um mm*.......i0,m msmmm <£fr^rg INFORMATION CENTER mmmmmmm ::"........ \ .'.* .........r. Esrn^i«fTCTref!^mninTTOffiRR:A *%ACAfll^~ No4i NEWSLETTER June, 1968 BfilijJ PORTLAND TO BE SITE OF WORLD ESPERANTO CONGRESS IN 1972 American Esperantists are jubilant over the decision of the Universala Esperanto-Asocio (U.E.A.) to hold its 57th Congress in Portland, Ore., in 1972. Except for an emergency war-time meeting in San Francisco in 1915, this will be the first U.E.A. Congress to meet in the United States since 1910 in Washington. The Portland Society was host to the bumper E.L.N.A. Congress in 1965 and demonstrated its ability to handle such gatherings in that city of 375,000 population. A brochure which accompanied the invitation to the U.E.A. from Portland was compiled by the local society and the Chamber of Commerce, and contained official invitations from Governor Tom McCall, Mayor Terry Schrunk and the Chamber of Commerce. The Hilton Hotel, with accommodations for 2,000 persons, offered its public meeting rooms free for Congress use. Portland is not so remote from Europe as it may seem. Flying the Great Circle routes cuts a thousand miles from the London or Paris via New York distances. There should be more delegates from across the Pacific than can usually attend European Conferences. Esperantists in Mexico and particularly in Canada will have an advantage. By 1972 giant jet planes will lessen flight costs. The U.E.A., in accepting Portland's bid, wrote in part: "The executive . . . unanimously decided to . . . hold the 57th Universal Congress in Port- land. We hope that this decision will please you, the host town, and the whole of E.L.N.A. The Executive has firm faith in the membership of E.L.N.A. and expects that it will take part in this Congress in large numbers." "We must start at Covina to make this 57th Congress a success," said Mark Starr, E.I.C. chairman. "This is our opportunity for a 4-year plan to firmly establish the Esperanto movement widely in the United States. It can be done if everyone will pitch in to cooperate with the young, vigorous group of Portland activists who took this bold step. Locally patrons and generous support are assured. We appeal to all now unattached Esperantists to join E.L.N.A., which must shoulder the main responsibility. We appeal particular- ly to European Esperantists now resident in the United States to resume their earlier ideals and advocacy. "Ours is the immediate job of perfecting our command of the Esperanto language. 'La eterna komencanto' is a pest at Universal Congress meetings. Prepare yourself and your group for the unique and wonderful experience of joining in multi-national groups without the barriers of Babel." -o- "Code or Culture - The Case of Esperanto" is the title of a 16-page article by Humphrey Tonkin, assistant professor of English at the University of Pennsylvania, in the spring issue of Era, a magazine published by the Philomathean Society at the university. Witty discussion of the origin and essential speciousness of various arguments brought against Esperanto. NL 6/68 THE PRESIDENT REPORTS Here are some of the actions of the E.L.N.A. Executive Board, and deci- sions taken since my last report to the membership: Dr. B. J. Balcar of Monterey, Calif., has been named official E.L.N.A. archivist and historian. He will maintain files and collect at his home E.L.N.A. documents and other items concerning the history of the Esperanto movement in the United States. The Executive Board accepted the proposal from the Esperanto Society of Portland, Ore., regarding an invitation to the Universal Esperanto Association for a World Congress in Portland in the year 1972. During its spring board meeting the U.E.A. agreed to accept this invitation. New members wishing to join E.L.N.A. after the first half of the year will have the opportunity to do so from now on with a 50 per cent reduction in dues. Effective July 15 of each year, the basic dues rate will be $4.00 for the remainder of the year. (See p. 7 for details of this offer.) The E.L.N.A. Congress in Covina, Calif., this year promises to be the largest ever, with more than 130 persons already signed up. Through partici- pation in this Congress you can help in Esperanto activities in the United States and learn many things about how to work more effectively at the local level. Members of E.L.N.A. unable to attend the Congress may send their pro- posals and suggestions directly to the Congress Secretary. June 4, 1968 Francis E. Helmuth -o- Pennsylvania-Ohio Conference A regional conference of Esperantists living in northeastern Ohio and northwestern Pennsylvania was held at Ravenna, Ohio, on May 19. Those present included: From Ohio—Mr. and Mrs. Antony Hadjik of Youngstown, Prof. Kevin Sheard and Roger Burdnik of Cleveland, Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Ford of Lakewood, Eleanor McGrogan and Catherine Thompson of Warren; from Pennsylvania—Mr. and Mrs. Louis Obreczian of Waterman, E.L.N.A. Secretary Conrad Fisher and wife of Meadville. Another conference is planned for June, 1969, in Youngstown. -o- You Can Use a Rubber Stamp Without Being One A neat rubber stamp, 3/4 x 2 inches, with a border and the slogan "Do You Speak Esperanto, the International Language?" can be had for $1.00 postpaid from Adrian Hughes, 476 So. Bailey Ave., Hillsboro, Ore. 97123. He also has larger stamps with a variety of slogans. -o- E.L.N.A. is indebted to Kurt Hitke of Miami Beach, Fla., for doing the re- prints on the Encyclopedia Britannica article on Esperanto. Mr. Hitke has also run off a fresh supply of E.I.C.'s standard reprints and stationery. -o- Have you voted for your choice of candidates for the 1968-69 E.L.N.A. Executive Board on the ballot which came with the April Newsletter? Ballots should be mailed to the Local Congress Committee. Do not include any other communication with your ballot; outer envelopes will not be opened until the ballots are counted by the proper committee. -3- NL 6/68 NONAGENARIAN MAKES COAST TO COAST BUS TRIP Arthur Brooks Baker, a spry 91-year-old pioneer Esperanto printer and lecturer, elected to take a bus trip across the country from his California home this spring. At libraries in Washington, D. C, and New York, he sought copies of Scientific American and Life for November, 1906, containing a letter he had written which had immediately brought him 700 requests for information about Esperanto. He was a printer in Waco, Texas, when he first learned about the new international language through W. T. Stead, editor of the Review of Reviews. He soon mastered the language, and not knowing that there were other Esperan- tists and an organized movement in the United States, he set about spreading the good news. To cope with the flood of inquiries, he wrote two books, "American Esperanto Book" and "The Elements of Esperanto," and started a magazine which was merged in 1908 with "The American Esperantist" founded by J. F. Twombly. He translated Marx's "Communist Manifesto" for Kerr & Co., a radical publishing house in Chicago. Baker was a popular lecturer at Socialist encampments and elsewhere on a variety of topics. (The going price for public lectures in those days was $40, he recalls.) At a reception for him at E.I.C. headquarters, he enthralled the younger generation with tales of his exploits and recited from memory some of the poems and quips from his lecturing days. In the 1930's he taught Es- peranto classes in Los Angeles and was president of the local society. Now at 91, he walks without a cane and despite failing eyesight, found his way unassisted around Washington, Philadelphia and New York. "Just put me on a bus," he said airily. "I can always get where I'm going." He plans to attend the E.L.N.A. Congress at Covina in July. -o- Grade School Esperanto Project Described in Teachers' Journal The California Teachers Association Journal for May carries an illus- trated article on an experiment in teaching Esperanto in elementary schools by Doris Vallon of San Mateo. Begun six years ago with a single fifth grade class, the project now includes fourth, fifth and sixth grade classes in three schools. One summer session brought in third grade students also. "Unbelievable as it may seem, Esperanto can be learned four or five times faster than other languages. . .," Miss Vallon concludes. "Elementary school pupils, even as low as the third grade, do engage in meaningful communication and cultural exchanges with children abroad while learning the language. And Esperanto does appear to be one possible solution to the problem of teaching language to pupils with low speech skills. If pupils go on to learn other languages, Esperanto seems to provide a valuable grounding similar to that enjoyed by the many pupils who once studied Latin. See P.8 for prices on reprints of the C.T.A. Journal article. -o- Canadian Esperantists will hold their 10th Congress June 28-30 at the Lord Simcoe hotel in Toronto. Vacationers wishing to visit the Congress may write for information to W. D. Hackett, 362 Soudan Ave., Toronto 7. -o- Walter Nash, one-time Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand who died re- cently was one of the signers of the U.E.A. Proposal to the U.N. presented in 1966. NL 6/68 ESPERANTO TEACHERS IN TWO STATES FORM ASSOCIATIONS In the Beaver State, an organizational meeting to set up the Oregon Asso- ciation of Teachers of Esperanto (O.A.T.E.) was held on March 17 at which re- presentatives from Portland, Warrenton, Woodburn and Ashland were present. Officers include LeRoy Bates, president; Mrs. Hazel Heusser and Miss Betty Rabb, vice chairmen; Mrs. Nellie Jane Campbell, secretary; Mrs. Lois Vloed- man, treasurer. O.A.T.E. is affiliated with the American Association of Teach- ers of Esperanto (A.A.T.E.). One of the first projects of the group will be an O.A.T.E. section meeting program at the state convention of foreign lan- guage teachers at Eugene in October. A Southern California chapter of A.A.T.E. was formed in April. The or- ganizing committee: Mrs. Denise Brayton, Mrs. Jeanne Falicki, Mrs. Mildred Ashley, William Glenny, W. Campbell Nelson, John Fulton and Leslie Green. -o- Eight students in the Covina-San Gabriel Valley area passed the elemen- tary proficiency test in Esperanto last semester (asterisk = with distinction): Michael Fike, *Hazel Foster, Juan Hernandez, *Dilwyn Lewis, *W. Campbell Nelson, Patricia Story, *Paul Taylor, Paula Taylor. Two others from State College, Pa., also passed: *George Andrews and*Cornelius McKown, Mrs. Foster subsequently passed the intermediate test also. Five more of Leslie Green's students in the Covina High school and Vincent grade school are boning up for the tests which the U.S.E.I.-E.L.N.A. examination service will offer during the Covina Con- gress. For details of how to take these tests, write Mrs. Dorothy Holland, 1976 Greenview, Rt. 11, Fayetteville, Ark. -o- WHAT'S IN A WORD. Mario Pei. 1968. Hawthorn Books. New York. 240 pp. $5.95. When Dr. Pei, internationally renowned language expert, discussed his 28th published book, he was still bubbling over with enthusiasm about a re- cent lecture tour in California and the Mid-West. He had spoken to more than 50 college groups ranging from 20 to 2000 students. Even when his assigned topic was not world communication, it inevitably came up at question time, he said. He insists that if Esperantists will keep slogging away, the prejudice and ignorance about Esperanto will within measureable time disappear. His latest book is a firstrate tool to this end. It deals with the im- portance, the origin, mysteries, quirks, mixings and influences of language. One chapter is "How to Be Impolite in 27 Languages." His four final chapters concentrate on the language of tomorrow. Dr. Pei asserts: "There is one constructed language that has more followers and is more widely recognized than any other. This is a de_ facto situation and not nec- essarily predicated upon inherent merits. Whatever its merits or demerits may be, that language has proved: (1) that it can draw to itself a fairly large and highly enthusiastic body of followers; (2) that it can satisfactorily serve all the purposes of a spoken and written language, even to the point of its own body of original literature and poetry; (3) that it can draw the interest and attention of governments; (4) that it can draw the attention and interest of outsiders to the point where there are few who have not heard of it and don't equate its name with the concept of 'international language'. That language is Esperanto." Get the book and read the detailed arguments. At least see that it is in your public library- -- M.S. -5- NL 6/68 ON TO COVINA - JULY 11 >— 14.' More than 130 people have registered for the E.L.N.A. Congress at Covina, Calif., July 11-14, with responses still to come from a general membership mailing late in May. A questionnaire on transportation requirements, menu choices, workshops to be attended, etc., will be sent in mid-June. High points of the program will include: (1) A get-together on the evening of Thursday, July 11; business ses- sions on Friday morning (organization reports and committee appointments) and afternoon and Saturday afternoon. (2) An open meeting sponsored by the American Association of Esperanto Teachers (A.A.T.E.) Saturday morning with addresses by Lane B. Teaney, princi- pal of Tri-Community Adult Schools, and John Lewine, New York Club president. (3) Workshops on Esperanto teaching for elementary schools (Doris Val- lon) , for teen agers (Duncan Charters), for adults (Cathie Schulze) Saturday a.m. with lunch served on the spot, and a business meeting of the A.A.T.E. (4) Banquet Saturday evening at which Frank Haven, mayor of Covina, will speak. Presentation of awards. (5) Sunday a.m. - Election results and standing committee appointments. Brief non-denominational church service. On the light side - Disneyland trips on Friday (all day for the younger generation, late afternoon for the grownups); Knotts Berry Farm Sunday p.m.; entertainment by Covina youngsters Thursday night; a Congress book with 100 songs; and ample opportunities for those famed California eatables. This has been a peak year of activity for E.L.N.A., with a peak Congress registration which has given the Local Congress Committee some headaches but also great satisfaction. The committee includes: Leslie Green, chairman, Wm. Glenny, Mrs. Jeanne Falicki, and W, Campbell Nelson, president of the San Gab- riel Valley Society. The teachers' programs are in charge of Dorothy Holland, A.A.T.E. secretary, and Cathie Schulze, West Coast Information Center. -o- Britannica Reprint on Esperanto Available The Encyclopedia Britannica has given E.L.N.A. permission to reprint the article on Esperanto in its 1968 edition by Miss Marjorie Boulton, M.A., Ox- ford. This is an impressive, scholarly treatment of the history, mechanics and literature of the international language which will be especially valuable to students and teachers of language. Miss Boulton, who also wrote the Britannica article on Dr. L. L. Zamen- hof, creator of Esperanto, is principal of Charlotte Mason College, Ambleside, England, vice president of the British Esperanto Teachers Association, and author of "Zamenhof, Creator of Esperanto" (1962) and "Okuloj" (1967), a col- lection of original short stories. See Page 8 of this issue for prices of reprints. -o- Over 680 readers of Modern Maturity wrote for information about Esper- anto after an article by Stanley Jacobs appeared in the April issue, reports Conrad Fisher, E.L.N.A. secretary. So far, 50 new memberships are traceable to this source, according to Armin Doneis, membership chairman. Jacobs has also written about Esperanto for magazines as diverse as Coronet, the Catholic pj_gest, a Methodist family magazine, "Together," and the Diners' Club "signa- ture.. " -6- NL 6/68 Minister Pays Tribute to Warren Gould The Lord's Prayer in Esperanto was read at the funeral of Warren Gould of Greenfield, Mass., on March 18 by the Reverend Donald Benander, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran church, who said, "When I first met him, he gave me an Esperanto Bible and if he had been able to make any request about today's service, I think he would like us to read from it." "Warren Gould was a man who stood out in this community because of his passion for learning," the minister said. "Esperanto appeared to be the one continuing interest in his life. And a rather significant one, too. The con- cern of Dr. Zamenhof who created this language in 1887 was a humanitarian one - to break down the language barrier and promote peace among people who misunderstood one another. . . Another reason for his interest in Esperanto seemed to be that it gave him access to young people. He conducted several clubs to teach the language and promoted the acceptance of it in the school system." -o- Mahant and Kim Interviewed on WNYC WNYC, New York City's radio station, broadcast on April 29 and 30 a half- hour taped recording of an interview with S. S. Mahant ~of New Delhi, president of the India Institute of Esperanto, Kim Chong Youl of Taegu, So. Korea, and Mark Starr, E.I.C. chairman. The station interviewer's attitude thawed from hard-boiled skepticism to real interest during the half hour, and after the station received several inquiries as a result of the broadcast, said that WNYC would consider additional programs on the subject. Mr. Mahant, who is deputy chief operating superintendent of the Indian Northern Railway, was in the United States on an A.I.D. mission to study rail- way operations. He met with Esperanto groups in San Francisco, New York and Washington before going to England. He told the radio audience that he had used Esperanto in 26 countries on a 6-month tour of Europe in 1962, during which he attended the U.E.A. Congress in Copenhagen. -o- When Teodor Soros (Svarc) , well-known Esperanto author, died recently, his family asked that in lieu of flowers, friends send contributions for the cause of Esperanto. In all, $390 was received and, at the request of Mrs. Soros, transmitted to Stafeto, the Esperanto publishing house with which Mr. Soros had been closely connected. Stafeto has decided to dedicate one of its forthcoming books to Mr. and Mrs. Soros in acknowledgment. Mrs. Soros has given to E.I.C. 40 copies of her husband's "Maskerado Ĉirkaŭ la Morto"; proceeds from the sales of these to go to E.L.N.A. (See description and price of this book elsewhere in this issue.) -o- Going to Spain for the U.E.A. World Congress in Madrid August 3-10 from California are E.L.N0A. President F. E. Helmuth and family, William and Cathie Schulze, Peg Barkley, Jean Buck, Elvina Armento and daughter; from Washington, Sergio Docal; from New York, Rochelle Grossman, Louisa Schmidt and Marian Newell; from Portland, Prof. Grace Tapp. -o- Ask the Covina, Calif., Chamber of Commerce for their illustrated descrip- tive folder, "Covina Invitas Vin." Write (in English and for single rather than multiple copies) to: Chamber of Commerce, Box 4215, Covina, 91722. -7- ORDER YOUR "PLENA ILTJSTRITA VORTARO" NOW "Plena ilustrita Vortaro," the now ready for printing and the contrac G. Waringhien, president of the Espe (Sennacieca Asocio Tutmonda), it has Esperanto movement. Revuo Esperanto, Heroldo, an independent journal, have pledges to purchase the $19 book. Icng NL 6/68 awaited new Esperanto dictionary, is t has been awarded. Compiled by Prof. Academy, for publication by S.A.T. enthusiastic backing of the entire official organ of the U.E.A., and both offered to accept pre-publication ranto the This 1585-page dictionary will rdplace the 1931 "Plena Vortaro" (512 pages) and its supplements. It incorporates all the new words which have been admitted to the language in the intervening years, particularly scientific terms, and up-dates old definitions. In size it is 5-1/2 x 7-2/3 inches, with a hard-cover linen binding. The tentative price of $19 may be reduced if suf- ficient orders come in. The printer 4equires a guarantee of 2,000 advance or- ders _by_August 1. (The first time thi^s was brought up at the New York Society 13 people signed up.) Local clubs in addition to pushing individual sales might also subscribe for copies for public or school libraries. The approved form of pre-publication pledge may be sent by postcard or letter addressed either to E.I.C. for transmittal or direct to S.A.T., 67 Ave. Gambetta, Paris 20, France (do not send any money now): NAME ADDRESS (In English) Responde al la Alvoko de S.A.T. mi firme kaj formale promesas aĉeti P.I.V., kaj pagi kiam nova komuniko aperos en la esperanta gazetaro. Date___________________________S ignature___________________________________ -ci- In addition to being one of England's top-ranking Esperanto scholars,- Miss Marjorie Boulton has written charming stories about her cats. The London Times Educational Supplement picked up this paragraph from her report to the governing board of the school which she heads: "As several of the governing body were on affectionate terms with him, I feel justified in mentioning the death on January 16 of the principal's cat, Montevideo, who was quite a public figure. He was 12 years old, had assisted in hundreds of interviews, comforted many distressed students, made many friends in high places, and bitten four of Her Majesty's inspectors." -Q- The Italian Chamber of Deputies voted favorably on a bill to give Esper- anto equal status with other languages for teaching in the public schools. The Senate, however, adjourned for general elections before the bill came up for consideration. The new Senate is expected to act favorably on the bill. Heroldo (May 8) gives a blow by blow account of the 3-year campaign to secure this legislation. The law would require university trained teachers who also had the diploma of the Italian Esperanto Institute. -d- Reduced Rates for New E.L.N.A. Members Effective July 15, E.L.N.A. will accept new members for the remainder of 1968 for half the regular dues rates, 'as follows: Individuals .......... $4.00 Husband and wife ..... $6.00 Students (under 21) .. 2.00 Retired - over 62 .... 2.00 New members will receive the E.L.'N.A. Newsletter and J.E.N. News Digest in alternate months, including the month preceeding that in which they join. -8- NL 6/68 NEW REPRINTS Send a 6-cent stamped, self-addressed, large (4"x 9%") envelope to E.I.C. and you will receive the indicated number of any one of these reprint items: 10 Quinto Lingo, April, 1968. The Case for Esperanto. Eskil Svane. 10 British Esperanto Teacher, April, 1968. Boy Scout Jamboree to Use Esperanto as Second Language. 5 Encyclopedia Britannica, 1968. Esperanto. Marjorie Boulton. 3 (Enclose 15* also.) Calif. Teachers Journal, May, 1968. Teaching the Universal Language. Doris Vallon. Address: Esperanto Information Center, 156 5th Ave., Rm. 821, New York 10010. -o- Out-of-the-ordinary Books "La Eta Princo," famous children's classic by Antoine de Saint Exupery; translated by Pierre Delaire. Eidelweis Press, 1961. Illus. $1.75. "Maskerado Ĉirkaŭ la Morto" by Teodor Soros (Svarc). Recounts with grim humor how he fought against the Nazis to secure the survival of his, family and friends in Hungary diixxng the terrible years 1939-45. Copies presented by his widow with proceeds going to support E.L.N.A. $2.95 Order both these from Esperanto Book Center, 156 Fifth Ave., Rm. 822, New York, N.Y. 10010. -o- Teachers interested in receiving course credits for tax-deductible travel and study abroad should get in touch with Cathie Schulze (410 Darrell Road, Hillsborough, Calif. 94010) for details of a plan which would include Esper- anto conferences, seminars and guided tours in the Scandinavian countries in 1969 and Japan in 1970. She will also advise on the best way to learn Esper- anto or improve fluency in it before taking such trips. -o- Two articles by Mark Starr from Praktiko, "Ĉu la Uson-Angla Lingvo Fari- gos la Mondlingvo?" and "Ĉu Oni Lernu la Anglan Lingvon?" have been combined into a 4-page reprint. Also included is the April Newsletter summary of a Saturday Review article, "The Revolt Against English."- Since this is an in- dividually financed print job, orders for copies should go to Mark Starr, 3940 47 Street, Long Island City 11104, N.Y. Price, 10* per copy postpaid. S$r~2!o INFORMATION CENTER ^Wjf) ESPERANTO LEAGUE fo« NORTH AMERICA %*?*^ 156 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010 FIRST CLASS LA ELNA ESPERANTO-KONGRESO 11-14.VII.68 COVINA, CALIFORNIA