THE AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION. 



387 



HONORABLE HOMER S. CUMMINGS 

 Stamford, Connecticut. 

 Secretary of the AA. 



This has been possible only at the cost 

 of great labor and self-sacrifice on your 

 part. 



I am particularly gratified to learn 

 that through the beneficence of a true 

 lover of nature and of children and a 

 most cordial sympathizer with yourself, 

 you are about to have the opportunity 

 of trying a novel and most important 

 educational experiment, on a large scale, 

 by the establishment in a delightful local- 

 ity of an adequate home or headquarters 

 for your work. 



This I understand is to be at first a 

 place with suitable buildings, in which 

 you and your assistants can carry on in- 

 dependent study and experiment, with 

 accommodations for such students: as 

 may visit you, and for a few laboratory 

 workers. 



I understand, also, that you have in 

 mind the possibility of such future en- 

 largement as will tend to the realization 

 of our long cherished dreams, of a col- 

 ony or settlement of nature students, at 



least during the months of summer, and 

 that there may be provided for their 

 use all the space, material and appara- 

 tus necessary. 



Permit me to add that in the course of 

 m\- duty in auditing your books for the 

 past two years, I have observed that you 

 have had no compensation for either 

 your own services nor (in the active 

 work of The Guide to Nature) for 

 those of other members of your own 

 family, and I understand that it is your 

 purpose to continue this gratuitous ser- 

 vice. 



The primary interest of The Agassiz 

 x\ssociation has always been in young 

 people, boys and girls ; our secondary, 

 though equally genuine interest, in the 

 advancement of science. 



We have seen thousands of youths led 

 to a deep and abiding interest in nature ; 

 and we know that they have been ele- 

 vated and strengthened in character and 

 intelligence by their own endeavor. 



Very many of them have developed 

 abilities which have secured for them 

 positions of responsibility, influence and 

 honor in the scientific and educational 

 world. The membership of The Agas- 

 siz Association has proved to be a semi- 

 nary or nursery of science, and from it 

 many a promising sapling has been 

 transplanted to a higher and more pro- 

 ductive field. 



With all good wishes, 



Sincerely yours, 



Harlan H. Ballard. 



A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL. 



With our new organization, with the 

 formation of several Chapters and with 

 the prospects of "Arcadia," we indeed are 

 happy and shall strive to make 1909 the 

 most valuable of all in our work. 



The World is certainly a great and 

 stately Volume of natural Things; and 

 may be not improperly styled the Hiero- 

 glyphicks of a better: But, alas! how 

 very few leaves of it do we seriously turn 

 over! This ought to be the Subject 

 of the Education of our Youth, who, 

 at Twenty, when they should be fit for 

 Business, know little or nothing of it. 

 — William Perm. 



