THE CROATIAN ACADEMY OF AMERICA
THE TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
- - - -
Journal of Croatian Studies, XXIV,
1983, – Annual Review of the Croatian Academy of America, Inc. New York, N.Y.,
Electronic edition by Studia Croatica, by permission. All rights
reserved by the Croatian Academy of America.
- - - -
The Croatian Academy of America
held its Twenty-Ninth Annual General Assembly in the New York Hilton on May 14,
1983. The meeting was called to order by the Academy's President Dr. Jere
Jareb. Upon verification of proxies, Edward S. Yambrušić was elected to
chair The Assembly. He invited President Jareb to present his report. Dr.
Jareb, in referring to the fact that the Academy had completed its thirtieth
anniversary a few weeks ago, said that through the years the Academy has been
consistently striving to accomplish the purpose for which it was formed. Major
areas of activities have consisted of publishing the Journal of Croatian
Studies, organizing lectures and exhibits, and the sponsoring of literary contests
by the Academy's chapters. Scholarly papers on Croatian history, culture,
linguistics, political science, economics and literature, including creative
translations into English, are the testimony of work accomplished in these
fields. The three chapters of the Academy: Midwest (Chicago), West Coast (Los
Angeles-San Francisco), and Toronto (Canada) were successful in organizing
lectures and sponsoring literary contests spurring interest in research related
to Croatia, Croatians, and Americans and Canadians of Croatian descent. The
next report was given by Recorder Ivan Sarac who reported on the Executive
Council's meetings.
The Executive Secretary Maria K.
Tuškan, M.D., in her report stated that the Academy's membership totaled 210
regular, 9 cor-responding and 3 conributing members. Since the last annual
assembly 18 new members were accepted. Of the 210 regular members there are
only 29 women. In contrast to this low representation of women there is by now
a noticeable influx of younger generation applicants for membership. There is
an incentive of the West Coast chapter to promote a special category for
student-membership which, she feels, should be adopted nation-wide. The
Executive Council met five times. All the meetings have taken place in New York
City. The following business was discussed at these meetings: a) membership
drive, b) Journal of Croatian Studies, c) chapter activities, d) finances and
e) other current business covering correspondence, inquiries and numerous
miscellaneous items. The Executive Secretary reported in detail on each of
these areas, except the Journal of Croatian Studies, which was later
covered in the editor's report. Referring to chapter activities the Executive
Secretary said that each of the three chapters developed its own program
reflecting the needs, abilities and strength of its particular membership. The
Midwest chapter continued with its usual monthly meetings as it had in the past
during the life of its first secretary, the late Dr. Francis H. Eterovich,
though it had to adjust itself to the loss of a dynamic leader. Warren I.
Previes served briefly as the chapter's secretary. Now Jure Krišto is the
chapter's moderator. The Toronto chapter's activities are centered in literary
contests. The two best manuscripts of the last contest were submitted for
possible publication in the Journal of Croatian Studies. The Secretary
said that we were happy to have with us. Mrs. Mira Ashby, representing the
Toronto Chapter and asked her to give a more detailed report on Chapter's
activities. Mrs. Ashby gave more details on the Chapter's literary contests,
discussed consideration of establishing scholarships and reported on other
Chapter experiences which might be of general interest for the Academy. She
informed the Assembly that the Chapter plans to organize lectures and exhibit
"Five Centuries of Croatian Printing Art".
Mrs. Tuškan asked former President
Ivo Vučićević, who came from San Francisco to attend the
Assembly, to report on the West Coast chapter activities.
Vučićević said that on November 20, 1982 the Chapter sponsored a
dinner in San Francisco honoring professor Vinko Nikolić, editor of Hrvatska
Revija. The Chapter sponsored and exhibition of paintings and drawings of
Tomislav Gabrić held in Los Angeles in Croatian Catholic Church Hall of
St. Anthony on February 19 and 20, 1983. About 300 people visited the
exhibition; 24 oils and many drawings were sold. Mr. Gabrić donated all
proceeds — about $7,400 — to the scholarship fund. The Chapter held a meeting
on February 20 following the closing of Gabrić's exhibition and elected
Srećko Duhović as a new secretary.
In continuation of her report Mrs.
Tuškan said that the Executive Council followed up on the issue of
Croatian-language broadcasts of the Voice of America which was raised at last
year's Annual Assembly. Two members, E.S. Yambrušić and B. Anzulović,
were asked to explore avenues for actions which might be undertaken in this
matter. They submitted a preliminary report which is being reviewed by the
Executive Council. Among other activities reported by the Secretary of special
interest are the following: The University of Michigan's School of Music asked
the Academy to help a talented young Croatian, a student of the world famous
violinist Ruggero Ricci. The Academy Council's members: Branimir Anzulović
(Springfield, VA), Joseph Bosilievich (Cleveland, Ohio), Srećko
Duhović (San Pedro, CA), K.J. Duvnjak (Westport, CT), Tomi'slav
Gabrić (Arcadia, CA), Vinko Grubišić (Mississauaga, Ont., Canada),
Ante Kadić (Bloomington, IN), Stjepan Krešić, (Ottawa, Ont., Canada),
Jure Krišto (Chicago, IL), Nicholas Milosevich, (New York, NY), Karlo Mirth
(New York, NY), Vlado Petranović (Willowdale, Ont., Canada), Mario
Spalatin (Wauwatosa, WI), Jozo Vrbić (San Francisco, CA), Ivo
Vučičević (San Francisco, CA).
COMMITTEE OF CONTROL: Josip
Knežević (New York, NY), Antun Nizeteo (Ithaca, NY), Šime Vatavuk (New
York, NY).
In discussion on new business it
was recommended that the members be systematically reminded about the status of
their dues and that Canadian members be advised to send their remittance in
U.S. funds or a larger sum to make up for the difference in exchange rates.
Professor Bogdan Raditsa asked for about ten minutes time to call attention to
several issues of importance to American Croatians. He discussed the situation
in the Hoover Institution, in the Voice of America and in the Pentagon and said
that in the fields of special interest for Croatia and Croatian people,
American Croatians are not represented. Raditsa proposed that the Academy
recommend that all professors attend the next meeting of the American Society
for Advancement of Slavic Studies (AAASS) in Kansas City and take part in panel
discussions. Raditsa also recommended that Croatia and Croatians, a new
book by George Prpić, be promoted and widely distributed. President Jareb
said that Prpić sent a letter expressing best wishes for success of the
Assembly and asked him to recommend to the Academy members to join the Society
of Croatian Studies, which is affiliated with the AAASS. Several other topics
were discus-sed by Mira Ashby, Antun Nizeteo, Predrag Kordić, Maria K.
Tuškan, Ivo Vučičević, Anne Pavlich, Jere Jareb, Karlo Mirth and
others.
In the evening a banquet was held
in the Polo Room of the Hilton's Hurlingham restaurant.