Tribute to Federigo Melis

              A TRIBUTE TO FEDERIGO MELIS
The many scholarly works of the late Professor Federigo Metis are perhaps not as well known in the English speaking world as on the Continent. This special tribute, reflecting the combined skills of three outstanding accounting historians, Dean Emeritus S. Paul Garner, The University of Alabama, Professor Giovanni Padroni, University of Pisa, and Professor Alvaro Martinelli, Appalachian State University, affords students of accounting history an opportunity to become acquainted with the accomplishments of a profound talent. We express our appreciation to the contributors and trust our members will find this feature useful. Ed.
PART I
The Melis Testimonial by S. Paul Garner*
Through the courtesy of Professor Dr. Egidio Giannessi of the In-stituto di Richerche, Aziendali, in Pisa, Italy, and Professor Giovanni Padroni, also of Pisa, I recently received from the Mayor of the Com-mune of Monte Carlo, the Honorable Ilio Spadoni, a copy of a most attractive illustrated booklet, published in 1975, presenting the papers and tributes made on behalf of the late Federigo Melis, a professor for many years in several Italian universities, who had a keen interest in accounting history, culminating in the publication in the 1950's of his great volume on accounting history.
The little town of Monte Carlo is located near Lucca, which in turn is near Pisa, and there is an aerial photograph of the town in the 83-page attractively printed memorial volume which was issued as a testimonial to the late Professor Melis, since the latter had been to their town many times during his life. Obviously, Professor Melis was held in high regard by the citizens of Monte Carlo, as indicated by the several tributes printed in the volume, and by the effort made by the editors of the volume to obtain special materials relating to the work and scholarship of Professor Melis.
There are six parts in the testimonial volume, including several pages written by Gino Arrigho, which starts off by stating that "by publishing this volume the government of the town of Monte Carlo, with its Mayor, intends to render a testimonial of the esteem and affection toward an illustrious master who maintained relations with this beautiful land (place), both in his study and warm friendship."*
*l am indebted to Dr. Elizabeth Bibb of the Department of Romance Languages, University of Alabama, for assistance in the translation from the Italian.