1964–1969; Reforms Continued, the Astronomer’s Handbook, Prague 1967, and the 50th Anniversary

Abstract

Restructuring of the IAU, as the reader will have noticed, was a recurrent theme to worry about for General Secretaries and Executive Committees. And naturally so, for the growing Union had to adapt itself continuously to new size and circumstances; it does so up to the day this history is written. But some Secretaries were more reform-minded than others. One, to whom it had a special appeal was Donald Sadler, who had so firmly handled the Union’s affairs in the years 1958–1964. We are, therefore, not surprised to see him in involved in a new effort after 1964, when he had become a consultant member of the Executive Committee. In the EC meeting of September 1965, Sadler’s successor Pecker pointed out that functions and structure were a topic to be re-examined by each new Executive Committee, and he presented preliminary proposals drawn up on the basis of suggestions made by Sadler in July, 1965.