New-York tribune., 1906-06-27
SCIENCE At ITHACA.

The American Association for the Advance
ment of Science has initiated a new practice.
Formerly it held only meeting year. This
usually occurred in August, but the time was
afterward changed to the week following Christ
mas. 1t is now about to try the experiment of
having two meetings every twelve months. OF
those appointed for 1906 one will be held in this
city next winter. The other opens in Ithaca to-
morrow and closes on Tuesday, July 3.
In the United States the organization which
in smallness excusiveness and standards of
membership corresponds to the Royal Society in
England is the American Academy of Science
Both countries, however, have bodies which are
more popular in character. To the British and
American Associations for the Advancement of
Science amateurs as we'll as professional scien-
lists can gain admission. Moreover, it has
usually been considered good policy on both sides
of the Atlantic to offer special inducements TO
the former to attend the meetings. These are
never held twice in succession in the same city,
Hence, when there has been chance to choose
the preference has been given to a place pos
sessing natural, architectural or historic attrac
tions
Now, it is easier to tempt most people with
such charms in summer than in winter because
the charms are more conspicuous then and access
to them more comfortable and convenient. For
this reason, since the American association began
to hold its meetings in December something has
been necessarily sacrificed The sessions were
devoted TO little except business. BY providing
for an additional meeting in summer it is rem
dered practicable TO recur at least once a year
to the old system. We believe that the step is
a wise one Inasmuch as several of the affiliated
societies which have been accustomed TO meet
i'll the same place and at the same time as the
American association prefer winter to summer
December will probably never be given up. Yet
a meeting in warm weather will strengthen the
! ties which hold many of its members to the
organization. We sincerely hope that the ex-
perience of the next few days will encourage
! persistence in the policy.
! The association is fortunate in having received
| an invitation to visit Ithaca. The place is suf-
! hciently central 10 draw members from the more
densely populated part of the country-that ly-
| ing east of the Mississippi. 1t Is the site of a
comparatively young but prosperous university,
and social life there is more largely dominated
! by college influences than in a larger CITY,
Again, Ithaca possesses great natural beauty.
1t is at the head OF one of that remarkable
group of finger lakes for which Central New
York is famous, and it occupies position rela-
| tive TO one Of them corresponding to that which
! Watkins does 10 another. Exploration of the
! surrounding region will handsomely repay not
only the geoogist and botanist but any one
who appreciates scenic loveliness.
Though the complete programme of the coming
meeting has not yet been issued, there is ample
evidence that 1t will be full of interest DIR. W.
| III. Welch, of Baltimore, one of the leading anat-
omists of the country, will preside and addresses
of welcome will be made by President Schur-
man and ex-President White OF Cornell Univer-
sity. On four successive evenings popular ect-