APPENDIX II. PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CENTRAL DIVISION OF THE MODERN LANGUAGE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, HELD AT NASHVILLE, Tennessee, December 27, 28 AND 29, 1899. THE CENTRAL DIVISION OF THE CIATION OF AMERICA. The fifth annual meeting of the CENTRAL DIVISION OF THE MODERN LANGUAGE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA was held at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, December 27, 28, and 29, 1899. FIRST SESSION, DECEMBER 27. On Wednesday evening, December 27, the first session was called to order in the University Hall of Vanderbilt University by the President of the Central Division, Professor C. Alphonso Smith, of the University of Louisiana. An address of welcome was delivered by Chancellor J. H. Kirkland, of Vanderbilt University. The President, in his response, spoke of the bereavement which the Association had sustained in the death of Professor W. M. Baskervill, of Vanderbilt University. He then gave the annual address, on the subject of "Interpretative Syntax." [Printed in Publications, XV, 97 f.] At the conclusion of the literary programme of the evening an informal reception was held in the University library. SECOND SESSION, DECEMBER 28. The meeting was convened at 9.30 a. m., in the Dialectic Society Hall, with President C. Alphonso Smith in the chair. In the absence of the Secretary, who had left for New York, that morning, to confer with the officers of the Modern Language Association of America previous to his sailing for Europe, Professor F. A. Blackburn, of the University of Chicago, was elected Secretary pro tem. Dr. C. W. Eastman, of the University of Iowa, was requested by vote of the meeting to prepare a report of the proceedings for publication in the Modern Language Notes. The report of the Secretary, H. Schmidt-Wartenberg, of the University of Chicago, was then read. The Secretary begs to submit the printed Proceedings of the previous Annual Meeting, published in Vol. XIV of the Publications of the Modern Language Association of America, pp. xlix-lxxi. During the past year the following members have been elected : Professor C. C. Ayer, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo. Professor Edgar E. Brandon, Oxford, Ohio. Professor P. A. Claassen, Southwest Kansas College, Winfield, Kansas. A matter of extreme importance was not disposed of at the fourth Annual Meeting: the participation of the Central Division in the proposed Philological Congress (cf. the Secretary's Report). The Modern Language Association, in reply to the invitation for a joint meeting to be held at Indianapolis, called attention to this proposed meeting of all language associations, expressing the hope that the Central Division would choose this opportunity for a joint meeting of the Modern Language Association. In view of this proposition the Secretary has considered it his duty to continue the negotiations with the Philological Association-which in the meantime had renewed its invitation-and in accordance with the arrangements made by the other societies, has cast his vote for a place of meeting to be held during the Christmas holidays in the year 1900. As there was no reason for deciding at once in favor of a place, the acting Secretary of the Philological Association proposed that the preliminary result of the ballot be laid before the members of the Associations. The Central Division is therefore requested to act with regard to the following points: (1) a consideration of the invitation extended by the Philological Association and the Modern Language Association; (2) the recommendation of a place of meeting; (3) the appointment of one representative with power to arrange all the details, as well as finally to determine the place of the meeting in coöperation with those appointed for that purpose by the other societies. It has been urged repeatedly by many members that the time of our meetings be changed to a convenient date in the summer. Perhaps it will be well to discuss the desirability of such a change at this meeting in order to get an expression from those who may be prevented from attending the next convention, when the question might be submitted for a final vote. The following report of the Treasurer for the year 1899 was read, and on motion was referred to the Auditing Committee. Report of the Treasurer of the Central Division of the Modern Language Association of America: The President gave notice that he would appoint the committees later. There being no other business, the reading and discussion of papers was begun. |