Shortly after the appearance of the American Mathematical Monthly in January, 1916, Dean R.P. Stephens of the University of Georgia wrote the Editor of the MONTHLY, H.E. Slaught, about organizing a Southeastern Section. The reply from the Association President, E.R. Hedrick, was encouraging and included a copy of the regulations for establishing sections.
On March 15, 1916, Dean Stephens sent out letters to the leading universities and colleges in the southeast, suggesting that a Southeastern Section be formed. With many favorable responses, Dean Stephens called for an organizational meeting in Athens, Georgia, in June, 1916. This choice of times was unfortunate, and with so few able to attend, this organizational meeting was postponed for one year, until June, 1917.
The first summer meeting of the Association was held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on September 1 and 2, 1916. There were 111 members present, including J.R. Messick of Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Winona M. Perry of Judson College and Dean Stephens.
The second attempt to hold an organizational meeting was not successful, since June, 1917, found the country in the midst of World War I. Once again, this first meeting was postponed. In the fall of 1921, at the home of Floyd Field in Decatur, Georgia, organizational plans were made for the third time. Attending this meeting were M.T. Peed, Douglas Rumble, J.F. Messick, W.W. Rankin, Jr., R.P. Stephens and Floyd Field.