golda has already begun to actively implement program planning.
In response to the request for opportunity to meet socially with others to discuss Jung's work, the Board approved the inception of a book club, as a free benefit for Jung Society members. Karen Campbell will spearhead the Seattle group and Lucretia Devine will spearhead a Gig Harbor group.
The Jung Society began in 1972. It is now 25 years old. Over the years, I remember attending lectures at Kane Hall at the University of Washington, when there were as many as two hundred or more people in attendance. Jung Society, like all living organisms, has had many different seasons. In more recent years it has enjoyed similar large audiences, such as at the recent lectures by Robert Bosnak, Jean Shinoda Bolen, and the play Forever Jung. Other events have drawn smaller audiences. Recently, Jung Society member Dick Russell observed this difference and remarked to me that Jung Society attracts at least two different groups: a smaller group that is interested in an ongoing, in-depth study of Jung, and a larger audience that is interested in an occasional lecture that reflects newly published Jungian thought.
As President of the Jung Society I have always been and continue to be dedicated to a vital Jungian community here in the greater Seattle area, where people can learn about and delve deeper into the psychology of Jung through lectures and discussion with the most learned scholars of Jungian psychology.
I am extremely impressed with Program Chair Peter Elting's outstanding selection of speakers for this year's program. I am hopeful that these lectures and workshops, together with the basic Jungian series offered by the North Pacific Institute for Analytical Psychology and the newly forming Jung Society book clubs, fulfill the basic mission of the Jung Society: "to educate the public about Jungian psychology."
I look forward to seeing members old and new at our programs this year. It is always a pleasure to welcome new members to the Jung Society and to see past members return for our events. These two groups reflect the history of a vital Jungian community that continues to live and grow in our area.
--Lucretia Devine