504 PATRICK II. YANCEY 



gests that the tenets of that church are not consonant with 

 scientific endeavor." 



In spite of the evident non sequittir of the conclusion, and of 

 the questionable method by which it was reached, the article of 

 Lehman and Witty stimulated a great deal of soul-searching 

 among American Catholics in the sciences. Many Catholics 

 realized the shortcomings as much as, if not more than, the 

 authors of the article. Indeed, some had anticipated the writers 

 by several years, and had taken steps to improve the quantity 

 and quality of scientific teaching and research in Catholic in- 

 stitutions by organizing what was called the " Catholic Round 

 Table of Science." 



The prime movers of this activity were the late Monsignor 

 Cooper, anthropologist of the Catholic University, and Father 

 Anselm Keefe, O. Praem., of St. Norbert College, who acted as 

 secretary throughout most of the organization's existence. The 

 group met annually at the meeting of the American Association 

 for the Advancement of Science, and a small publication. The 

 Tabloid Scientist, was issued. Both in the meetings and in the 

 pages of the paper the Catholic's inadequacies in the sciences 

 were incisively singled out, and remedies were suggested. 



Unfortunately, the organization began to hold meetings 

 apart from the AAAS and other scientific societies at which 

 technical papers were presented. While the motive — the stimu- 

 lating of research among Catholic scientists — was good, such 

 a program was inevitably divisive. If pursued, it would wall 

 the Catholic scientist off from his colleagues and tend to the 

 development of a " Catholic " science. This was directly con- 

 trary to the intention of the founders of the Round Table, and 

 met with the marked displeasure of many of the members. 

 Attendance at the national meetings fell off to such an extent 

 that they were discontinued. The Catholic Round Table ceased 

 to exist as a national organization. During its life, it had im- 

 proved the status of science among Catholics. It inspired many 

 to undertake research programs. They appeared in greater 

 numbers at meetings of scientific societies and became more 



