AGB History final highres - March/April 2021 - ABG20

formally and professionally with other educational organizations.
The correspondence reflecting the
details is not available. But the following
excerpt reveals a great deal. The chairman
was giving his annual report at the end of
his year of office:

attendees was Dr. Jose M. Gallardo, Commissioner of Education and trustee of the
University of Puerto Rico. In retrospect, it
is interesting to read about Dr. Gallardo's
urgent invitation to the members of AGB
to hold a meeting in San Juan. The (verbatim) minutes record the exchange with the
chairman, indicating that San Juan was easily available by steamship from New York,
making it possible to complete the round
trip within a week, allowing time for the
meeting. It was also recorded that air service
from Miami had been established, requiring
only a few hours for the flight. The invitation was regretfully declined.
What with the Depression and the
oncoming world conflict, these were indeed
troubled times. From the Proceedings during
these years, however, one gets only a passing
glimpse of the great economic pressures
felt throughout the world. It is not that the
regents were unaware or unconcerned. It
was rather the continued focus on immediate problems of the institutions, as might be
further understood from another reference
in the Proceedings of 1939. Apparently it
was already being advanced in some quarters that AGB should shift from its almost
totally volunteer status, and align itself more

I have been unable to reach the objectives I set up for myself at year ago. I had
hoped for, for one thing, that we might
make a substantial increase in our membership during my administration. I have
two fairly good excuses for my failure to
accomplish much to which I can point
with pride as I retire from the office of
President. The first is, it is difficult for a
business man, with a considerable number of other irons in the fire, to find time
for everything he undertakes to do. The
other is that it is difficult to do effective
work entirely by correspondence with
one's fellow officers and with members
of the directory board located in widely
separated areas of the United States.
Probably the most important question
of policy that has risen during the past
year is the one outlined in Secretary
Springer's call of this meeting. I have reference to the suggestion that a committee be appointed to study the advisability
of this association becoming affiliated
with eight other educational groups in
establishing a secretariat in Chicago and
thus reap a benefit from a closer relationship with those other groups. I believe
one of the most important advantages
claimed for the relationship was a more
favorable position with the Federal Government through the National Conference on Education. I do not now know
nor has it ever been disclosed to me who
or what are the other eight groups. I
wrote Mr. Springer. that the idea of joining in holy wedlock with a bride whose
name I did not know had no appeal to
me, and that I could see no advantage to
our Association in a close tie-up with the
Federal Government.

20 AGB: A CENTENNIAL HISTORY | March 2021

Therecord does not show, nor is correspondence now available, to reveal the
kind of proposal mentioned by the speaker.
Subsequent events make clear, however, that
the mood of these 1939 remarks reflected
the prevailing sentiment of the members.
Two decades later the same mood prevailed
among many of the regulars:
As a matter of fact, the thing I have liked
most about this Association is that we
have no lofty ideal or objectives except to
benefit by our contacts with each other
and fit ourselves to give better service to
the respective states we serve. The Boards
we represent are not bound by any action
of this Association...
Another subject (and, in my judgment, a far more important subject)
mentioned in Mr. Springer's call, was
the one having to do with " Federal Aid "
so capably discussed in the address of
President Mills at our 1938 meeting
in his state of Colorado. Mr. Springer
has asked boards of control holding
membership in this association to give
thoughtful consideration to the subject
of Mr. Mills' address and instruct their
representatives to this meeting if any
definite action is desired. (So early the
misgivings, so current the distress!) I

AGB History final highres - March/April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AGB History final highres - March/April 2021