Board of Directors Meeting
October 4, 1951.
Meeting called to order at 8:05 P.M. by the President, Dr. Royal W. Rudolph.
Members present were:
Royal W. Rudolph, President W.R. Hewitt
William B. Steen, Secretary-Treasurer W.R. Manning
Hugh C. Thompson J.B. Littlefield
Harry E. Thompson Lindsay B. Beaton
Edward M. Hayden Donald B. Lewis
Robert E. Hastings Leo J. Kent
Minutes of the July Board of Directors Meeting were read by the Secretary, and were approved.
Report for the Public Relations Committee was given by Dr. Beaton, who stated that there had not been much call this year for talks about socialized medicine, but that there had been four or five requests from clubs to provide speakers; that he had spoken twice and Dr. Jack Bennett had spoken twice. He said that it had occurred to him recently that this might be a good publicity venture, to set up a speakers bureau to let peoples know that we would be glad to provide speakers on interesting and suitable subjects. Dr. Lewis asked what subjects were wanted. Dr. Beaton replied that Dr. Bennett had spoken about carcinoma once and on how to keep healthy, and that he had twice talked about psychiatry. He felt that a speaker might possibly be place every month or two weeks, and it seemed to him that this would be a dignified way to provide publicity and also a public service. Dr. Beaton said that he certainly would not ask any member of the Society to speak who felt that he might be tongue-tied or could not do it easily, and that if the Board of Directors thought this a good idea he would like to go ahead and contact or write the clubs and tell them we are available. Dr. Kent inquired what would be the difference between this and the write-ups in the newspapers or magazines. Dr. Hastings replied that this would be much different in that it would be sponsored by the Society. Dr. Littlefield said that he had been original Publicity Chairman and that he felt that if this plan were used in a dignified manner as Dr. Beaton had suggested it would mean a lot to the Society, if the Society sponsored speakers and insisted that any of the members who were going to get their names in the newspapers clear it with the Public Relations Committee before it is printed--otherwise it would be a farce. Dr. Beaton said that this had been done since he has been chairman. Dr. Littlefield remarked that he knew he had gotten into lots of trouble. Dr. Harry Thompson moved that the proposed public relations plan regarding speakers be approved. Dr. Manning seconded the motion. Dr. Hugh Thompson stated that it occurred to him recently, after reading DeVotos' article in Harper's that actually the AMA is a good subject for a talk, that it is actually quite a remarkable organization in what it has accomplished and that very few people have any idea of what it is. Dr. Hastings said that the AMA gets so much adverse publicity that we would well afford to use this subject. Dr. Beaton said that if we could give a brief thumb nail sketch of what the talks would be it would be easier to get it over.
