EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
THE MOST REV. ARCHBISHOP ARTHUR J OROSSAERTS. D. D.. LL. Q.. HONORARY CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION
REV. PAUL J. FOIK. C. S. C.. PH. D.. CHAIRMAN REV. JOSEPH G. ODONOHOE. SECRETARY DR. JOSEPH I. DRISCOLL. LL. D.. STATE DEPUTY REV. JOHN S. MURPHY. LL. O. STATE CHAPLAIN REV. PETER GUILDAY. PH. D. LL. D.
DIOCESAN HISTORIANS
REV. M. S. GARRIGA. ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN ANTONIO REV. JOHN S. MURPHY. LL. D.. DIOCESE OF GALVESTON REV. JOSEPH G. O DONOHOE. DIOCESE OF DALLAS REV. DANIEL A. LANING. DIOCESE OF CORPUS CHRISTI REV. HENRY D. BUCHANAN. DIOCESE OF EL PASO REV. A. A. BOEDING. DIOCESE OF AMARILLO
Cilexas
Prtigljts of (Holumtntg
HISTORICAL COMMISSION
HEADQUARTERS
ST. EDWARD’S UNIVERSITY AUSTIN. TEXAS
October 23, 1933
Mr. Harral Ayres Spanish History Hesearch library St. Mary's Academy Building 112 College Street San Antonio, Texas
My dear Mr. Ayres:
I am glad to get your reaction regarding the first meeting of the Yanaguana Society, and I carried away with me some impressions that are quite in accord with your own. I am afraid that our friend Chabot has organized a mutual admiration association rather than a group of historical scholars competent to ferret out facts according to the best canons of criticism.
How that the appointments to office have been made, what have they to offer as credentials so that the society may function v with that precision and expediency that are the qualifications of an efficient body of executives?
In the first place, the presidency has been given to a person who did not grace this important occasion by his presence.
What has he contributed to the field of historical scholarship and research to recommend him as leader in so great an undertaking?
Again, if this organization expects to achieve results, an annual meeting does not give sufficient attention and time for the purposes specified in its foundation. The individual responsibility v' of members to collect documents and memoirs is not clearly defined.
My own experience, as well as that of other members of the Commission, shows that there is a disposition not to part with these papers that have passed from generation to generation as heirlooms. Hence, I have not used much persuasion to get the originals, but I generally attempt to secure them as a loan for a limited time so that the pages may be reproduced by photostat, and even then I am not always successful in my approach.