Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-15
DR.. W. W. KEEN
On the American Philosophical Society


THE American Philosophical Society.
i founded by Benjamin Franklin. which
will hold its general meeting in this city
next Thursday, Friday and Saturday. has
contributed greatly to the useful knowledge
of the world, according to DR.. W. W. Keen,
for ten years its president. before declining
re election about year ago.
'There are few organizations in the
United States.'' said DR.. Keen. (which can
show either finer record of things accom-
pishcd or an equally distinguished person
mel in membership. Eight Presidents of the
can Philosophical Society ut the time OF
their election to the presidency. These begin
with George Washington and end with
Woodrow Wilson, who was elected mem
Der while at Bryn Mawr. Besides these,
two other Presidents, Taft and Roosevelt.
became members of the Philosophical Society
after their election TO the chief magistracy: !:
so that in all ten Presidents of the United
States have been members Of our Organiza. :.
tion.. Thomas jefferson, third President OF
the United States, was president OF the
Philosophical Society for eight years.
Founded by Franklin
'"The American Philosophical Society was
founded in Philadelphia by Benjamin
Franklin and, as is generally known. the
headquarters of the organization are in its
own building in Independence Square, on
the Fifth street side. Franklin modelled the
society closely after the Royal Society OF
England, but the American Philosophical
Society has continued along the original
| lines. which the Royal Society has not. The
latter, some years ago. closed its doors to
| all branches Of study and research exceSt
pure science, while we have retained the
humanities, such as history, philol0gy ana
other lines.
"The humanities were then taken up in
England by the British Academy. of which
| Lord Reay was the first president, but, ms
| have said, we have continued along the
original lines, and still include them.
| ''When Benjamin Franklin was young
| man of about twenty-one. he surrounded
| himself with n group Of persons Of scien
| tifc tastes. This was in 1927, and the
! group was called the JuntO and met in a
tavern every Friday evening. Later this
organization was merged with another one
American Philosophical Society, but the real
organization OF the society dates from 1927
Other Distinguished Members
"Besldes the ten Presidents of the United
| States who have been members of the organ :
! izallon, four of the American winners
Of the Nobel Prize also have been members
Of the American Philosophical Society
These four men have been DR.. Carre, in
medicine: DR.. Richards, in chemistry
DIR. Nicholson in physics, and Theodore
Roosevelt. who won the Peace Prize. Be.
| sides these, there have been innumcrablt
| members OF the society who have won dis
| tinguished honors both at home and abroad
| for their contributions to the useful knOwl :
| edge of mankind.
The society is the only allen holder of
| ground In Independence Square. The State
owned 1t originally and gave the society the
! little plot Of ground where the building now
stands. and In 1857 the present structure
, was put up. But we are cramped there to
| the last degree, so much so that 1t has been
necessary to store 10000 of our books else =
where. In a building erected that long ago
most of the weight is carried by the walls,
| and we cannot safely put any greater strain
| upon them than we have now.
eve have a contract with the city for q
lot near the beginning Of the Parkway. and
| II II Is possible we should like to have a new
| building erected there by the opening Of the
Sesqui- Centennial in 1926.
The Mageilanic Premium
| zone of the interesting features nf the
coming meeting of the society will he the
award of the Magellanic Premium. This Is
| the income from sum of money given Ia
! the society In 17SS by n linenl descendant of
the Ferdinand Magellan who IN 1j2O dis
covered tn, straits which bear his nnm,
who was the first European navigator :,
cross the Pacific Ocean and the first pprsun
Of any nationality to circumnaviguie the
"Eiis descendant, the Magellan who ere.
ated the Magellanlc Premium, gave ths
money to the American Philosophical Society