Mid-Atlantic

The Mid-Atlantic Association of Language Laboratory Directors was originally an informal assemblage in the early 80's of language laboratory directors in the region who met once or twice a year to provide moral and professional support to each other during a time when many of their institutions were expanding in this area. They took turns meeting from time to time at each of the institutions they represented, reviewing proposals for new centers and equipment, touring new facilities, and reviewing staff problems and administrative conflicts. Then they would go out to dinner for the joy of socializing. According to Jackie Tanner, who is currently Director of Academic Computing at Colby College, "I would have to say that this group had a very positive impact on my activities and professional growth. We probably met for almost four years before others joined us on a regular basis." Donald Clark, one of the early members of the group, reminisces, "I do recall that [Jackie] had baptized our local group as B-WILD (Baltimore-Washington Instructional Lab Directors) just prior to [her] departure for South Carolina in the early nineties. We still use the term B-WILD for our local group as B-WILD for our FIPSE grant consortium!"