Divisions of tiik Association j~ 



ings of the Association must generally be held in the populous regions east 

 of the Rocky Mountains. Moreover, the rapid increase in scientific research 

 and membership of the Association made it advisable to hold more than one 

 meeting each year. These considerations led to the establishment of the 

 Pacific Division in 1915 and of the Southwestern Division in 1920. 



Members of the Association on the Pacific: Slope, about 1000 in number, 

 had found it advantageous to hold meetings under what was called the 

 "Pacific Coast Committee of the American Association for the Advancement 

 of Science," which was organized in 191 3. At the meeting of the Association 

 held in San Francisco in August, 191 5, the Pacific Division was formally 

 established by the Council and held its first meeting at San Diego in August, 

 1916. (See By-Laws, Article VI, Section 2, for the territory of the Pacific 

 Division.) 



On April 26, 1920, the Executive Committee of the Association approved 

 the organization of the Southwestern Division that had been tentatively made 

 at a meeting of delegates held in Tucson, Arizona, on April to. (See By- 

 Laws, Article VI, Section 3, for the territory of the Southwestern Division.) 

 The Southwestern Division held its first meeting at FA Paso, Texas, on 

 April 30, 1920. 



The divisions of the Association are entirely autonomous, under the pro- 

 visions of the Constitution. They elect their own officers, determine the 

 places and times of their meetings, arrange their programs, and publish pre- 

 liminary announcements and reports of their meetings. Occasionally the two 

 divisions hold joint meetings, and at times the Association holds a joint 

 meeting with one or both of them. The members of the Pacific and South- 

 western Divisions have one member each on the Council of the Association 

 and participate in its elections, but the reverse is not true. This close co- 

 operation under complete freedom is admirably fulfilling the purpose of the 

 Association, the advancement of science. 



The membership records of members resident in the territories of the 

 Pacific and Southwestern divisions are kept in the office of the Permanent 

 Secretary, the annual dues of these members are collected by the Permanent 

 Secretary, their journals are ordered from the office of the Permanent Secre- 

 tary, and all communications to them concerning the Association as a whole 

 are sent out from the office of the Permanent Secretary. But the offices of the 

 divisions have their own expenses which are provided for by an allowance 

 of $1 for each of their annual members from the funds of the office of the 

 Permanent Secretary. 



Local Branches 



At the meeting held in Atlanta, ( ia., December, 1913 — January, 1914, the 

 Council authorized "the establishment of local branches in places where the 



