ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 



PHILADELPHIA, PA., DECEMBER, 1922. 



"He Helped Me When No Others Volunteered." 

 The cover of the NEWS for this year, 1922, has borne a small 

 portrait of Charles Alfred Blake, an early member of the 

 American Entomological Society and a contributor to the lit- 

 erature on American Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera. After 

 his death on June 24, 1903', an obituary notice of him ap- 

 peared in this journal for September, 1903, accompanied by 

 a larger and later photograph. That notice contains this inter- 

 esting recollection by Air. E. T. C'resson : 



I remember the many nights Mr. Blake toiled with me in the publica- 

 tion of the Proceedings and Transactions, and he was ever ready and 

 willing to help me when no others volunteered; we worked together 

 side by side at the case, and while I rolled on the ink, he pulled the 

 press being the stronger. He was a cheerful companion, and his good 

 humor rendered the work easier and the time passed more pleasantly. 

 The Society is greatly indebted to him for his endeavors in its behalf. 



Those endeavors are referred to by the late Dr. Henry C. 

 McCook in the Introduction to the History of the same Society, 

 published in 1909. Speaking of the founders, he wrote : 



these pioneers, discerning clearly the importance of the \vork to which 

 they had set themselves, and the need of an organ of communication 

 with entomologists elsewhere, ' began almost immediately the publication 

 of a journal of their proceedings. The lack of income and of state aid 

 and patronage did not deter them. Indeed it did not even occur to them 

 to appeal to city, state or nation for help. They purchased fonts of 

 type and a hand press and set up and printed off, by their own labor 

 out of business hours, as well as wrote and edited their discoveries, 

 descriptions and reflections thereon. 



It is well to recall these voluntary, unpaid labors of our pre- 

 decessors, for the need of similar, unselfish aid is as great 

 t<>day as it was in the eighteen hundred and sixties nay, 

 greater. 'AYhen no others volunteered." Then, as now. it wa> 

 the few who did. The many looked on. 



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