Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-07-07
The Washington scientific Societies.

Prom Science.
A Few years ago the Scientific Club was the only
organization OF that character In Washington. II
met fortnightly at the houses Of its members, Ii
eneo 70 the reading OF papers, and closed with a
EQUATION. II had many very interesting meetings,
at which important papers were read; but the
zeaL OF us members was not great as its organ
zers nad hoped for. The reason for this seemed
sog,o enH; nearly all the scientific men In WASH
ls eou oeing specialists, they were greatly inter-
esteo oniJ In those lines OF inquiry In which they
were "a mselves engaged, and in such Others as
were directly or remotely related to them But
the papers at any gwen meeting Of the scientific
1iuo mlghs interest only very few OF
~, ,nos =, VINO were present. There was no way
W ~ tne subjects TO the audience, or vice
versa, where both were so diversified. It was
therefore thought best to have specialized societies
msda he o. one general one, and beginning was
nIaue Ny the organization OF the Philosophical
society. IL met fortn1ghIly, as the Scientific Club
nad done, but In Nall instead OF at private
meetings were well attended, the entire time was
occupied with valuable and interesting papers,
anu anu tne zeal o: the members grew instead OF
diminishing. The Philosophical Society In due
tlme carried the idea OF specialization q step
iarther, and organized a mathematical section at
a Wnose meetings papers upon pure and the more
aostruce mathematics and its applications were
presented instead OF IN the meetings OF the full
sSciety There Is no lacS of material for
tne fortnghtly meetings Of this section, or
Inc next OF the Washington scientific societies
70 pe organized was the AnthropologIcal The al
Cal remains that were being discovered and COL
ocJeu Tor Preservation the successful work OF the
bureau OF ethnology, and the labor Of Classifying,
arranging, and discussing the collections, caused
the employment OF great number OF scientific
men In different branches OF anthropOlogy, and
they formed a society for the discussion or these
topics. 1t has been as successful as its less spec
laiized predecessor, the Philosophical society.
There is never any lack OF interest," or any DIM
Guilty In securing suf1ic1ent pap"rS TO I'LL up In
Their reading the full two hours that the society Is
IN session on every alternate wednesday evening
For like reasons, and attended with an equal
measure OF success, the Biological Society, the
Shenlcal society, and the Geographic Society
have been organized. The last-named, although
the youngest, already has more than two hundred.
members, and all vi It's meetings during the past
season have been successful ones. Mr.. Gardiner q.
HUBBARD Is the president OF it.
When the Philosophical society was formed, the
social element, which had been one OF the attract
i've features Of the old Washington Scientific Club,
disappeared. The meetings being held In hall
Instead OF In private residences, and the entire
time Of the meetings being occupied with the
reading or papers, the members found that they
had very little opportunity TO become acquainted
win each other; and So In order that the social
advantages might not be lost, the Cosmos club
was formed. 1t began in a modest way, taking
rooms In an upper story OF the COrcoran Building,
ana furnishing them comfortably and tastefully,
but not extensively. There were reading, writing,
smoking billiard, and card rooms; the first sup
piled with the leading daily and weekly
papers OF this country, and with the
prlnepai magAznes land, and periodical scientific
The Initiation fees and annual dues were moder-
ate, and the Cosmos club f1Ourished from the be-
ginning. 1t is now established in its own house in
one of the most central and beautiful locations in
Washington, and Is the resort or the scientific men
In washington. once month"; during the winter, a
loan exhibition OF paintings, objects illustrating
some branch OF SCIENCE fine scientific instruments,
curOS or bric-abrac Is prepared IN the clubhouse
Some OF those OF the past season have been exceed
lngy interesting and Instructive. The privileges
or The club are extended 10 all scientific and liter
airy men from distance who visit Washingt on;
and one meets there during the season, besides
the members, scores OF people one likes to know.
Two or three years ago the Cosmos Club eX-
tended Its house by adding line assembly hail.
and In this tine several Scientlr1c societies hold
their meetings without expense for rent, &C. Al
though this hall communicates directly with the
CLUB apartments, and, when not occupied by one
an Independent entrance from the street.
The Washington scientific societies have, until
the past season, published nothing but their pro-
ceedlngs, Including the brieTest abstracts OF the
papers presented; but last iall the AnthrOpoogical
Society began The issue OF a quarterly, In which
have appeared some or The most important papers
read before the society, printed In lull. The Bio
logical and Chemical societies have concluded TO
begin similar publications next season, and the
others Will probably follow their examples at an
early date. The entire scientific community In
washington has been interested In the abstracts
OF the more important papers read in the meet
lngs OF these societies that have appeared in
Science during the past few months.
The three older societies established two years
ago the free courses OF popular scientific lectures
that are given In the auditorium or the National
Museum on Saturday afternoons during the winter
and spring. They have been successful and
thronged from the beginning. and were noticed
edllor1ally In Science recently.
The coming decade is TO be the seed time OF
scieuce In Washington. The material for study
comes pouring into the scientific bureaus like q
Hood, more rapidly than 1t can Dr. handled Con-
greSS Is disposed 10 be liberal In granting money
Tor this WORK, having confidence that IL Is wisely
and economically done In certain branches there
lar better and more abundant material for study
imam elsewhere In the country-as good, indeed, as
there Is In the wOrld-and the Washington scien-
tc societies promise TO do their full share in CIV
ing 10 the world some knowledge OF our scientific
treasures and what they teach.