Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07
THE GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY.
BY Frederic J. Haskin.

l III eO~OS -
The National Geographic Society is ar
ranging to hold its annual banquet In
Washington Friday, January 70. Alex
ander Graham Bell, inventor Of the tele-
phone and a former president of the So
ciety. will be POSTMASTER. The banquet
will be attended by members of the So
ciety from every part OF the United
States. This organization is the largest
scientific association In America. II not.
indeed. In the world. It has a member
ship Of over 100000. and this membership
represents the highest type Of American
intellectually and citizenship. Practical
| " every city in the land has from
dozen to many hundred members, al
though Washington has a greater rep
resentation in the society than any other
city. This is because Of the fact that
nearly every prominent official of the gov
eminent in Washington belongs to the
National Geographic Society.
The membership dues of the National
|! Geographic Society are 81 a year, with
no entrance fee. All members receive
| the magazine and maps published by
the organization without extra charge
The magazine Is the most wonderfully
4
| lection of the modern camera, travellers
from every corner of the globe contribute
| rare illustrations for its pages. In
single issue published not long ago thirty
nine pictures in TOUR coiors were useu
Illustrating an article on China and
Korea, a greater number OF colored pic
lures than were ever used before by any
magazine. In another, thirty-four SUCH
pictures we're used. During recent months
| it has carried articles on the Panama
canal, with forty-eight Illustrations: Mex
lico, with fifty-four illustrations. and
India, with sixty pictures of the people
and the marvellous temples of India.
Many school authorities have found
the National Geographic Magazine a
great aid in
Magazine An Aid their endeav-
In Geography Study. human inter
est to the study of geography. Even
the students of Japan make use of it,
the head Of the University of Toxic
being one Of those who find 1t the
worlds best FIRST aid" for a anguish
ing interest in geographic studies. AS
the magazine goes with membership in
the society. it will be seen that the
work Of the organization is appreciated
in the orient as we'll as in the occi-
dent.
The magazine Of the society is prac-
tically cumulative record OF the
the famous explorers and discoveries
Of today make 1t the forum in which
to announce their contributions to geo.
graphic information Director Gilbert
H Grosvenor is the editor Of The maya
zine, and John Oliver La GORGE assist
ant editor.
The National Geographic Society was
organized In 1888 for the increase and
diffusion Of geographic knowledge
This feature Of it's charter makes its
that of the Smithsonian institution
covers the field Of knowledge. In its
efforts to carry out the purpose of the
society, as expressed In It's cnarter nVe
is the publication Of maps. books and
the magazine, which contains about
thirteen hundred pages year. All
receipts from its publications are In
vested in the magazine. or are expend-
ed directly to promote geographic
The second phase of its work in
carrying out the purpose Of it's incor-
poration is
Many Eminent Men the holding
Have Been Lecturers. uua, series
of lectures in Washington. These ad
dresses are given by the foremost
workers in the realm Of science. Dur
ing past years the speakers have in
cluded President Taft, former Presi-
Ernest H Shackleton the south pole
L he
.coverer of the north pole.
In the course Of lectures DIR. InaZu
Nitobe of the. University OF Toxic will
tell what the Japanese have done foi
FOrmesa. DR.. Harvey w. Wiley Will tell
the story of what the world is ted; 0.
P. Austin will tell the story of the oceans
and their inhabitants; DR.. Mitchell Car
rol. secretary of the Archaeological lnsti-
tute of America. will make an importa
contribution to archaeological information
DR. L. o. Howard will bring up to da e
the worlds Information on an ANNA.
which he calls. Mans Deadliest Foe
the fly.
1t is fitting that the course Of lectures
for the year will be concluded with the
fly lecture, for it was the original Ill s.
trations published in the National Geo
graphic Magazine that led to the present
nationwide crusade against this filthy
little germ-carrier. The now famous mi
cro-photograph of a fy's head. shown
its two compound eyes covered VITA
thousands of lenses, its three simple
eyes, looking like small black buttons
on the top Of the head, and its "peac OK
feathered' feelers. has been one of e
most widely used photographs ever pdb-
lished here and abroad. and was pro
duced for the National Geographic So
ciety after three years of experiment.
eliminating in the invention of special
camera for such work
In the encouragement of geographic
science and exploration the society
grants such
Society Supports financiaiaid
Discovery Expeditions. sources viii
! permit. 1t is now supporting thorough
investigation into glacial conditions in
Alaska 1t Is expected that the results
of this investigation will constitute one
Of the most valuable contributions that
has ever been made concerning the g!a-
ciaI age Of the world. In 1902 the socie-
| t. sent an expedition to Mount Pelea
| and La Souffriere to study the terrible
eruptions of these volcanoes. 1t has as
sisted various arctic expeditions. notably
| the last one of Commander Peary. 1t
| also sent trained geologist to Italy 10
investigate the Messina earthquake. II e
,tnx,- ,atva taf l.