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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



institution tor which Whitman cared 

 the most and it remains his greatest 

 monument. It is fortunate in its phys- 

 ical environment; still more so in the 

 spirit of the place. More biological 

 research is accomplished there during 

 its season than in any other institution 

 in the world. Both in its formal or- 

 ganization and in its real life it is 

 more democratic than any other Amer- 

 ican institution devoted to education 

 and research. The result has been, on 

 the one hand, a share of dissensions 

 and poverty; on the other hand, a rare 

 exhibition of cooperation and loyalty. 

 It is false to assume that a democracy 

 should not have leaders. In an auto- 

 cracy masters hold the reins of author- 

 ity; in a democracy a leader is fol- 

 lowed because he is recognized as such. 

 For many years Whitman was the cre- 

 ative spirit which gave life to the 

 Marine Biological Laboratory. In a 

 note, printed here by permission of 

 Mrs. Whitman, he wrote: 



I have often been pleasantly com- 

 mended for the development of ideal 

 conditions at Woods Hole for coopera- 

 tive teaching and research, and I think 

 that most of the best friends and pa- 

 trons of the Marine Biological Labo- 

 ratory still credit me with qualities 



that tend to peace and good fellowship 

 in scientific work. 



I have, I am happy to say, endeav- 

 ored to live by the same principles in 

 Chicago. That is, I have done what I 

 could to encourage the spirit of re- 

 search and good fellowship in both 

 teaching and research. 



I have opposed all attempts to cre- 

 ate interdepartmental kingdoms; I 

 have left each member free to develop 

 his work according to his own taste; 

 have never monopolized any line of 

 work, but have always welcomed syn- 

 thetic cooperation. The seminar and 

 the researches abundantly verify this. 



One thing, from first to last, I have 

 most cordially despised — that is the 

 tendency to that disease, which we may 

 distinguish as administro-citis. That 

 disease is the peril of science, and the 

 source of unwholesome strife. Our 

 organization is of course largely at 

 fault, for it certainly misleads many to 

 imagine that the one sure road to pre- 

 cedence is to scheme for it through 

 administrative dexterity. 



THE AMEBICAN GEOGRAPHICAL 

 SOCIETY 



The American Geographical Socieity, 

 which was founded in New York City 

 in 1852 and has now about 1,300 mem- 

 bers, moved ten years ago to a build- 

 ing opposite the American Museum of 

 Natural History. But it soon outgrew 



