History

     The history of the Instituto Cultural Mexicano Norteamericano dates back to 1949, when the United States Information Service was first established in the city of Guadalajara.  On august 25th of the same year, the Benjamin Franklin Library was opened in the presence of Jalisco Governor Jesus González Gallo, the United States Ambassador Walter Thurston and the American Consul General in Guadalajara Richard A. Johnson. Due to a serious interest in teaching the English language in our city, the President of the University of Guadalajara, Jorge Matute Remus, provided a room next to the library on Vallarta and Tolsa, to the Cultural Attaché of the American Consulate DeWitt Stora to start English classes.  To begin a successful English Program, Miss Vera G. Mitchell, member of the American Society of Jalisco, undertook a qualifying course in the teaching of the language in Mexico City at the Instituto Mexicano Norteamericano de Relaciones Culturales, Miss Mitchell, in turn, qualified a group of local teacher in a new technique called “ORAL APROACH” of phonetic learning developed by doctors Fries and Marquart of the University of Michigan and then started teaching English on September 5th, 1949.  The demand for registration was so high that Mr. DeWitt Stora had to ask University officials for more rooms for classes.  The Instituto Cultural Mexicano Norteamericano opened in formally on September 5th, 1949, with Miss Vera G. Mitchell as first Director.  On December 17th of the same year, the first Graduation Dance took place.  English courses continued with a lot of success.  In February of 1950, the Institute sponsored a photography contest. Then, in march, we offered the first Recital with the American baritone Richard Harvey accompanied by the local Pianist Aurea Corona.  The event was presented in the University of Guadalajara Auditorium.  Thus begins the tradition of the Institute promoting and sponsoring cultural, social and scientific activities between Mexico and the United States.  A group of people interested in establishing a Bicultural Institution gathered in an Assembly on march 30th, 1950 to name its first Board of Directors and organize the social work done since its foundation.  The Assembly elected Mr. Juan Simon Maldonado as President and Mr. Enrique Ortiz Parra as Secretary.  On December 28th of the same year, several personalities of our local community founded the Instituto Cultural Mexicano Norteamericano de Jalisco, with legal representation.  Among the founders were Jorge Matute Remus, President of the University of Guadalajara; Richard A. Johnson, Consul General of the United States of America; DeWitt L. Stora, Cultural Attaché  at the Consulate; Mr. Brooks Merrit, President of the American Society of Jalisco; Mr. Leopoldo Orendain, Luis Gonzalez Hermosillo, Piers M. Williams, Anne Brown de Hoff and Mario Bauche Garciadiego.