The Fifty-First Meeting: Athens, Georgia

Southeastern Geographer Vol. XXXVII, No. 1, May 1997, pp. 99-100 THE FIFTY-FIRST MEETING: ATHENS, GEORGIA Truman A. Hartshorn Participation levels reached another high plateau for the 1 996 Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers, held November 24-26 in the Georgia Center for Continuing Education. Over 250 persons were listed on the program as participants. A record number ofpapers were submitted and accepted for the program and a record number ofsession chairs and discussants were recruited to oversee the 23 sessions. The 1 04 papers accepted for the program were assigned to one of four concurrent sessions scheduled over six two-hour time blocks spanning one and one-half days including the evening. Four of the sessions incorporated the 18 papers submitted and accepted for the Graduate Student Honors Competition. Together with the papers co-authored with faculty members, the total number of student participants is comparable to last year, comprising about one-third of all papers on the program. The papers presented reflect the diversity and depth of geography research in the country today. There were four physical geography sessions, eight human geography sessions, one regional session, one session on the environment, one GIS session, and one southern studies session. In addition, two panel sessions were organized to address current issues including the status ofwomen in geography and opportunities to integrate global studies in the undergraduate classroom. The World Geography Bowl Competition brought over 100 students from throughout the region to compete and has become an important aspect of the program. The Local Arrangements Committee under the leadership of James O. Wheeler organized five field trips, and meeting participants were invited to an Open House in the Department of Geography at the University of Georgia. The Opening Program featured an informative address by Anthropologist Charles H. Hudson, "The Social Transformation of the Native Southeast, 16th to 18th Centuries." A highlight ofthe program was the celebration ofthe 50th Anniversary ofthe Department of Geography at the University ofGeorgia at a special luncheon. The department was founded by Merle Prunty in 1946 (see photograph and brief history of department accompanying this summary that was included in the printed program). The keynote speaker at the anniversary luncheon was former student and faculty member in the department Dr. John Fraser Hart, lifetime Dr. Hartshorn is Professor of Geography at Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303. He was Vice President andProgram Chair ofthe Division. 100Southeastern Geographer member of the Division. Dr. Hart's illustrated (and humorous) address was entitled "The Geography of One Geographer." The annual business meeting, honors luncheon, several committee meetings and receptions, and displays provided by the various departments in the region featuring their graduate programs rounded out the busy program. Indeed, the Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers continues to take the lead among all groups affiliated with the national association in the size, quality, and participation level of its members at its annual meeting. Program Committee Truman A. Hartshorn (Georgia)David Arnold (Mississippi) Luoheng Han (Alabama)Keith Debbage (North Carolina) Tracy Newsome (Florida)Dan Wagner (South Carolina) Kevin Archer (Florida)Charles Kovacik (South Carolina) Sanford Bederman (Georgia)Joseph Nicholas (Virginia) Paul Knapp (Georgia)George Towers (West Virginia) Richard Sambrook (Kentucky)Devlin Fung (Tennessee) Southeastern Geographer Vol. XXXVlI, No. 1, May 1997, pp. 100-101 GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, 1946-1996 How far that little candle throws [its] beams! William Shakespeare, Hamlet With the appointment in March of 1946 of Dr. Merle Charles Prunty, Jr., as Professor of Geography and Geology, the foundation for the future of geography was secured at the University of Georgia. Merle Prunty made the first faculty appointments in 1947 and 1948, and by 1 949 the faculty numbered six. Following the establishment of an undergraduate degree , the M.A. was instituted in 1951 and the Ph.D. in 1961. The GeographyGeology building was opened in 1960, and Geology split off to form a separate ...