Evening star., 1895-03-02
IN QUEST OF TRUTH
The Various Scientific Societies of Wash
ington.
Savants Who Brood Over Problems
In Chemistry, Philosophy, En-
tom0logy and the Like.

Washington is the home Of q large num-
Der of scientific societies, the membership
| of which includes some Of the best known
scientists in this country. The directory
OF these societies just issued comprises the
lsAnthropological. Biological. Chemical. En-
tomological. Geological. National Geograph-
ic and Philosophical societies. having a to-
tai membership Of 1.60e. divided as follows:
Anthropological. 191: Biological. 1874; Chem
ical. 1O1; chronological, "a; Geographic.
778 (resident); Geological. 156; Philosophi-
cal. 2l5 There are many. Of course. who
are members Of two or more societies, 80
the total number OF persons represented in
this total membership is but 1.294. OF this
number, I0T4 are residents Of Washington.
The Philosophical Society is the oldest Of
the number. having been organized March
OF views on scientific subjects and the pro-
motion Of scientific inquiry among its mem-
bers. There were forty-four original men,
bers. The present membership is 215 class
ed as IA active or resident, and Il nom
resident. The regular meetings Of the so
ciety are held on alternate Saturdays, from
October to May. 1t has mathematical
section, which meets on Wednesdays at ir-
regular intervals. This section was organ
ized on March %. 1888. The officers of the
society, are: President. w. H. Dali: vice
Marcus Baker and Lester F. Ward; treas
urer. w: A. DeCaindry: secretaries. B. R.
Green and w. c. Winlock.
The AnthropOlogical Society.
The next oldest of the societies is the
Anthropological Society. organized Febru-
ary II, 1879 It's objects are to encourage
the study Of the natural history Of man.
especially with reference to America
There were seventeen original members
The present membership is 24S. classed as
6 life. 1S5 active, "a corresponding and q
y Drr tfvnapp 1n16
the first and third Tuesdays Of each month
from November to. May. The officers are:
President, J. w. Powell: vice presidents.
Frank Baker, L. F. Ward. w. J. McGee
r. Stetson; secretary to board Of manag-
ers. Weston Flint; treasurer. p. B. Pierce;
curator, F. w. Hodge; councillors, J. H.
Blodgett. ]. H. Mccormick. D. 8. Lamb. G.
NJ. Sternberg, J. D. Mcclure and Thomas
Wilson.
The Biological Society was organized De-
cember 3. 1880. to encourage the study OF
the biological sciences and to hold meet
ings at which papers shall be read and dis
cussed. There were forty-five original
members. The present membership is III,
classed as 134 active and 81 corresponding
members. Its officers are: President, Geo.
NJ. Sternberg; vice presidents. L. o. How
ard. Richard Rathbun, B. E. Fernow and
c. D. Walcott; recording secretary. NJ. B.
Waite: corresponding secretary. F. A. Lu-
cas-; treasurer, F. H. Knowlton; councillors,
Theobald Smith and E. w. True.
The Chemical Society.
The Chemical Society was organized Jam
uary 81, 1884, for the cultivation of chemi-
cal science, pure and applied. On Decem-
ber IA, 1893. 1t adopted a revised constitu-
ton. whereby 1t became the Washington
section Of the American Chemical Society.
1t has a membership of 1O1. Its officers
are: President, Chas. E. Munroe; vice pres
S@t,
nitz; treasurer, w. P. Cutter: secretary, A.
c. Peale; executive committee the forego-
Ing officers and F. w. Clarke. F. P. Dewey,
w. H. Seaman. H. w. Wiley.
The Entomological Society, organized
February %. 1884. has q membership of
126. Meetings are held on the first Thurs
day Of each month from October to June.
The officers are: President. William H.
Ashmead; vice presidents, Theodore Gill
and c. L. Marlatt: recording secretary, L.
o. Howard; corresponding secretary, Frank
Benton; treasurer, E. A. Swartz: execu-
tive committee, the foregoing and B. E.
Fernow and c. v. Riley.
The Geological Society. which was form
ed February 25 1893. has a membership
of 156 and holds meetings on the second
Wednesday of each month from October
to May. Its officers are as follows: Presi-
dent. g. K Gilbert; vice presidents, S. F.
Emmons and J. S. Diller: treasurer, Ar
mold Hague; secretaries Whitman Cross
and c. w. Hayes; members-at-large Of the
council. q. F. Becker. r. T. Hill. G. P.
Merrill, c. D. Walcott and Bailey Willis.
The Geographic Society.
The National Geographic Society. organ
lied January "a. 1885, has a membership
OF ]. .1O1, being therefore the largest numeri-
cally in the city. Regular meetings are
held on alternate Fridays from November
to May. Special meetings and public lee
lures are also held at various times. The
officers are: President. Gardiner G. Hub
bard: vice presidents, George w. Melville,
A. w. Greedy. c. Hart Merriam. W. b.
Powell and Henry Gannett; treasurer, C. j.
Bell; recording secretary, Everett Hayden;
corresponding secretary, Eliza r. Scidmore;
managers, Marcus Baker, H. +. Blount,
G. K. Gilbert, Everett Hayden. John Hyde,
w. ]. MCGEE. F. H. Newell and Edwin
Willis.