A Letter from the President

A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT The academic year of 1965-66 marks the beginning of a project to develop a hardy annual into an equally vigorous perennial. Following the announcement made last year by John Hurt Fisher that the MLA wished to encourage regional groups to give form and continuity to their organizations, the ad hoc committee approved at the business meeting in Fort Collins, October, 1965, set about the selection of a regional secretary. The committee is pleased to announce that Professor Henry Pettit, of the University of Colorado, has been chosen. The University of Colorado has granted Professor Pettit released time and offers these facilities to RMMLA: editorial and secretarial assistance for Professor Pettit; office space, equipment and supplies; aid in publication of the RMMLA Bulletin and the promise of financial assistance should the organization decide to enlarge the Bulletin. The creation of a regional secretariat should be advantageous. As a center for the keeping of records, the collection of materials, the dissemination of information it will greatly ease the burden of the school which is host to the annual convention. Up to this time the RMMLA has led an essentially nomadic existence whose leadership changed every autumn and whose whereabouts it was often difficult to ascertain. Its regulations have been mostly a matter of oral tradition, and its aims have been assumed rather than stated. Such freedom has its charms, and there is no reason to suppose that the selection of a regional secretary and the establishment of a regional office will force the organization into incompatible courses. And the fact that the MLA has offered some financial assistance in establishing regional secretariats imposes no obligations upon regional groups. The MLA Executive Council has stated emphatically that the regional associations should be separate and independent entities. I believe, however, that it is safe to assume that both the MLA and the RMMLA consider their principal function to be the encouragement of sound scholarship and effective teaching in English and other modern languages. Whatever cooperation is conducive to these results is desirable. You are cordially invited to attend the RMMLA Convention October 14-15, at the University of Utah. At that time you will have an opportunity to meet the officers and executive council of MLA, who have accepted the invitation to hold their autumn meeting in conjunction with ours. Sincerely yours, Clarice Short President, RMMLA, 1966 Application for Membership in the RMMLA Last NameFirst NameInitial (Mr., Mrs., Miss, etc.) InstitutionDepartment StreetCityStateZip Code 1.Check enclosed_____________ ($4.00) 2.NOTE: Dues received are for membership year October, 1966, to October, 1967. 3.Mail check together with this form to Prof. Jim Fife, Department of English, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112. ...