Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-22
PROMOTION OF SCIENCE
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION T
MEET HERE NEXT WEEK.
Objects Of the Organization and the
Work It Has Accomplished
Its Early History.

washington Will next week be the mecca
Of the scientists and scholars Of America,
the American Association for the Advance
ment of Science having arranged to hold
it's fifty-second meeting here from Decem-
Der 90 1902. to January 3, 1903. This meet
ing is expected to be one Of the largest and
most important in the history Of the asso-
citation. The capital Of the United States
has steadily forged ahead in its reputation
as scientific center until 1t now stands
the first.
The position which the city has won as
the center of scientific work and thought
is largely due. it is declared. to the policy
of the late Maj. J: w. Powell When he
was at the head of the United States geo.
logical survey he established the principle
that nothing was too good for the national
service. If the government needed a man
for scientific work in any of its depart
ments 4. was not, in his opinion, sufficient
to get good one, but every effort was
made to obtain the best man for the posi-
ton: so that now there are many in charge
of the scientific bureaus in this city who
are the recognized authorities in their re-
spective lines, not only in the United
States, but in Europe. The American Asso-
citation for the Advancement of Science is
we'll represented in Washington, where 2i3,
or per cent of the total membership of
3474 reside.
The first article of the constitution of the
association says: The objects Of the asso-
Citations are, by periodical and migratory
meetings, to promote intercourse between
those who are cultivating science in differ
ent parts of America, to give stronger
and more general impulse and more sys-
tematic direction to scientific research, and
to procure for the labors of scientific men
increa sed facilities and wider usefulness.
These objects, it is said, have been studious-
ly pursued. and of the work accomplished
the late Prof John S. Newberry. president
of this society in 1857, said:
of science in the United States. It's inf1u-
ence has been incalculable. 1t mas met
in all the principal cities, east and west,
and has left behind it an influence which
has been powerful and permanent. Schools,
colleges. geological surveys have sprung
up in it's track as the flowers bloom in the
path Of spring.
Thousands of valuable and interesting
papers have been read at it's meetings, at
which many of the most important discov-
cries of the scientists of this country have
been announced to the world for the first
time.
Early History of the Association.
The early history of the association was
concisely told by DR.. Marcus Benjamin OF
the United States National Museum, in
magazine article, a decade ago, from which
data have been freely borrowed.
April 2. 1910. in the rooms of the Frank
lin Institute, in Philadelphia, twenty-five
ton of American Biologists, with Edward
Hitchcock, president of Amherst College, as
chairman. At the third meeting, in 1912,
when the membership had increased to
Seyenty-SeYen, the name was changed 10
the Association Of American Biologists and
Naturalists. At the eighth meeting. In
1o47 1t was decided to widen the field or
work of the society. and admit as members
those who were interested IN any OF the
branches Of scientific study and research,
and as the American Association for the
Advancement of Science. with 461 members,
the first meeting was held in Philadelphia
on September 70, 1S4S.
The new constitution provided for the
subdivision of the association into sections,
with section A devoted to mathematics and
astronomy, and section B to natural his
tory. Within few years section Z, de-
voted to chemistry, was added to the list.
There are now ten sections in the associa
ton, covering the following subjects: A,
mathematics and astronomy; b, physics;
c., chemistry; D, mechanical science and
engineering; E, geology and geography; F,
social and economic science, and K, physi-
ology and experimental medicine.
The parent association had held its fifth
meeting in Washington in 1874, but the
present association assembled in this city
for the first time at its eighth meeting. on
April 26. 1854. when the number of mem
bers was 1.004, the largest of any year
until 1879 when it reached 1,O3O, and it has
last given. There were no meetings from
1860 until 1866, and the next gathering in
Washington was at the fortieth meeting on
August 10. 1891. when the association had
a membership of 2G54.
Under the presidency of Prof Joseph
Lowering the association was incorpora ted
by an act passed by the general court of
Massachusetts, and approved by Governor
w. B. Washburn March 10, 1874.
The Changes Noted.
Among the changes following this action
were the establishment of three new sec
lions and the appointment of two vice pres
idents, who. with the chairmen of the Sec
lions, delivered retiring addresses before
their respective sections. Now each of the
ten sections has a vice president at it's
head.
In addition to the subdivision of the asso-
citation into sections, the members have
formed a number of special or affiliated
societies, as they are called, which meet at
the same time as the association. Those
now represented in the council of the asso-
citation are the American Chemical Society,"
the Geological Society of America the Bo-
tanical Society Of America, the Society for
the Promotion of Agricultural Science the
American Mfcroscopical Society, the Amer
lean Psychological Association, the Amer
lean Society of Naturalists, the Association
of Economic EntOmologists and the Amer
lean Anthropological Association. Others of
these affiliated societies are the American
Folklore Society, the Society for the Pro-
motion of Engineering Education, the
American Physical Society and the Ma
tional Geographic Society.
Before the time for the assembage of
these scientists the committees in charge
of the preparations for the meeting will
arrange the daily programs and select such
excursions and other entertainments as
they think will add the most to the pleasure
and entertainment of the visitors to the
1nct hoo ff,r1 md int