Fortii-seventh Annual Meeting. 39 



is no lack of room for work for such an organization ; indeed, 

 the amount and variety of work pushing to the front is so 

 great as to be almost bewildering. It is clear to me that the 

 Kansas Academy of Science has a greater opportunity to do 

 beneficial work for the state now than it has ever before had, 

 and this opportunity will increase with the years. It now re- 

 mains for us to consider our present organization and environ- 

 ment, and determine the changes that would increase our 

 efficiency. 



The first thing that must appeal to us is lack of room. 

 Crowded as we now are, even sharing our quarters with an- 

 other organization, we can not command the facilities ab- 

 solutely essential. We are not now and have never in our 

 entire existence been able to arrange our library in shape for 

 ready reference. This need, I understand, will be provided 

 for in the quarters provided for us in the new Memorial 

 Building, which by a happy coincidence occupies the site of the 

 Lincoln College building, in which the Academy was organized. 

 Whatever provision is made should include ample room for 

 arranging our books in the most convenient and useful way; 

 also, we should there have a complete up-to-date card cata- 

 logue, in order that our volumes may be of maximum use to the 

 entire state. 



Next, it seems to me, the Academy should have a separate 

 existence. While we have received courteous, even generous, 

 treatment at the hands of the Agricultural Society, of which 

 we are a coordinate branch, and have only kind words for that 

 society, yet there is a decided advantage in an independent 

 existence, really an advantage to both organizations. The 

 work of the two organizations, while somewhat related, is yet 

 so distinct, and the methods of accomplishing this work so 

 radically different, that I can see no gain to either organiza- 

 tion in such a union as now exists. 



Third, and most important of all, we should secure a change 

 that will permit us to publish our Transactions annually, and 

 as soon after the annual meeting as is possible. It is a very 

 decided detriment to the Society to have to wait two years for 

 their appearance. Other societies, outside our state, but with 

 which we must in a definite way compete, publish more fre- 

 quently, and thus secure members who are doing scientific 

 work in our state, that, as I see it, ought to find a place in our 



