The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-13
OPTICIANS
 IN SESSION Alabama Optical Society
 Held Meeting. E. RUTH NEW PRESIDENT
Convention Finished Its Business
 in One Day.
Matters of Vital Interest to the Trad' Were Discussed in Three sessions Held Throughout Yesterday.
 New oacers Were Elected.

est to the proteSSlons ue tntfu huHudi session of the Alabama Optical Society was celebrated yesterday in the rooms of the Commercial Club.
 Twenty delegates from all parts of the State met in the club rooms at 3 o'clock yesterday morning, and after the formality of making acquaintance ship with each other. the program pre- pared for the occasion was entered upon.
 The meeting was called to order at s:30 o'clock. and a brief and entertain ing address was delivered by Presi- dent E. H. Hobbs of Selma, in well come to the delegates assembled in session.
 In beginning his address. President Hobbs referred in tcrms of pride to the calling in which all present were engaged. The work of the optician Is that of the scientist, he said, and con- stitutes a profession in which expert skili can be of incalculable benefit to the human race. For. declared the speaker. success in any line of endeavor demands essentially. visual accuracy.
 Considering the remarkable growth and influence of the society, and that of the National Association with which it fs affiliated. he stated that the merl- befship of the latter included more than one-third of all of the, opticians in the United States. Without ex- cessive mentality. said President Hobbs in substance. it can be easily foreseen that this organization Is destined to become one of the most powerful in the country. President Hobbs extend- ed thanks on behalf of the society to the Executive Committee through wl1 ose labors the success of the present session was so pronounced.
 Following the Presidents address the reports of the Secretary and com mfttees were read. and routine matters of business were transacted. Then as close to the morning sessioafa John l.. Moore of Atlanta delivered a learned discourse on Optical Education and Opthalmic Optics"
 While much of the address was nec- essariIy highly technical, Dr. Moores ideas on the education of the optician evinced careful consideration of the subject and were most interesting, even to the layman. The field of opti- cal progress was thoroughly reviewed and the wonderful Improvements in methods were emphasized,
 Dr. Moore advocated strongly the establishment of regular and compre- hensfve courses of preparation, for those intending to pursue the practice of optics in the colleges and univer- sfties of the country. and made an earnest appeal to his audience~for the uplifting of the profession. The ad- dress seonstituted an able exposition of the Ideals of practice of optics. After Dr. Moore had concluded his remarks. the meeting adjourned for lunch, until the afternoon session at 3 o'clock.
 Afternoon Session. Shortly after returning from lunch. the delegates repaired to Coleman s studio. where a picture of the assem- blaze was taken. The. formal session was opened at about { o'clock. with an az oh Langley of Sylacauga, on The Anatomy X of Orbital Cavities and Eye-ball With Laws Governing Refraction." / Mir. Langley treated the. subject as- signed to him most ably. With a chart and a skull. in view of the audience, he explained clearly and compreh ensively. the entire structure of the eye. the functions of its component. parts, the diseases of the organ. and methods of treatment The personal experiments of the speaker. performed upon tn eyes of the sheep, were very interest ingly narrated. and he evidenced an originality in research work that at- tracted the admiration of his audience At the conclusion of his remarks, Mir Langley received a high ~ compliment from Dr. Moore and MT Ruth upon the thoroughness and accuracy with which he had covered his subject.
 W. F. Van Arsdel read an enter
 
 Van Arsdel devoted himself mainly tc consideration of the modern "fakir' whose advent into the optical world he declared. had been productive of great harm tO legitimate opticians and especially. to the people at large. He defined the "fakir" as a parasite that wanders from town to town dissent. mating ignorance" and declared that the only qualities necessary in his calling were high sounding titles, glit tongues, and a case of spectacles.
 As a remedy for this evil Mir Var Arsdel suggested high licenses fol travelling opticians" combined with protective legislative enactment. and education of the people in regard tC the requirements of the profession oi optics. He advocated the establish. ment of an examining board. compris. ing five members of the State society before whom candidates be made tc appear before being allowed to enter upon the practice of optics. Mir. Van ArsdePs attitude in this matter re- ceived the endorsement of the dele. gates, and general concurrence in hil views was expressed by different ones The question of "a minimum price. list" was then taken up by A N Mau. menee of Mobile An animated discus. sion ensued. in the course of which fl was made evident that all were in ia.
 
 doubtful as to the advisability of i'm. naediately adopting it. Mir, Langley called attention to the fact that tho people of different localities possessed widely different financial resources. tha living expenses varied greatly in diff ferent sections and that there were thus reasons why the price charged fol the same article should vary Never. theless, he declared himself in favol of the suggestion. but did not thinl that immediate action should be taken A committee was appointed to take thu matter under consideration.
 Because of the unavoidable absence of several speakers whose names ap, p peared on the program, their addresse. were unavailable, and the election ot officers for the ensuing year was made Those elected were as follows: Presi. dent. Hardwick Ruth. Montgomery First Vice President. J H. Finder, Sec ond Vice-P President, W. c. Abbott, both of Birmingham; Secretary, W. F. Weiss. Montgomery. Executive Com nnittee. Chairman. J w Langley. Syl. aeauga A. N. Maumenee. Mobile: w F. Van Arsdale, Anniston. Board of Examiners-Chairman Andrew Brown Florence; Nj E. Butt .Childersburg; H P. Mcdonald Mobile. Membership Committee. Chairman. H. P. Rosenstihl Union Springs; J. H. Finder. Brm- ingham; c. F. Cross, Gadsden. Leg