Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-13
PERTAINING TO MAN
THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY
NINTH MEET OF SOCIETY.
A Paper by Prof. Otis T. Mason Read
Before Local Anthro-
biologists.

The Anthropological Society of Washing
ton held Tuesday evening at the Cosmos
Club the eleventh of the thirteen meetings
appointed fer each season, 1t being the 3S9th
session of the organization. The society
is one of the oldest in the District of CO.
lumbia and one of the first of its kind in
the world to be founded.
AT the opening of the meeting DR.. George
NJ kober, president. and DIR. Walter Hough
secretary, occupied their respective chairs
and the secretary called attention to a con-
vention to be held in Quebec in September.
1906, of the International Society of Ameri-
caEists. to which two delegates from the
Antbropologieal Society will be sent. \ res
olution was adopted setting forth That the
Anthropological Society approves the pro-
posal to hold international conference
of experts In phonetics for the purpose of
considering a uniform method of graphic
representation of the sounds of speech .
A paper by Prof. Otis 7. Mason head
curator of anthropology in the National Mu-
scum, entitled "Anthropology in the Dis
trict of Columbia" was read by DR.. Walter
Hough, the secretary.
Prof. Mason opened his dissertation with
the statement that the term anthropology
will be taken to mean the scientific study
of man and of his works, the whole science
of man.
1.-The District of Columbia he continued
twas from long ago nursery of science,
and a somewhat special environment, cut
off by the Great Falls of the Potomac, the
mountains west and the waterways to the
north and south 1t has been since its
establishment as the seat of government a
laboratory of cWture-history, a training
ground or nursery for municipal and ma
tional government, and an experiment sta
ton for testing new ideas. Washington at
this moment is living museum of anthro-
poiogy, he declared
Century of Progress.
The paper was narrative of a century
of progress in the study OF man in the
national capital. DR.. Mason stated that
"anthropologists will be found anon g
Presidents and cabinet officers, in the army
and navy. in the patent office and the
census, In the national legislature, in the
diplomatic service, in the Indian office, In
the government surveys devoted TO one
branch of science or another, but all gladly
laying their best gifts on the altar Of the
science OF sciences.
The paper divided the progressive periods
into ten decades, beginning with the cen
fury in 1900 and marking thus, in success
sive years and In wealth. of detail, the
great and inspiring work that has been
accomplished by the clearest intellects that
this country has produced. This collection
of strikingly valuable data included lists OF
the various institutions and instrumental
ties that have contributed during the CEN
fury to the advance of science in all lines
flization in every branch of human thought
and endeavor. Historical data concerning
the organization. purpose and results in eff
fective work of various institutions in the
District wac given at length. In this His
tory of Anthropology'' Prof. Mason gave
account of the work done in the District of
Columbia up to 1906.
Widening Opportunities.
Prof. Mason closed his paper as follows:
1T is for our society to continue to line
up with new and widening opportunities
to give to the word anthropology its broad
est possible meaning and to continue to
develop a cooperative liberalism that will
put the labors of each at the service OF
ALL
After the re aiding of Prof. Mason's paper
Prof W. III. Holmes moved that the So
ciety express its high appreciation thereof
and its regret that the author could not be
present. The motion was carried unani-
moUsly.
Next DIR. Max West read paper on
THE Interrelation of the Sciences With
Special Reference to the Classification OF
Social Science" and during the discussion
following the reading of his paper. illus
trated by means of a diagram on the black
board, the interdependence of the sciences
This paper created considerable and favor
bic discussion.
1t was announced that there VIII be two
more meetings of the society during the
present season.