_THE MEETINGS OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION._
The American Association for the Advancement of Science has a
membership ranging from 1,900 to 2,000. Of this number probably at no
one time was there an aggregate of 300 persons present at the recent
annual meeting in New York.
When the Association meets in an Eastern city the attendance is
generally twice if not three times as large as when it convenes in the
West. So little was made of the recent meeting, locally or officially,
that an intelligent resident of the city remarked: “Why, I intended
to have attended some of the meetings, but seeing no reference in the
daily papers, it entirely escaped my mind.”
Of the 2,000 members, about 800 are fellows; the 1,200 and more
registered as members are, presumably, persons devoting little or no
time to independent research along scientific lines, but persons who
while not actively so engaged are more than ordinarily interested
in the discussion of scientific topics. These have in the past paid
dues and attended the meetings of the Association with more or less
regularity. It is a question in the minds of some of the 1,200 if
their attendance at the meetings is desired. Their membership, so far
as it relates to the five dollars initiation fee and three dollars
dues, is without question acceptable, and to persons reading papers
in the various sections their presence is preferable to empty seats,
but in view of the fact that during recent years the management of the
Association has eliminated, so far as possible, the popular features
of the general programme, the question is reasonably asked: “Does the
management desire the attendance of the 1,200, or is their financial
support all that is desired?”
It was stated some years ago that the purpose of the Association was to
furnish not only an occasion for scientists to present original papers,
but also to interest the public by holding the meetings annually in
different parts of the country; but if attendance is not secured (by
preparation and publication of interesting features of a programme) no
great interest will be awakened by a meeting held in any part of the
country.
I should like to suggest the following ways of increasing the interest
of the meetings:
The general daily sessions might be made occasions of rare interest by
the introduction of prominent men of science who would make at least
brief remarks. This would make it possible for those who have limited
time to become familiar with the faces of those whom they would like to
know, and the little ‘sample’ of scientific thought thrown out would
doubtless awaken desire for more.
It will be objected that the meetings of the council immediately
preceding the general session prevent holding an official meeting
at that hour. The public and the 1,200 would care little whether
the session were official or unofficial so it were interesting and
instructive.
The officers of the several sections could easily secure distinguished
representatives of their respective sciences to give brief addresses
followed by discussion, and thus the morning hour would prove an
attraction to citizens and others who might be unable to attend the
sessions following.
Again, citizens, where the meetings are held, would be pleased to
provide excursions to points of local interest and extend social
courtesies, if they were given in return the mental food in digestible
form, with which the Association is so amply supplied.
It remains with the management to decide whether attendance shall be
restricted to the few actively engaged in scientific pursuits, or
whether it shall include the 1,200 and more who would be glad to avail
themselves of the benefits of a programme suited to average scholarship
and intellectual capacity.
There is no better medium for discussion of the above views than
through the widely read pages of THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY.
M. E. D. TROWBRIDGE.
_Detroit, Mich._
[The questions brought up by our correspondent have been carefully
considered by all those who are interested in the American Association
for the Advancement of Science. When the Association was founded
fifty years ago there was no division into sections; the papers and
discussions were intelligible and interesting to all members. At that
time there were but few members, the scientific life of the country was
small, and it was a privilege for a city to entertain the Association.
But fifty years have brought changes in many directions. Specialization
in science has become essential for its further progress, and it has
been necessary to divide the Association into numerous sections and
to found special societies. Hospitality can now only be provided at
great expense, and Eastern cities no longer regard it as a privilege to
entertain the numerous societies that gather within their hotels. The
newspapers do not regard a meeting of the Association as an important
event and will not devote space to it.
The Association must do the best it can to adapt itself to existing
conditions. The recent meeting in New York had perhaps the largest
attendance of scientific men of any in the history of the Association
with the exception of the anniversary meeting two years ago, but New
York City, especially in the month of June, is not a desirable place
for social functions. It is not reasonable for a member interested in
science as an amateur to expect to purchase for three dollars a week’s
entertainment. His dues secure reduced railway and hotel rates; he can
meet his friends and become acquainted with scientific men; he can
always find on the programme papers that are of interest; he receives
the annual volume of ‘Proceedings’ and the weekly journal, ‘Science,’
the cost of which is five dollars per year. But apart from these
direct returns, he is surely repaid for membership by knowing that
he is one of those who are united for the advancement of science in
America.--EDITOR, POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY.]
_THE COLOR RED._
TO THE EDITOR OF THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY: Mr. Havelock Ellis, in
your August number, in ‘The Psychology of Red,’ says, ‘A great many
different colors are symbolical of mourning ... but so far as I am
aware, red never.’ The following may possibly be of interest in this
connection:
“Our English Pliny, Bartholomew Glantville, who says after Isydorus,
‘Reed clothes ben layed upon deed men in remembrance of theyr
hardynes and boldnes, whyle they were in theyr bloudde.’ On which
his commentator, Batman, remarks: ‘It appereth in the time of the
Saxons that the manner over their dead was a red cloath, as we now use
black. The red of valiauncie, and that was over kings, lords, knights
and valyaunt souldiers; white over cleargie men, in token of their
profession and honest life, and over virgins and matrons.’”--(Dr.
Furness’s Variorum. Merchant of Venice, p. 56.)
CHAS. E. DANA.
_University of Pennsylvania._