PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



WHAT HAS THE FUTURE FOR GEOLOGISTS? 



George D. Hubhard. 



At the last meeting of the Ohio Academy of Science we had 

 an able review of the accomplishments in the field of Geology 

 during the last quarter century. Today I want to ask you to 

 look with me ahead perhaps even farther. 



In my desire to take this forward look I am prompted by a 

 question put to me more than a year ago, by a man with wide 

 experience and observation. His question was the one in my 

 subject: "What has the future for the Geologist?" And he 

 added (by way of comment) that to him it seemed that the days 

 of the Geologist were limited; that there was little more to do 

 in this science except to conserve what knowledge we have and 

 hand it down from generation to generation. He further 

 granted that General Geology had a cultural value and hence 

 should continue to be taught in our Colleges and Universities. 

 His question may have been suggested by the fact that several 

 State Geologic vSurveys have already issued what purport to be 

 "Final Reports." 



I had not really taken stock in the manner best suited to 

 provide me an answer to his question, but I felt quite sure he 

 had underestimated our ability to find a job. I have therefore 

 been hunting for the answer to his question for more than a 

 year. In this connection I want to say further that if this 

 man had not had time to look up the future for Geologists 

 more thoroughly than his comments suggested, there may be 

 others who have not taken time to see the new horizons. 



It may not be any more amiss for a Geologist to consider his 

 market as well as his equipment than it is for a merchant to 

 study the needs of his community, as well as his stock in trade. 

 Furthermore I must needs make my appearance here today; and 

 the matter freshest in mind and most vital to my kind, may be 

 more acceptably presented than matter less fresh and less 

 vital, though more thoroughly known. 



Well might the Geologist be proud if he had mastered his 

 field and there yet remained nothing to do but to conserve his 



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