314 DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



November jo, 1900 — Regular Meeting. 



The President, Mrs. Putnam, in the chair ; eight members and sev- 

 eral visitors present. 



Thomas Scott, Davenport, Iowa, was elected a Regular Member, and 

 T. D. A. Cockerell, East Las Vegas, New Mexico, and Charles Web- 

 ster, Charles City, Iowa, were elected Corresponding Members. 



The committee on the opening of Science Hall, Friday evening, 

 December 14, 1900, reported, and the following committees were 

 appointed to complete arrangements : 



Reception — C. A. Ficke, Dr. A. W. Elmer, Dr. William Allen, 

 Edward Roberts. 



Tickets and Door — C. E. Harrison. 



Press — A. A. Miller. 



Refreshments — Miss Alice Kimball. 



Miss Sparks reported the work of cataloguing as nearly completed. 

 The catalogued books include 2,336 works, 10,016 volumes on 983 

 subjects, and 7,163 cards were used. 



The session was closed with a talk by Edward K. Putnam upon the 

 various elements that enter into the English language. He traced the 

 changes of the Anglo-Saxon through middle English into modern 

 English, illustrating the rules governing these changes by examples of 

 modern words and idioms. He also discussed the Norman, Scandi- 

 navian and other influences on the language. 



December 14, 1900 — Opening of Science Hall. 



On this evening, the thirty-third anniversary of the founding of the 

 Academy, Science Hall was dedicated to the cause of science in the 

 presence of an audience numbering about five hundred, including a 

 large delegation from the High School. The Honorable C. A. Ficke, 

 First Vice-President, presided. On the stage were seated the lecturer 

 of the evening, Professor Frederick Starr of the University of Chi- 

 cago ; President MacLean and Professor C. C. Nutting of the State 

 University of Iowa, and several of the more active local members ot 

 the Academy, including the President, Mrs. Mary L. D. Putnam. 



The Reverend Dr. J. B. Donaldson, pastor of the First Presbyterian 

 Church, opened by prayer. 



