98 RANSOME: NATIONAL GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



Sphere of geological inquiry and speculation. Of the whole gallery 

 of worthies that have passed before us, a comparatively small 

 proportion could be classed as in the strictest sense professional 

 geologists, such as Werner, Sedgwick and Logan. Were we 

 to step outside of that gallery, and include the names of all who 

 have helped to lay the foundations of the science, we should find 

 the proportion to be still less. 



"From the beginning of its career, geology has owed its founda- 

 tion and its advance to no select and privileged class. It has 

 been open to all who cared to undergo the trials which its suc- 

 cessful prosecution demands. And what it has been in the past, 

 it remains to-day. No branch of natural knowledge lies more 

 invitingly open to every student who, loving the fresh face of 

 Nature, is willing to train his faculty of observation in the field, 

 and to discipline his mind by the patient correlation of facts 

 and the fearless dissection of theories. To such an inquirer 

 no limit can be set. He may be enabled to rebuild parts of the 

 temple of science, or to add new towers and pinnacles to its 

 superstructure. But even if he should never venture into such 

 ambitious undertakings, he will gain, in the cultivation of geo- 

 logical pursuits, a solace and enjoyment amid the cares of life, 

 which will become to him a source of the purest joy." 



In this country at the present time, as Mr. David White, in an 

 as yet unpublished address, has, I believe, pointed out, the 

 amateur geologist, due partly to the way in which the subject 

 is taught, is rare and few indeed are the contributions made to 

 the science by those who follow geology as an avocation or hobby. 

 This is unfortunate and an improvement of this condition should 

 be one of the major objects of the educational program of a 

 national geological survey. The science lends itself particularly 

 to its pursuit as a recreation by men of trained intellect who 

 must find in the open air some relief from sedentary professions. 

 In a country still so new as ours geologic problems lie on every 

 hand and many of these can be solved wholly or in part without 

 elaborate apparatus or laboratory facilities. The standards 

 for the professional geologist should be high, but there is no 



