292 DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



reports that over twenty donations, embracing a large number of 

 specimens, have been added to our Museum collection, making it im- 

 perative that arrangements should soon be made for future additions 

 to the Museum space. 



Attention must again be called to our list of Corresponding Mem- 

 bers. This list should be revised as soon as possible and corrected 

 lists of Honorary, Life, Corresponding and Regular Members kept 

 posted in the Curator's office. Corresponding Members should be 

 required to notify the Academy of their location once a year. 



We find from the Librarian's report that the Library has received 

 some 2,099 accessions in foreign and American exchanges. A Library 

 fund is necessary before we can bind and catalogue the Library or 

 make its treasures available for public use. The floor space in the 

 Library heretofore used for lecture audiences has been given up to a 

 number of cases containing most of our collection of Ornithology. 



It is clear from these reports that the capacity of our building is 

 near its limit. We are forced to seek other quarters for Academy 

 lectures. Adjacent property, with a building which would serve for 

 some time as a lecture hall and store room, is available by purchase. 

 A special committee is making progress toward this end. 



The steady growth and prosperity of this city demands that we 

 keep the Academy equipment abreast of the times with facilities for 

 active work. The Academy has in the past, and must in the future, 

 keep well in advance of the situation. The annual reports just pre- 

 sented give a fair statement of the Academy work during the past 

 year. But they do not include a report on educational work, such as 

 the name " Academy of Natural Sciences " would indicate as of pre- 

 eminent importance. We have not advanced nor taken the lead we 

 should in such matters. The spirit of a new century is already begin- 

 ning to awaken us to better methods in every branch of human pro- 

 gress. Science, and especially natural science, is the great motive 

 power now working out a complete revolution in the aims and meth- 

 ods of modern thought, both as regards mental and moral instruction. 

 Scientific methods are now applied to every branch of study. The 

 closing year of the nineteenth century finds Religion and Science, so 

 far asunder at its beginning, closely united in the great struggle for 

 the uplifting of humanity. And today we accept Science teaching as 

 the most adequate method of imparting moral instruction by bringing 

 the child face to face with the great truths of nature. It is with this 

 end in view that those interested in the Academy have repeatedly 

 urged a closer relation between the Academy and the public schools. 

 It is a simple duty we owe this community, that from our Academy 

 should go forth a powerful influence for building up of character by 

 means of nature study. 



In a previous annual report your attention was called to the import- 

 ance of a uniform system of weights and measures for scientific as well 

 as commercial purposes. Your indulgence may be asked in again 



