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378.764 G492m L'.!JARV II R ; ·iiAYLO. Oif.IGI and I. VI &.M R~CAII R U.'irB Courtesy of Townsend Memorial Library, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor M ary H ardz"n ... B aylor C ollege B EL TON. TEXAS and Latz"n A1nerzcan Relattons • Gf summary of rbe concributions made by Mary Hardin-Baylor College in the field of Latin American Relations, with emphasis upon the service of graduates and former students who have been giving reality to "Good Neighbor" ideals since 1881. " A Man that hath friends must show himself friendly." Proverbs 18:2 4 Compiled by Dorothea Lohoff Gingrich ,... 1944 lOWNSEND MEMORIAL UBRARY INMi:RSJTY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR Courtesy of TownsendSPECIAL Memorial Library, COLLECTIONS University of Mary Hardin-Baylor G ood N ezghbors In the past few years enough books and pamphlets h ave been written and p ublished on the subject of Latin American and Inter American relations to fill a good-sized library. There has been tremendous emphasis placed upon something c:tlled a " Good Neighbor'' policy. and the study of the native languages of these Latin American neighbors bas become extremely popular. The premise that the present conflict alone is responsible for greater interest in our neighbors is unfai r. for a good neighbor policy bas been pursued for many years by various N orth American groups, including Mary Hardin-Baylor College. although such poli cy has been unaccompanied by the fan-fare of our present-day attemplS at making friends. Actually the Pan America n Union itself is now fifty-four years old. This is an international organization created and main tained by tbe twenty-one America n Republics. Established in 18 90. its purpose is to promote peace. commerce. and friendship among the Republics of the American Continent by fostering construc tive cooperation among them. In 1931. April 14 was officially proclaimed Pan American Day. and each year since t he voices of eminen t statesmen of the Americas have stressed again and again the ideals of inter-American friendship and mutual inter-change and helpfulness. On last April 14. in 1944. additional emphasis was placed on the importance of women's co operation by the Inter-American Commission of Women. the official organ ization created in 1928. Senora Elena Mederos de Gonzalez, chairman of the Commission and delegate from Cuba. said. " The possibilities of the Commission are infinite. if we consider the power women represent as a social force." Mary H ardin-Bay lor. a woman 's college, long ago sensed the power of women. a nd b as been conscious of the contributions her daughters have made through the years in the field of Latin American re lations. Courtesy of Townsend Memorial Library, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Since the founding in 1845 under the Republic of Texas, Mary I J,Hdin-Baylor has been first of all an insticution of service serving 1 he st.tre. the nation, and the world. Today, Mary Hardin-Baylor m.lkc .~ .1 claim in the special field of service in Latin American rela ti ons, tbring the fi rst contribution in this field back to 1881. nine yc.Hs hcfot'C the Pan American Union came into being. Since that 1im c M.Hy l I.mlin-B.1ylor has been giving reality to " Good N,·iRhhot" idl'.tls. Om• c/i,,ting(liNhl•d diplomat remarked recently that the work clom• in Soul h Amcrirtt by Nntt h American missionaries had accom plishlul m nrl' tOtVItrd £•11tablishing good will and in furthering the .Good Nt>ighbor policy. than any other one thing. It is in the light o f such a statement that Mary Hardin-Baylor makes its most im portant claim to a part in the building up of good will with the South American nations, for: in /8 8 I a M ar:y H arc/in-Baylor: grad uate, Anne Luther Bagby, w ent to South America as the first Protestant woman missionary. Since that time three generations of her: family have studied at this college and have returned to South America to mission work. Two more third' generation members of the family are now in college here, prepar.ing themselves for mission work in South America. All in all, twenty-eight Mary Hardin-Baylor daughters have gone into foreign mission work in Mexico and in Central and Sottth America. The college also has known of at least sixteen graduates and former students who have gone into those nations as teachers, and who as teachers have had much to do in molding public opinion and in establishing good will between the Americas. The college also has rec ognized an important fact-that the one sure way to defeat a desire for friendship is simply to announce that friendship, without realizing that the fundamental concept of any friendship is a regard and respect which grows out of helpful acts and a friendly associatiQn. To be a friend, one must act like a friend. and that at least means some familiarity with a friend's native language, some knowledge a-nd understanding of his interests, his problems, his cultures and his customs. and an appreciation of his individual characteristics. Courtesy of Townsend Memorial Library,( 4) . University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Reasoning thus. our college has made a real effort to know our valuable neighbors. The college has encouraged a v icarious experience of history by travel. through sponsoring annual trips into Mexico. In addition to these trips. the Spanish department has sponsored a series of activities throughour the years. because of an incense interest in our friend and neighbors. and the desire to give the entire student body more information about the customs. the cul ture and history of these peoples. No one will dispute the fa ct that Inler-America n unity bas been strengthened as the Americas have come co understand one another and to have crust and confidence in one another's purposes, and as they have come to work together cooperatively. That M ary Hardin Baylor daughters from 1881 until the present have had a part in contributing to chis understanding. and in nurturing much of the trust and confidence which have grown up is a fact to which the college points with pride. It is true that in the past most of the North American efforts in South America have been limited to governments. with results like wise limited. Dr. Fernando Carbajal. native of Lima, Peru. and fo rmer president of Rotary International. has said that "if we are to hope that neighborliness may become a reality. that continental solidarity may be effected and that the ideals wh ich have inspired each may not be the patrimony only of certain official and intellectual members of the elite. it will be necessary that the P an-American ideas reach the masses .. ." It is with these " masses" that Mary Hardin-Baylor missionary daughters have rendered the greatest service. In the follow ing pages Mary Hardin-Baylor presents its program of Latin American relations w hich has been carried on through the years. with no premeditated attempts at merely promoting friendliness, but rather a program which has evolved through the desire upon the part of the college and those daughters who have studied here to become better acquaint ed with our neighbors and to extend a hand of fellowship "across the border" . Courtesy of Townsend Memorial Library,(5) University of Mary Hardin-Baylor l nstde Lat£n A merz"ca Missi01ts Siner 1881 there have been Mary Hardin-Baylor College daugh ter\ in Mrxico .u1d Central and South America carrying on work in the j:trt'.ll frdd of Mi ~s ions . Fourteen have gone to Brazil. four to Aq(•'ntrn.t, tim••• to Cub.1 . and seven to Mexico. One of these d.HrRhH·r~. M.ui.w Willi\. Ius written that she is to be one of three who will h.we chc opporcunity of going into Paraguay as soon as llw mi ~~io n field · ~ oprnrd to Baptist~ there. While one c.lnnot •Rnore the controversial discussions which have appe.ued in current papers and magazine~ concerning the receptiveness of Latin American countries to Protestant missionaries from North America. the fact remains that any religious belief is essential in the relations of all groups. There also seems adequate argument in favor of the practice. for in a recent article. "Are Protestant Missions an Obstacle to the Good Neighbor Policy?". the following statement was made by George P. Howard : " In hundreds of interviews (during a trip through South America) I was ab le to discover that the best thought in Latin America ridicules any such idea. Dr. Casal Castel. a prominent Argen tine educ 01 tor and the leading Roman Catholic writer of that country. says in a written statement which be gave me: 'I consider that the presence of Protestant missionaries and teachers who have come from the United States to my country, is the most effective expression of Good Neighborliness. It is tbe spintual expression of American solidarity. When America shall have done away with all "spiritual tariff walls" on that day the dream that we have had for the new world will have been fulfilled.' '' Mr. Howard also quoted Dr. Ghioldi. writer. educator and editor of an important Buenos Aires daily. and a recent delegate from the Argentine Government to the U. S. to study educational problems. who wrote him as follows: Courtesy of Townsend Memorial Library, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (6) "The work accomplished by British and American missionaries has never created difficulties.

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