6 The Period to 1850 



can Philosophical Society, and papers on subjects in biological fields were 

 welcomed in Silliman's Journal. In 1836, New York established a Natural 

 History Survey, and Massachusetts a Zoological and Botanical Survey, in 

 1837. There rapidly developed an interest in organizing a society including 

 both Natural Philosophy and Natural History, an interest that was doubt- 

 less stimulated by the founding of the British Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science, in 1831. 



Dr. John Collins Warren, a leading citizen of Boston, read a paper at a 

 meeting of the British Association in 1837. Upon his return to the United 

 States in August, 1838, he actively undertook to promote the organization 

 of a similar society in this country. A Committee of Correspondence of the 

 American Association was formed, which late in October notified the Amer- 

 ican Philosophical Society of their activities and invited cooperation in or- 

 ganizing the proposed new society. On February 15, 1839, the American 

 Philosophical Society passed a resolution declaring that in its opinion it 

 was inexpedient for it to undertake the organization of the proposed Asso- 

 ciation. In spite of this action interest continued in establishing a general 

 scientific society national in scope. In April, 1842, the Association of Amer- 

 ican Geologists, which had been organized in 1840, became The Associa- 

 tion of American Geologists and Naturalists. Charles (later Sir Charles) 

 Lyell, distinguished author of Principles of Geology, was present and took 

 an active part in the meeting. This society held its last meeting in Boston 

 in September, 1847 ; on September 24, under the chairmanship of William 

 C. Redfield, the society passed a resolution to transform itself into the 

 American Association for the Promotion of Science, an organization "de- 

 signed to embrace all laborers in Physical Science and Natural History." 



The new association held its first regular meeting in the library room of 

 the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia on September 20, 1848, 

 at 10 a.m. At noon the meeting was called to order by Professor William B. 

 Rogers who read the draft of a Constitution and Rules of Order which had 

 been drawn up by a committee appointed for the purpose at the meeting the 

 preceding year. In this report the name of the organization was changed to 

 the American Association for the Advancement of Science ; upon its adop- 

 tion the American Association for the Advancement of Science was born. 

 At 4 p.m. the new society convened and the chairman, Professor Rogers, 

 introduced the first president of the American Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science, Mr. William C. Redfield. There were 461 original mem- 

 bers of the Association. 



The Meetings of the Association 1848-1850 



The first meeting of the Association was held from 4 p.m. on Wednesday, 

 September 20, 1848, until Monday, September 25, excluding Sunday, Sep- 



