The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-27
ORGANIZED IN YEAR 1883
To Stimulate the Spirit of Scientific
Research in N. C.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO sClfrTIc JOURNALS
DR.. 7. P. VensbIe Was the First President Of
the Society. Public Lectures Given at
Stated Intervals Throughout
Each Year.

6acn rear.
To the Editor: Since rapid and signi-
ficant progress in the field of the natural
sciences is a prominent characteristic
of the present day, it may not be out of
place to offer a few notes concerning a
scientific society. In the hope that it
may be Of interest to the reading public
a short account is given below of such a
society having it's home here in our own
State.
In the fall of 1883 there was organized
at the University of North Carolina what
has ever since that time been known as
the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society.
The movement which resulted in this
organization was set going by three or
four members of the University faculty.
The aims of the Mitchell Society and
of its founders were to arouse in North
Carolina an increase of interest in
scientific work, to stimulate the spirit
of scientific research, and to lend en-
couragement and support to men engaged
in the work of advancing the knowledge
of our State and it's resources. How
well these aims have been realized will
be seen. 1t was thought to be fitting and
appropriate that a society for the pro-
motion of science should bear the name
of one of the States earliest and ablest
scientists. Therefore this society was
named for the Rev. Elisha Mitchell, d.
d., who for many years was professor of
chemistry, geology and mineralogy in the
lTniu rrif ha &c xroi 10
making Investigations in the interest of
science among the mountains of Western
North Carolina in 1857.
On the twenty-fourth of September,
1888 the Mitchell Society held it's first
meeting, and the following members of
the University faculty were elected as
its first officers: DR.. F. p. Venable,
then professor of chemistry, was chosen
president: Prof. ]. A. Holmes, then pro-
fessor of geology, was made vice presi-
dent, and Prof. j. w. Gore, professor OF
physics. was elected secretary and treas
urer. These men held office for a year.
Later on, however, offices in the Mitch
ell Society were frequently held by
scientists living away from Chapel Hill.
During the first years of it's existence
the membership of the society was made
up of the students and the teachers in
the science departments of the Univer-
sity, and of the teachers of science and
others interested in science throughout
the State. Besides these there were also
members from among the scientists OF
other States, with an occasional CORE
spending member in countries outside the
United States.
From the very first the Mitchell So
ciety was given the most encouraging
recognition by scientists throughout Am
erica, and, as already indicated in men
tioning the membership, the character
of the work done was such as soon to at
tract the attention of specialists in other
lands. An idea of the kind of work the
society has engaged in may be gathered
from what follows.
The constitution of the society makes
provision for one meeting in each month
of the college year, and this provision
has been closely followed. At these
cussed on original Investigate ons, made
by members, in the various branches OF
science; lectures on subjects interesting
to scientists are delivered; brief biog-
raphies of distinguished scientific men
are sometimes read; and reports are
made as to progress in the different
fields of science. 1t is worthy of men,
ton in this connection, too that it was
the plan of the founders of the Mitchell
Society to have a series of public lee
lures delivered under its auspices at the
University each year. In accordance
with this plan there were four public
lectures in the college year of 18S45.
The lecturers on these occasions were
Drs. Venable and Winston, of the Uni
versity; DR.. Thos. T. Wood, of Will
mington. and Prof. ]. HI. Gore, of Wash
ington, ID. c. These lectures, though for
the most part scientific in character, were
of such form as to make them thorough
ly appreciated by the members OF the
University and the citizens of the town,
as was attested by their attendance
upon the series. The system thus inau-
gurated soon grew into course of pub
lie lectures given at regular stated in
tervals throughout each year. These
lectures were from members of the Uni
versity faculty and other prominent men
throughout the State. Under the stimu-
lus thus afforded, moreover, other edu-
cational institutions in this and other
States were led to establish similar lee
ture courses.
In 1888 the Mitchell Society had on it's
list of regular members ffty-two names
in addition to the membership at the
University. 1t was the case, however,
that during the five years bringing the
life of the Society up to this period but
few papers had been presented by that
part of the membership outside of the
University. And from this time on the
outside membership grew smaller and
smaller still, until at present the men,
bership is practically limited to teachers
and students in science in the Univer-
sity. 1t must not be thought, however,
that this waving of outside participation
lis an indication that the society has not
been making good progress all the while.
The cause of this falling off in member
ship the writer does not know. Without
attempting to settle that question, 1T is
sufficient to say that the society has
continued in active and vigorous exist
ence during eighteen years, and it is to