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Horatio Alger Society Convention
Franklin,Indiana
Thursday, June 11 to Sunday, June 14, 2026

Horatio Alger Society Executive Director and Convention Host Bob Sipes reports that plans for the forthcoming convention are progressing nicely. A highlight of most Alger conventions is the auction, and items are already being donated for it.

Patricia Young, the widow of H.A.S. Past President Art Young, has given some fine things from Art’s collection. They include several Alger books, a nicely framed photograph of Alger’s gravestone, a copy of the little-known Horatio Alger: A Century of Covers and Illustrations (Pavilion Press, 2004), and even two signed Horatio Alger, Jr. cards. One is signed “Truly your friend, Horatio Alger, Jr.” and the other is signed “Accept my best wishes, Horatio Alger, Jr. New York, March 26, 1883.”

I also sent to Bob, from my own collection, the signed and numbered early copy of Ralph Gardner’s Horatio Alger; or, The American Hero Era, as described in the November-December 2025  Newsboy. The book is inscribed to Horatio Alger Society charter member Leslie G. Langlois (PF-093).

H.A.S. members have already asked me about contributing to the auction. Contact Bob Sipes at bob.sipes@dxc.com if you would like to donate anything. His address is 1004 School St., Shelbyville, Indiana 46176.

The convention headquarters will be at the local Hampton Inn and Suite. Click here for the hotel registration link. Its address is 361 Paris Drive, Franklin, IN 46131.

As noted in the January-February Newsboy, downtown Franklin boasts a charming array of well-preserved historic homes and brick streets. Among its notable landmarks are the stunning Johnson County Courthouse and the Artcraft Theatre. Just to the west of the theatre sits the beautifully renovated former City Hall, a Colonial Revival building that was originally constructed in 1936 as a post office.

In the 1980s, a group of residents formed Franklin Heritage Inc. to safeguard and revive the town’s historic properties for modern use. Today, they own the Artcraft Theatre, transforming it into a vibrant community hub for film, art, and special events. The City Hall also houses the Festival Country Indiana Visitor Center, featuring interactive exhibits that celebrate the rich history of Johnson County’s communities.

Franklin’s Johnson County Museum of History is operated by the Johnson County Historical Society. Exhibits highlight Native Americans, early pioneer settlers, Victorian life, Indiana infantry in the  Civil War, memorabilia from the Spanish-American War and other U.S. conflicts, and the 1950s (featuring a replica diner scene, a 1953 Chrysler Imperial, and a 1950s popcorn machine).

Franklin is also home to Franklin College, founded in 1834. It holds the distinction of being the first four-year liberal arts college in the state to welcome women.

The December 2, 1940, issue of Life magazine featured a photo essay on Franklin by Bernard Hoffman titled, “A Small Town’s Saturday Night.” This collection captured the essence of Franklin through the experiences of farmers Glen and Norris Dunn and their family during an ordinary Saturday night. The photos capture Mr. Dunn getting a haircut, the children enjoying a film at the Artcraft, and folks hanging out at the drugstore. There’s also a glimpse of other local favorites, like Nick’s Candy Kitchen.

As late-20th century critic James Guimond observed in his American Photography and the American Dream (1991), this piece offers a glimpse into the vibrancy of small-town life. He said: “What Life’s readers wanted, it seemed, was a stereotyped village that confirmed their nostalgic beliefs about small towns in which no one is bored, poor, or lonely; and the magazine’s photographers and editors—like Norman Rockwell in his Saturday Evening Post covers—gave them exactly that kind of town.”

The convention registration form is available here. I look forward to seeing you in Franklin, Indiana, this June!  —Jack Bales (PF-258)