Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-09

SOuICGS ana CldSSI-
flying for ready reference, one of the
first things the institution did after it
got down to business was to make a
liberal appropriation for the bringing
forth of a handbook of the learned So
cieties and institutions of the world.
The volume relating to the Americas
is the present result The data cover
ing the rest of the world has been gath
cred together, but is not yet ready for
publication.
In all the Americas there are per-
haps 1900 societies which are adding
something to the store of human
knowledge in their respective spheres.
The great majority of these are more
or less local in their nature. In some
of them the terms of membership eligi-
bility are very strict and eXacting, 9TH
ers are practically open to all Corners
who put UP the initiation fee. Forming
a ready guide to the activities of all
these organizations, and directions for
getting in touch with them, the new
handbook places an entirely new field
of information at the disposal of the
ordinary student.
Some of the societies listed have very
specific objects The American Alpine
club is an instance. It's object is the
exploration of high mountain districts
and of polar regions It's membership
is limited to those who have climbed
important mountains, those who have
explored polar tracts, or have contrib
uted something to the worlds knowl-
edge on the subjects in which the club
is primarily interested. It's first studies
will take the form of monographs on
typical mountains of North America.
Perhaps the most widely known of
the learned societies of the United
states is the American Association for
the Advancement of Science. Certain
" it's activities cover wider range
than those of most other such socie-
ties 1t has some thirty other impor-
tant societies affiliated with 1T, and
they all meet with it, usually during
the last week of December. Its object
is to encourage scientific research in
all its branches. and to procure for the
labors of scientific men increased Ia
cilities and wider usefulness
The American Mosquito Extermina-
ton society came into existence in 1903,
and as the name indicates it has gone
after the mosquito hammer and tongs'
It announces it's object as being to
effect by means of education, leg1sla-
ton, cooperation and the Interchange
of ideas the practical determination of
the mosquito in settled communities or
sections. No report of any mosquito
Indignation meeting to protest against
this has yet been received.
Boston has a peculiar club called the
Club of Odd Volumes. It's membership
is limited to forty-one active and five
honorary. 1t has as a main purpose
the collection of old and peculiar books
into library and their occasional eX-
hibition The Acorn club of Connects
cut has the same object with relation
to Connecticut matters. The Wild
Flower Preservation Society of Ameri-
ca lives UP to it's name and seeks to
have such laws passed and enforced as
win properly preserve and protect the
lilies of the field" in their array that
surpass Solomon in all his glory,
The present is pre- eminently an age
of organization. Every person can find
some avenue of society activity be-
tween the Cradle Roll and the Oldest
inhabitants association. 1t is said
that 100000 Americans belong TO one
orrenization or another. Thus about
one out of every three people above
the age of Is is a member of some or.
ganization. A liberal proportion OF