EDITOR'S TABLE. 



843 



progress. The attendance was un- 

 usually large, including, along with 

 many distinguished names, members 

 from nearly all parts of the United 

 States and Canada. A good manj'^ 

 papers were read possessing, as a 

 rule, a high order of merit, while, 

 fortunately, not a few of them were 

 couched in language that could be 

 readily understood by an intelligent 

 listener, and thus gave added interest 

 to the proceedings. 



The association was welcomed by 

 Governor Wolcott in behalf of the 

 Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 

 Mayor Quincy representing the city 

 of Boston, and President Crafts, of 

 the Massachusetts Institixte of Tech- 

 nology, where the sessions were held. 

 Though brief, the addresses were in 

 each instance thoughtful and im- 

 pressive and were heard with keen 

 appreciation by the large audience 

 present at the opening session. A 

 marked feature of all of them was 

 the emphasis with which the speak- 

 ers dwelt upon the value of science 

 as an agency in education, and the 

 great services it had rendered and 

 was yet to render to the community 

 at large in the improvement of the 

 material conditions of life and the ele- 

 vation of the intellectual and moral 

 tone of society. 



The citizens of Boston, as is their 

 wont, received the association with 

 open arms, sparing nothing in the 

 way of hospitality and good feeling 

 to make the occasion an enjoj'able 

 and profitable one to the nine hun- 

 dred members who were present at 

 the meeting. Wherever the latter 

 appeared, whether in street car, ho- 

 tel, or at special reception, all were 

 made to feel that they were the hon- 

 ored guests of the city, meeting with 

 a courtesy and consideration that 

 alone would have been a fair return 

 for the trouble and expense their pil- 

 grimage had cost them. 



The opportunities provided for 



social intercourse and recreation 

 were numerous and varied. One 

 day it was a steamboat excursion 

 down the harbor, which could not 

 have been better timed, as it did 

 much to mitigate the effects of the 

 extreme heat which afflicted the city. 

 Another day the entire association 

 was taken to Salem, where, after 

 being bounteously dined, the mem- 

 bers were shown the many places of 

 interest, historic and scientific, for 

 which that old city is celebrated. 

 As the guests of Harvard University 

 a day was also given to a visit to 

 Cambridge. Here, under the guid- 

 ance of members of the faculty, the 

 laboratories, museums, and other fea- 

 tures of scientific and educational 

 interest belonging to the university 

 were thrown open for observation. 

 Lunch and tea were served in the 

 great Memorial Hall, and the occa- 

 sion was fittingly closed with an able 

 address by President Eliot, delivered 

 in Sanders Theater in the evening. 

 Receptions given by Governor Wol- 

 cott, Mrs. J. C. Phillips, Mrs. Wil- 

 liam B. Rogers, the trustees of the 

 Museum of Fine Arts, and the offi- 

 cers of the Boston Public Library 

 were another form of contribution 

 to the enjoyment of the membei-s 

 which was much appreciated. These, 

 with a dinner given by Mayor Quincy 

 to the principal officers of the asso- 

 ciation and foreign guests, and nu- 

 merous minor excursions to various 

 points of interest in the neighbor- 

 hood of Boston, represent but incom- 

 pletely the hearty and abounding 

 hospitality with which the associa- 

 tion was entertained. The kindly 

 and cordial attentions that were 

 everywhere showered upon them 

 could not fail of their effect on the 

 spirits of the visitors. This was seen 

 in their beaming countenances, the 

 uniform jollity that prevailed in 

 spite of the excessive heat, and the 

 felicitations that were heard on every 



