Preface to the History of the OK-AR MAA

At the business meeting of the Oklahoma-Arkansas Section of the Mathematical Association of America held on the campus of East Central University in Ada last year I volunteered to write "A History of the Oklahoma- Arkansas Section" for the Fiftieth Anniversary of the section. The reasons for undertaking this task are many. I have enjoyed attending the section meetings over the years; my first section meeting was in 1971 on the campus of the University of Tulsa. The section provides a pleasant and cozy setting for the exchange of mathematical ideas with colleagues from my immediate region who over the years have become good friends. Our students come from similar environs and our meetings attract mathematics faculty from secondary schools, junior colleges, four-year colleges, both public and private, and the major comprehensive universities. From year to year the section holds its spring meeting at a different campus in the section and this adds a nice touch to getting to know each other and our campuses. The good feelings I have about our section were at the very heart of my knowing that, although there would be much time spent putting this history together, I would nevertheless enjoy the activity.

The history is done and it is to be found in the following pages. It has been an enjoyable experience just as I thought it would be. My hope is that I have not disappointed the members of our section in the work that I have done. To write this anniversary history it was necessary to read through the minutes of our section since its beginning in 1933. These minutes and the memories of our members chronicles a very active, creative, and enthusiastic section, dedicating itself to promoting mathematics and mathematics education in Oklahoma and Arkansas. I hope that our past will inspire us in the years to come to continue our drive for excellence in mathematics research and education in this region with the Oklahoma-Arkansas Section as a catalyst for mathematical excellence.

There were four very useful resources to me as I compiled this history:

1. The Mathematical Association of America celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 1965 and commemorated the occasion by publishing The Mathematical Association of America: Its First Fifty Years, Kenneth O. May, Editor, The Mathematical Association of America,Inc.,1972. Section members wishing to know more about the heritage of our national Association would enjoy reading this publication.
2. Much of the information contained in this history of our section was obtained from the American Mathematical Monthly, the official journal of the MAA. It was the editorial policy for years, until 1985, to print in the News and Notices Department of the Monthly a brief description of section meetings. Usually this description contained the time and place of the meeting, old and new officers, invited speakers, the program of contributed papers, and other tidbits of section activities and issues. These announcements were most useful.
3. The files of Professor John Jobe, the current Secretary-Treasurer of our section. John's files contained not only the programs and minutes during his tenure as Secretary-Treasurer but also the files of the late Dr. E. K. McLachlan who served as Secretary-Treasurer from 1970 to 1978. John's files also contained some historical gems: the original 1933 By- Laws of the Oklahoma section and a copy of John C. Brixey's Court Lecture of 1975 on N. A. Court and the early days of the section.
4. The many members that responded to my request for historical information about the section, in particular Professor Emeritus John C. Brixey and Professor Emeritus George M. Ewing.

I am indebted to a number of people who helped me immensely in the process of compiling this history. First I would like to express my appreciation to John Jobe, Secretary-Treasurer of our section, friend, and my roommate when attending section meetings. John's files during his years as Secretary- Treasurer contained many items that provided behind-the-scenes insights into the happenings of the section. Thanks also to the late Dr. E. K. McLachlan who kept meticulous records during his service as Secretary-Treasurer of our section and who presented these records to John Jobe for keeping; to Professor Emeritus John C. Brixey, who served as Secretary-Treasurer from 1939 - 1952, and who responded to my request for information about the section, as did Professor Emeritus George M. Ewing; to Professor Dwayne Collins of Hendrix College for assembling the history in its present booklet form; to Hendrix student Mark Darymple for the design of the cover; to Professor Jeanne Agnew who read an early draft of this history and provided me with further suggestions that definitely improved later drafts; to Celeste Campbell who graciously consented to read the final draft.

I have received help in the preparation of this history at various stages along the way. However, in the usual tradition of authors I accept full responsibility for all mistakes and inaccuracies that still remain.

Jim Choike
Oklahoma State University
March 10, 1988