Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-11-11
|nter-American
Cultural Reciprocity
Methods Suggested
Two-Doy Conference
Ends With Submission
Of Recommendations

The State Department had before
1t today proposals from six groups
Of educators on methods of improv-
ing cultural relations between the
United States and the Latin Ameri-
can republics.
The recommendations were sum-
med up late yesterday at the close
of a two-day conference of several
hundred educators at the Mayflower
Hotel under the auspices of the
Cultural Relations Division of the
Department.
Appointment of a temporary con-
tinuation committee to follow up
the work of the conference was
unanimously voted with selection
of the members left to Ben Cher
rington, director of the Cultural Re-
lations Division, and DR.. Clarence
H. Haring, director of the Bureau
of Economic Research in Latin
America at Harvard.
In an effort to stimulate exchange
students and professors between the
United States and Latin America,
the group proposed distribution of
explanatory literature on North
American colleges and universities
in Spanish and Portuguese, listing
the advantages of the schools.
Diplomatic Outlets Suggested.
Such information, it was recon-
mended. should be made available
through, embassies, legations and
consulates and include fees, living
expenses and transportation costs
to the colleges.
At the same time committee Of
the Institute of International Edu-
cation was suggested to canvass
prospective donors for fellowship in
creases. The committee also would
study travel costs between the
United States and Latin America
to see if they can be reduced for
students and teachers.
Following suggestion of DR.. Will
liam Mather Lewis on Thursday,
the groups also proposed setting up
cultural attaches in every embas-
sy and legation to rank with mill
tary and naval attaches in import
ance.
Hearty Endorsement was given by
a second group of delegates to an
increase in teaching of Spanish and
Portuguese in the elementary and
secondary schools of the country.
Commissioner of Education John w.
Studebaker was asked to call this to
the attention of educational leaders
in the various states. It was also
generally agreed there are too few
books and pictures available to give
the United States clear under
standing of the republics to the
south. Institution of Latin Amer
lean studies as an interdepartmen-
tai major in college curriculum was
proposed as well as formation of
centers of study in Latin America.
Financial Ability Stressed.
A third group suggested forma-
ton of continuation committee to
supplement the work of private
agencies in caring for exchange
students. A survey of all foreign
students in the United States was
proposed and the calling of another
conference for those officially inter-
ested suggested.
To acquaint the North Americans
with Latin American scholars,
fourth group recommended classifi-
cation of Latin American writer's
who would be available to write in
North American publications. They
would be classified according to
their fields of interest. A list of
periodicals would also be CLASH
fed.
The State Department was urged
to implement the second convention
of the Buenos Aires conference of
1886 in connection with the inter-
change of books in national
libraries. The convention, it was
stated, has been ratified, but no
funds appropriated to carry it out.
Book sellers, it was complained,
have been slow to accommodate
their credit system to the Latin
American systems and the depart
ment was urged to call it to their
attention. At the same time it was
moved to call attention of Latin
American book sellers to possible ex-
hibitionS in North America.
The book problem will probably
be put before the Conference on
Books, Libraries and Publications