THE AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION 



349 



I should like to hear the expression 

 of others on this subject, and also your 

 own ideas on what we ought to expect 

 of the magazine, and how best we may 

 cooperate with you in making it bet- 

 ter. Perhaps many of us do not un- 

 derstand just what you want. It seems 

 as though we ought to "get to-gether" 

 more than we do, for whether our fav- 

 orite subject is stars; birds; minerals; 

 bugs, or trees, we are all (or should 

 be) seeking the same thing in our 

 study of Nature. If it brings us no 

 thrill to watch the sunset ; no inspira- 

 tion for better and nobler things, and 

 no vision of the Infinite as we study 

 the curious and interesting things in 

 our strolls afield, then our strolling and 

 our watching is in vain. Let us work 

 for a Nature study and a magazine 

 that will help our brother and our- 

 selves to live a nobler life, and to make 

 our homes "near to Nature," not only 

 in external appearance, but in our de- 

 votion to duty and our resolves to live 

 as the great Guide and Master of us all 

 would have us live. Let us not forget 

 the example of the distinguished Agas- 

 siz, for whom our association was 

 named, and let us ever remember his 

 high principles, which have become in- 

 corporated in the words of our motto 

 "Per Naturam ad Deum." 



Harry G. Higbee. 



Good words and true. — Ed. 



Now Build and Uplift. 



It will not be all the same a hundred 

 years hence. Now is the time to strike 

 a new creative thought — to bring this 

 thought into action, so that in a hun- 

 dred years it may become a reality. To 

 move onward, to build, to uplift, is the 

 duty of the present for the good of the 

 future. What we think and do to-day 

 will influence to-morrow. Things must 

 ever change, and it is up to us, now. to 

 change them for the better and not for 

 the worst. 



The animal and vegetable worlds 

 must do their natural part in the pro- 

 cess of creative evolution, but man 

 alone is original — can create a new 

 reality. — Mrs. Rufus Hinton in "The 

 Central Baptist." 



Our Staff of Lecturers. 



The Agassiz Association believes 

 that one of the most effective methods 

 of fulfilling its mission of "creating and 

 increasing a knowledge and love of na- 

 ture," is by word of mouth. We are 

 inspired by the other fellow, not only 

 by his logic and information but by his 

 personal enthusiasm. 



Our original Charter of Incorpora- 

 tion, in 1892, under the laws of Massa- 

 chusetts, and the one of 1910, under 

 the laws of Connecticut put prominent- 

 ly as one of our purposes "the employ- 

 ment of observers and teachers in the 

 different departments of science, and 

 the general diffusion of knowledge." 



We hope and we expect that the time 

 will soon come when the AA will pos- 

 sess sufficient financial means to carry 

 out this important plan more system- 

 atically. We want to employ regularly 

 several lecturers and scientific assis- 

 tants to do this work in all parts of 

 the country, sending them out as na- 

 ture missionaries and wholly or partly 

 at our expense.Till the time arrives 

 when we diall be able to employ such 

 teachers, the best that we can do is to 

 recommend such lecturers as we be- 

 lieve will so present a knowledge and 

 a love of nature as will best fulfill the 

 purposes of our Association. At pres- 

 ent we are glad to offer the following 

 Staff of AA Lecturers, whose ex- 

 penses are to be borne by the persons 

 engaging them although special terms 

 may be had if reference is made to the 

 AA. Correspondence may be directly 

 with the lecturers or with "the A A. We 

 will gladly advise when requested, and 

 when full data as to the needs are 

 given us. 



Ernest Thompson Seton, Cos Cob, Connec- 

 ticut: — "No figure in American life is more 

 prominent than that of Seton. If he could 

 have his many sides and sympathies con- 

 densed into a title, that of 'nature apostle' 

 would clearly express the motive of his ac- 

 tivities. "Boy nature, bird nature, animal 

 nature, trees and plants, all appeal to him, 

 and around each he weaves the charm of 

 his own personality, and in the recounting 

 of his impressions and theories he gives the 

 listener a new view-point and a greater 

 touch with the subject." He offers a long 

 list of lectures illustrated by his own draw- 

 ings and by photographs. Mr. Seton is Chief 

 Scout of the Boy Scouts of America. 



