46 The Period from 1921 to 1940 



IX. THE PERIOD FROM 1921 TO 1940 



The decade following the World War was one of great expansion in 

 science and in the membership of the Association. In 1921 a total of 41 na- 

 tional scientific societies and 12 state and local academies of science had be- 

 come "affiliated" with the Association and had representation on its Council. 

 In addition, there were 40 societies and organizations that had become "asso- 

 ciated." societies, without representation on the Council. At the close of the 

 fiscal year 1921 there were 11,547 members of the Association ; by 1930 the 

 membership had increased to 19,059. Following the industrial depression 

 that began in 1930 there was a moderate recession in the activities of many 

 scientific societies and in the membership of the Association, which had 

 declined to 18,549 at the close of the fiscal year 1933. As of July 1, 1940, 

 the membership of the Association was 21,150. 



With the progressive subdivision of science into more specialized fields 

 there were corresponding increases in the number of sections of the Asso- 

 ciation. A new constitution of the Association, adopted at the annual meet- 

 ing for 1919-20, provided for 15 sections, all of which have been contin- 

 ously active except the Section on Industrial Science (P). 



In order to present conveniently, in groups, in one volume the titles of all 

 the addresses of presidents of the Association from its founding in 1848 to 

 1940, and. references to the places where they were published, they will be 

 given here for the period from 1921 to 1940, although from 1921 to 1934 

 they are included in the Summarized Proceedings published in 192 1, 1925, 

 1929, and 1934 ; and for the period 1934 to 1940 they appear in the following 

 detailed reports of the activities of the Association for these years. The titles 

 of the addresses of vice presidents for the period 192 1 to 1934, having been 

 given in earlier Summarized Proceedings, are not repeated here. But com- 

 plete lists of the Sigma Xi, Phi Beta Kappa, Maiben and John Wesley 

 Powell lectures are given. 



At the April, 1925, meeting of the Executive Committee of the Associa- 

 tion a contract was entered into between Dr. J. McKeen Cattell, owner and 

 editor of Science, and the Association for the transfer, under certain con- 

 ditions, of the absolute ownership of Science to the Association. This con- 

 tract was superseded when, in December, 1938, Dr. J. McKeen Cattell and 

 Josephine Owen Cattell executed an indenture transferring title of both 

 Science and The Scientific Monthly to the Association, the terms of the 

 transfer being defined by a simultaneous contract entered into between 

 J. McKeen Cattell and Josephine Owen Cattell, parties of the first part, and 

 the Association. This acquisition of title to Science and The Scientific 

 Monthly may well prove to be one of the most important steps taken by the 

 Association since its founding. 



