Fundamentals of Spanish Grammar (Bushee)....Samuel M. Waxman The Neo-Classic Movement in Spain (Pellissier). .C. G. Allen Resolution by International High Commission. Reviews: Three Spanish American Novels......Chas. A. Turrell 259 HISPANIA ORGANIZATION NUMBER NOVEMBER, 1917 ON THE THRESHOLD On Friday evening of Thanksgiving week, 1915, at the call of the writer, there gathered in a small dining room in a hotel in New York City a group of men bent on establishing an Association of teachers of Spanish. Dr. H. E. Bard, now secretary of the PanAmerican Association, presided at the meeting. A letter of encouragement was read from Professor Ramón Menéndez Pidal of Madrid. Speeches were made by several of those present, and a committee was appointed with power to draw up a constitution. That committee met at once and agreed upon the points to be incorporated. For some reason still unexplained, the chairman of the committee failed to call a second meeting, though many of those whom the committee represented were very desirous that the organization planned should be definitely established. This was a matter of great disappointment to all. Two years passed. Again the clans were assembled. This was at a Saturday luncheon, October 21, 1916. This time the institutions represented were chiefly the local high schools and the College of the City of New York. Thirty-one were present, ten of whom were women. This time, lest plans should again come to naught, a constitution was prepared in advance and after considerable discussion and some changes it was adopted. Mr. L. A. Wilkins was chosen president, Dr. Alfred Coester of Commercial High School, Vice-President, Miss Herlinda G. Smithers of Bay Ridge High School, Secretary-Treasurer, and Mr. M. A. Luria, * Corresponding Secretary. The society was called the Association of Teachers of Spanish. Enthusiasm and earnestness were mani His. I fest at this meeting in an unusual degree. That the Association was at least established brought us all much joy. For the November meeting Dr. E. L. Stevenson, Acting Director of The Hispanic Society of America, after consultation with Mr. Archer M. Huntington, the president of that society, offered us the use of the hall in the museum of that institution. Professor Federico de Onis of Columbia University was the speaker. Interest in the meeting was very great and the attendance was large. The next meeting, that of January, 1917, was held in the same building. Dr. Peter H. Goldsmith, Director of the Pan-American Division of the American Association for International Conciliation spoke, in Spanish, upon his trip through South America where he went to present, in the name of the Association for Conciliation, a library of North American books to the Museo Social Argentino of Buenos Aires. His address was remarkably well prepared and exceptionally interesting. At the close of the program of the day Mr. Huntington, quite unexpectedly to us, appeared, accompanied by His Excellency the Spanish Ambassador to Washington, Sr. Juan Riaño y Gayangos. Sr. Riaño consented to speak to the Association and in his very charming manner offered us assurances of his sympathetic co-operation. He also accepted Honorary Membership in the Association. Meanwhile as the year had progressed many outside of New York had manifested unusual interest in what our local society was doing. The suggestion came from several quarters, especially from California and the Middle West, that this local Association be made the nucleus of a National Association. To form such an organization seemed a rather stupendous undertaking, but on the basis of the good old saying that El que no se atreve no pasa el mar, we decided to make the venture. After considerable correspondence with Professor Espinosa the writer sent out on April 4 a circular letter to about 150 teachers in different parts of the country, suggesting a National Association and making a tentative slate of committees to work toward the founding of such a society. The replies were astonishingly prompt, enthusiastic and confirmatory. of the proposed plan. Hence at the meeting of April 14 the first steps were taken to form the Association. A temporary organization as a national society was effected. The appointment of committees |