early efforts may have provided insufficient influence to facilitate growth. Similarly, conditions abroad may not have been conducive to the international expansion of INS.
The early annual meetings of the organization were held in conjunction with the annual American Psychological Association, and were characteristically attended by 25 or fewer individuals. As the membership grew and as selected members began individually to develop working relationships with neuropsychologists in Europe, a better foundation for affecting change began to be fashioned. The first formal program of the INS was presented at its meeting in New Orleans during Arthur Benton's term as president. Benton probably had more contacts with neuropsychologists in Europe than any other North American, and wisely asked Paul Satz to serve as Chairperson of the Program Committee for that historically important meeting. Satz was heavily involved in collaborative research with Dr. Dirk Bakker and Dr. Harry Van der Vlugt in Holland, and invited them to serve on the Program Commiittee, which also included Dr. Haligrim Klove, who bridged the Scandinavian countries. The resulting program was most successful and led over the course of the subsequent few years to the establishment of the European membership within the INS, and resulted in the first European INS meeting at Oxford in 1977.
During these formative years, the INS remained a low-cost organization for its members, yet endeavored to expand its international base. However, the participation of the European contingent was somewhat limited. Although the INS at that time did not have an official journal, the Society launched a newsletter with the creative leadership of Aaron Smith as the editor. The newsletter served as the sole instniment of communication for the society for many years until it was replaced by the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology as the official publication of the Society. This journal included organizational items, although the emphasis and format as a primary scientific publication may have reduced the interactive sense of community that was so nicely carried-out under Aaron Smith's management of the newsletter. Smith was appropriately recognized by the Society by means of a leadership award. It is reasonable to conclude that the during the early 1970's the Society might have collapsed except for the bonding effect upon the membership of the INS Newsletter to reinforce our sense of community. Another important factor in the survival of the Society was the success of the first formal program which was followed by a positive acceleration of the membership growth curve to its present level. The integral role of the Newsletter in the formative years of the Society to foster communication among members is a strong reason for enthusiasm about the role of this current newsletter to enhance the communication between INS and the worldwide neuropsychological community.
This rapid growth of the Society required some years of organizational assimilation and consolidation, and required full and effective application of the limited resources. The expansion into other regions of the world was focused on further developments in Europe, as outlined in Charles Matthew's presidential address. Nevertheless, arrangements were made to hold the 1983 North American meeting in Mexico City in order to encourage Latin American neuropsychologists to join the Society. 14aving served as the Arrangements Chair for this meeting, and in view of my relationship with various neuropsychologists and neuroscientists in Mexico, I had fervent hope that a mechanism could be developed to accommodate Third World regions, beginning with the Latin American countries. Similar developments were hoped to emanate from other parts of the world, including Afiica, Middle East, Australia, and the Far East. In Ns context it is a positive sign that there has been substantial growth in the number of Australian members of INS, and that the INS has now co-sponsored two meetings (I 991 and 1995) with the Australian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment. The increasing role of colleagues from the Pacific Rim in & Society is also reflected by the fact that several of these members have been elected to serve m the INS Board of Governors.
The slower than desired evolution of INS's international leadership role has been of concern to the various governing boards and members over the years. Matthew's pivotal address identified the various barriers to the international growth, and provided stimulus for the establishment of a societal mechanism for facilitating the expansion of INS's international role in neuropsychology. Many recalled t4c earlier effectiveness of the INS Newvietter as a means of communicating with the members with individuals, agencies, institutions, and organizations. Matthews led the Governing Board to charge the Liaison Committee (now International Liaison Committee) to serve as a planning committee for designing a set of outreach initiatives that would serve the purpose of assisting groups in various regions, with emphasis on Third World regions, to engage -,yhat was envisioned to become an increasingly expanding network of neuropsychologists throughout the world.
Review of documents recently coming from the International Liaison Conunittee gives the impression of imaginative effort and a remarkably expanded agenda of potential initiatives that might be pursued by the INS over time. As a first realistic step toward actualization of the larger goal of increased international effectiveness of the INS, it was decided to launch a new newsletter with the intent of serving a broader international community of neuropsychologists.
Having been witness to much of the history of INS, I fervently hope that the INS will utilize the newsletter, INSNET, to define a path toward increased effectiveness as the leading organization in international neuropsychology. As Dr. Matthews so poignantly pointed out in his 1992 address, the success of INS in this direction will depend upon the commitment of individual members to
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