The Washington times., 1914-05-07
'ELLS OF GROWTH OF
GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
rom Membership of 200 in
1883. 1t Has Grown to
281,556.

From membership of less than 2IO
utside OF Washington, at its start, TO
Iore than a thousand times that many
the report of progress Of the Ma
onal Geographic Society. according to
ne figures given out by Gilbert IL.
rosVertor. Fifteen years ago the So
tety was small and unknown: today
is thought TO be the largest and
nost popular scientific organization IN
ne world. with a membership of 2Sl, SO.
In 1888. the National Geographic So
iety was organized under a national
harter TO promote the increase and
1ffusion OF geographic knowledge. -
is only income was the dues OF Its
members, 167 in number. 1t had nc
ornament home, its headquarters oc-
npying half of a small office room
constantly faced a deficit. The 60
iety struggled through a hand-to-
aouth existence as a local society
ntil 1893, when a new question, unique
the history Of science, was asked.
Why not take the science of geography
nto the homes Of the people? WHY
ot popularize the magazine the So
iety was publishing, Transforming it
rom one of cold scientific fact. ey-
ressed in hieroglyphic terms which
he iayman could not understand, into
medium for carrying the living.
reathing. human-interest fact about
ne wide world into the family circlep
touI9 not that be the greatest agency
1 all for the diffusion of geographic
nowledge?
Five Fold in Year.
When this policy was adopted. the
oclely mad fewer than 100 members
utside the city of WASHINGTON. One
ear later its out-of-toWn membership
ad Increased five-fold. AS the society's
ncome increased. the money was rein
'ested in its magazine. making il larger
M better. Soon, instead of a society
Importing magazine, its magazine
Fas supporting the society. BY 1904, five
ears after the change in policy. the
membership list included 3.25s names.
Four years later there were IS, 1913 mem
lers, and 1lS.c95 in another four years.
the last twelve months 10000 new
Members have been enrolled. The MEM
Iership of the society now extends into
very State and Territory in the Uni
ed States: every country of North and
Iouth America and Europe; practically
very country in Asia, and into forty
i've towns in Africa.
The society's work of increasing
geographic knowledge. BY encouraging
exploration and research work with
Iuch financial grants as its resources
rill permit, has taken it into many
1olds. 1t has Just embarked on another
expedition to the wilds of Peru.
Excursion Completed.
4 series of Investigations, extending
Wer three years, OF the glaciers of
Alaska has been completed. The So
:iety Investigated the recent eruption
" Mt. Kat2mi. in Alaska. 1t sent an
expedition to Mt: Peiee and La Sou
'riere TO study the eruptions of these
Sicily to investigate the Messina earth
Iuake. 1t has assisted various Arctic
The correspondence OF the society in
iicates the remarkable range OF in
crest of its members Here is a letter
rom man wanting to know who pub
ishes the best bathymetrical chart;
lere another inquiTing as to the arcs
IT parallel south of the equator: third |
ate of movement OF glaciers.
merchant wants TO know what pre-
,autions will be necessary TO maintain
lis health, and what kind of clothing
le should take along to the west coast
Df South Africa. A man wonders
where gum arabic comes from: another
ceks 10 know why afforestation pro- /
notes rainfall: another. why twilight in |
1e tropics is so short |
. .ansformed the study OF geography |
rom a pilgrimage over an aosisiess |
Icsert Of inInterestine fact into jour |
ley through the most fertile valley OF |
fascinating information about how the |
,ther half OF the world lives and it |
las done this by means Of authentic
rticles and remarkable photographs.