Evening star., 1939-04-27
Of Stors, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Field, Laboratory
And Study
By Thomas r. Henri.

By Thomas r. Henry.
Six Americans now are members of the
Oldest and most exclusive scientific body
in the world-the Pontifical Academy
Three Of them, DR.. Hugh S. Taylor
of Princeton University, DR.. Robert A.
Millikan of the California Institute Of
Technology, and Dr. George Speri Sperei,
director of the Institutum Divi Thomae
of Cincinnati, are taking part in the
golden jubilee observances of the Cath
lie University of America here this week.
Maintained under patronage of the
Vatican. with its membership drawn
from all parts Of the earth without
regard to creed, the membership of the
Academy is restricted to 10.
1t was in 1903 that the now Pontifical
Academy of Science flowered from the
lonely meditations of young Roman
Prince FEDERICO Cesi, who had an Ealing
body" In the seclusion to which his
aft1iction condemned him, he gave
thought to vast design" His mind
turned to an institution of learned men,
~oN e%AA AAAoSA SAA1iSC Va AAlOAlSo dllI
opinions which would in a way hark
back to Plato of old Greece and his
famous academy, which had an active
life OF some 900 years.
Alone he could not hope to carry out
his brilliant plan. He turned to mis-
friends. With two other Romans. Fran
cesco Stelluti and Anastasio de Filis,
and Dutchman, Johan Heck, his con-
ceptlon was polished and finally put into
working order. The other men sum-
moned to join the force called themselves
the "lynx-eyed ones" For their device
they adopted the lynx, the wildcat o.
nature, and for their motto, "Sagacious
ista"
However, 1t was not until 1909 that
their academy grew and extended to
international activity. Even so, it was
destined to be of short life For upon
the death OF Cesi, the moving spirit, it
1eH apart and entered upon an eclipse
that continued to the beginning of the
18th century. During it's first period Of
sclentlf1c recognition it had willingly
given hospitality to Calico, and aside
from the names of the founders, his
appears to be the only one yielded by
the records extant today.
BY 1847, Pope Plus TX had reinstated
the academy, and it bade fair to carry
on 'he intentions of its founders, when
the capture Of Rome in 1870 cut short
lts intellectual life and forced it to carry
on restricted existence. After Plus,
rope Leo XIII gave his dwarfed academy
new constitution. However, inasmuch
as the organization had been split in
1870, one branch being under civil admin
lstratlon and the other under papal
patronage, neither made noteworthy
headway
IN this semi-comatose condition it re-
NAMED until, on October %, 1896, the late
rope Plus XI-himself an academic fig
ure OF great 1stinction-reinstated it to
1ull working order. Until that time. the
branch which had continued under
papal patronage had been almost an
ltalan institution. Plus XII provided a
foundation for the revivified academy
and made it international in character.
Prlzes, subsidies and honoraria are con-
ferred on onmembers as well as MEM
bers.
On January II, 1887, some 40 to so
members gathered at Vatican CITY in a
solemn session of Inauguration, To cele,
orate the birthday anniversary of the
rope, there was another gathering on
May 81, 1887. Plus XII himself had in
tended to believer the opening address.
Out the state OF his health prevented his
appearance. Cardinal Pacelli, then papal
secretary of state and now Pope Plus
XII, acted in his stead.
On this occasion. each member of the
academy present was presented with
metallic insignia, on which was inscribed
the motto: Deus Scientiarum Dominus."
with the name of the member recipient
on the reverse.
Academy members are chosen by the
holy Father from among the scientists
OF all nations. The body is regarded as
senate OF scientists" an auxiliary to
the church in offering God that which
Is due Him as the Sovereign Truth.
This writes James Arthur Reyneirs of
the University of Notre Dame, "is the
hnal end of the academy, and all that is
demanded of the members is a sincere
devotion to the progress and develop
ment of the natural sciences"
The latest available record of the Of
ficers of the academy names them as
follows: President, Prof. Gaetano de
Sanctis; secretary, Prof. Pietro Roman
ELL; bibliotecario, Prof Bartolomeo No
CARA; curatore della stampe, Msgr Angelo
Mercati.
Probably half of the academy men,
bership at the present time is Catholic
Two OF the United States members are
of that faith.