The first Pan American Round Table (PART) was organized in San Antonio, Texas by Mrs. Florence Terry Griswold on October 16, 1916 and modeled closely after the Pan American Union which at the time has 21 member nations.
In 1945, the Pan American Union became the Organization of American States (OAS). In 2001 the Alliance of Pan American Round Tables became a recognized and registered civil society of the OAS.
The round table represents the medieval concepts of a circle with no beginning and no ending, symbolizing unity, perpetuity, equal representation, and opportunity. Our motto is “ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE; UNA PARA TODAS Y TODAS PARA UNA,” penned by Alexander Dumas.
During Mexico’s turbulent political period of 1910 to 1916, Mrs. Griswold opened her home to women and children that were fleeing persecution in Mexico. She became acutely aware of the need for a better understanding among the peoples of the Americas. She envisioned an international organization of women “united in a close and everlasting friendship”.
The movement grew outward from San Antonio with tables formed in Laredo and El Paso in 1921 and Austin in 1922. The first Pan American Round Table outside the United States formed in Mexico City in 1928 and outside of Texas in Las Cruces, New Mexico in 1931.
The local Table in Corpus Christi was formed in 1956. The Corpus Christi Table was host to the 30th Alliance Convention in 2006 where our member, Peggy Clark was elected as Director General of the Alliance. We hosted the PART-Texas State Convention in 1997. A State level scholarship is named after our late member, Melba Dawson.
History Timeline of the Pan American Round Table of Corpus Christi, Texas
1955 Organized December 6, 1955
1957 Chartered by PART Texas and Alliance of PART - 25 active members - dues $10.00
1959 First scholarship awarded to WB Ray High School Senior going to Del Mar College
1961 Increased Membership to 30 active members - dues $10.00
1961 Hosted PART Texas State Convention
1964-66 Co-sponsored showings of Latin American Art with Art Museum of South Texas
1969 Constitution amended to allow for 50 active members
1973 PART Endowment Fund established at Texas A&I -CC with $1,000.00 donation
1976 Dues increased to $15.00, reached 50 active members, 14 associate members
1978 Initiated Faculty Enhancement Grants as part of $2,000.00 scholarship budget
1979 Scholarships awarded in excess of $6,800.00
1980 Established seminars co-sponsored with CC State University on “Politics in Mexico”,
“Immigration and its effect in the United States”, “The Maquiladora Program”, and others
1981 Co-Sponsored with Instituto de Cultura Hispanica de Corpus Christi a seminar on “Contemporary Mexico”
1982 Seminar with CCSU - “Focus on Central America”
1983 Permanent Scholarship established for Del Mar College, Seminar “Mexico in Crisis”
1984 Annual Seminar with CCSU - “Latin American Turmoil - US Response”
1985 Hosted 42nd Convention of PART of Texas, Dues increased to $20.00
1987 Seminar with CCSU on “Impact of Mexican Immigration to the USA”
1988 Seminar with CCSU on “The International Economy - the Gathering Impact”
1992 $7,700.00 given in scholarships
1993 Participated in PART Texas cookbook “From Texas con Amor” raising over $3,000 for state scholarships
1994 Increased membership limit to 55 active members and dues to $25.00
1996 Increased membership limit to 75 active members
1997 Hosted the 48th PART Texas State Convention, Peggy Clark elected State director
1999 Co-sponsored Pan American Week at the Art Museum of South Texas featuring painting, poetry and dance
2000 PART of Corpus Christi Endowment Fund established
2001 $7,650.00 awarded in scholarships
2003 Geri Rice elected PART State Director
2005 PART - CC celebrates 50th anniversary
2006 Hosted 30th Convention of the Alliance of Pan American Round Tables
Peggy Clark elected as Alliance Director General
Received $10,000 gift from Charlie and Patsy Winn for scholarships $13,000 awarded in scholarships
Texas A&M Corpus Christi Endowment Fund established
2007 Received $15,000 gift from Charlie and Patsy Winn for scholarships $18,000 awarded in scholarships
Hosted Art Museum of South Texas Exhibit Opening: “Cardinales” – multiple artists from all over South America
2008 Received $10,000 gift from Charlie and Patsy Winn for scholarships $27,500 awarded in scholarships and faculty enrichment grants
2009 $11,000 awarded in student scholarships $5,750 awarded in faculty enrichment grants, TAMU-CC Endowment Fund closed
2010 $13,000 awarded in student scholarships
2011 Sarah Jane Wise elected as PART Texas State Director
2015 PART - CC celebrated 60th anniversary
2016 $8,500.00 awarded in scholarships
2017 We have 75 active members and 25 associate members. Dues increased to $35.
2020 March 2020 meeting cancelled due to pandemic lockdown. Meetings resumed via Zoom in September
2021 71 active members, 25 associate members. Meetings continued on the 3rd Tuesday of every month via Zoom.
2022 In person meetings resumed March 2022. We are active on the state and alliance levels.
STATE: PAN AMERICAN ROUND TABLES OF TEXAS (www.partt.org)
ALLIANCE: ALLIANCE OF PAN AMERICAN ROUND TABLES (www.allianzademrp.org)
In 1945, the Pan American Union became the Organization of American States (OAS). In 2001 the Alliance of Pan American Round Tables became a recognized and registered civil society of the OAS.
The round table represents the medieval concepts of a circle with no beginning and no ending, symbolizing unity, perpetuity, equal representation, and opportunity. Our motto is “ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE; UNA PARA TODAS Y TODAS PARA UNA,” penned by Alexander Dumas.
During Mexico’s turbulent political period of 1910 to 1916, Mrs. Griswold opened her home to women and children that were fleeing persecution in Mexico. She became acutely aware of the need for a better understanding among the peoples of the Americas. She envisioned an international organization of women “united in a close and everlasting friendship”.
The movement grew outward from San Antonio with tables formed in Laredo and El Paso in 1921 and Austin in 1922. The first Pan American Round Table outside the United States formed in Mexico City in 1928 and outside of Texas in Las Cruces, New Mexico in 1931.
The local Table in Corpus Christi was formed in 1956. The Corpus Christi Table was host to the 30th Alliance Convention in 2006 where our member, Peggy Clark was elected as Director General of the Alliance. We hosted the PART-Texas State Convention in 1997. A State level scholarship is named after our late member, Melba Dawson.
History Timeline of the Pan American Round Table of Corpus Christi, Texas
1955 Organized December 6, 1955
1957 Chartered by PART Texas and Alliance of PART - 25 active members - dues $10.00
1959 First scholarship awarded to WB Ray High School Senior going to Del Mar College
1961 Increased Membership to 30 active members - dues $10.00
1961 Hosted PART Texas State Convention
1964-66 Co-sponsored showings of Latin American Art with Art Museum of South Texas
1969 Constitution amended to allow for 50 active members
1973 PART Endowment Fund established at Texas A&I -CC with $1,000.00 donation
1976 Dues increased to $15.00, reached 50 active members, 14 associate members
1978 Initiated Faculty Enhancement Grants as part of $2,000.00 scholarship budget
1979 Scholarships awarded in excess of $6,800.00
1980 Established seminars co-sponsored with CC State University on “Politics in Mexico”,
“Immigration and its effect in the United States”, “The Maquiladora Program”, and others
1981 Co-Sponsored with Instituto de Cultura Hispanica de Corpus Christi a seminar on “Contemporary Mexico”
1982 Seminar with CCSU - “Focus on Central America”
1983 Permanent Scholarship established for Del Mar College, Seminar “Mexico in Crisis”
1984 Annual Seminar with CCSU - “Latin American Turmoil - US Response”
1985 Hosted 42nd Convention of PART of Texas, Dues increased to $20.00
1987 Seminar with CCSU on “Impact of Mexican Immigration to the USA”
1988 Seminar with CCSU on “The International Economy - the Gathering Impact”
1992 $7,700.00 given in scholarships
1993 Participated in PART Texas cookbook “From Texas con Amor” raising over $3,000 for state scholarships
1994 Increased membership limit to 55 active members and dues to $25.00
1996 Increased membership limit to 75 active members
1997 Hosted the 48th PART Texas State Convention, Peggy Clark elected State director
1999 Co-sponsored Pan American Week at the Art Museum of South Texas featuring painting, poetry and dance
2000 PART of Corpus Christi Endowment Fund established
2001 $7,650.00 awarded in scholarships
2003 Geri Rice elected PART State Director
2005 PART - CC celebrates 50th anniversary
2006 Hosted 30th Convention of the Alliance of Pan American Round Tables
Peggy Clark elected as Alliance Director General
Received $10,000 gift from Charlie and Patsy Winn for scholarships $13,000 awarded in scholarships
Texas A&M Corpus Christi Endowment Fund established
2007 Received $15,000 gift from Charlie and Patsy Winn for scholarships $18,000 awarded in scholarships
Hosted Art Museum of South Texas Exhibit Opening: “Cardinales” – multiple artists from all over South America
2008 Received $10,000 gift from Charlie and Patsy Winn for scholarships $27,500 awarded in scholarships and faculty enrichment grants
2009 $11,000 awarded in student scholarships $5,750 awarded in faculty enrichment grants, TAMU-CC Endowment Fund closed
2010 $13,000 awarded in student scholarships
2011 Sarah Jane Wise elected as PART Texas State Director
2015 PART - CC celebrated 60th anniversary
2016 $8,500.00 awarded in scholarships
2017 We have 75 active members and 25 associate members. Dues increased to $35.
2020 March 2020 meeting cancelled due to pandemic lockdown. Meetings resumed via Zoom in September
2021 71 active members, 25 associate members. Meetings continued on the 3rd Tuesday of every month via Zoom.
2022 In person meetings resumed March 2022. We are active on the state and alliance levels.
STATE: PAN AMERICAN ROUND TABLES OF TEXAS (www.partt.org)
- There are 18 active tables in the State of Texas and over 1100 active members. State table dues are $6.00 per member and $2.00 per member for the Florence Terry Griswold Scholarship Fund payable to PART-TEXAS State Treasurer no later than December 1st of each year. Each table shall have a minimum of 22 members.
- State conventions are held every two years in odd years. Recent conventions: Laredo 2015, Houston 2017, Ft. Worth 2019, 2021 postponed to be held in McAllen 2022.
- PARTT awards two scholarships every year in memory of its founder: Florence Terry Griswold Scholarship I and Florence Terry Griswold Scholarship II. As funds are available a third scholarship, the Melba Dawson Scholarship may also be awarded. More information is available at their website www.partt.org
ALLIANCE: ALLIANCE OF PAN AMERICAN ROUND TABLES (www.allianzademrp.org)
- The Alliance of Pan American Round Tables was formed in 1944 with representation from 18 tables from the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Cuba. Today there are over 200 Pan American Round Tables in 17 countries and Puerto Rico.
- Alliance table dues are $3.00 per member due by January each year. Dues temporarily suspended during pandemic.
- Alliance Conventions are held every two years in even years. The 2020 convention in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic was cancelled due to Covid but held Nov. 5-6, 2021 virtually.
- Next Alliance convention will be held June 2024 in Cancun, Mexico.
