286 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



markets, fairs, festivals, etc., would all be -fixed in the public 

 almanacs as now. 



But those almanacs would be permanent as the changing of week- 

 day names for dates would then cease. The fixed four weeks per month 

 would permanently anchor each of our seven week-days to the 4 -fixed 

 dates opposite their respective names in the " ^Fodel ^Fonth " on page 1^ 

 Then the date would always indicate the day of the week e.g. 7, 14, 21 

 and 28 would denote Saturdays; 1, 8, 15 and 23 Sundays and so forth. 



That eminently practical fixed month would speedily become so 

 easily imprinted on our minds that we could by that one month's dat^s, 

 instantly call to mind the week-day names for any dates in the year, and 

 our watches would indicate the day of the week and date of the month 

 as regularly as they now do the hour we look for on waking. The in- 

 cessant efforts now necespary to remember the day of the week and month 

 for all purposes would vanish. 



The numerous references we now make direct to almanacs, or men- 

 tally grope for along the 12 antiquated Eoman tablet months of irre- 

 gular length and ceaseless change of week-day names, would then cease 

 to burden our minds, which would ithen become free to east aside that 

 mental crutch poem of " 30 Days hath Sept., April, June and jSTov., etc." 

 with its tedious exceptions. 



Thoughtful persons who reflect upon the number of times per day 

 we thus needlessly waste mental energy upon those efforts now forced' 

 upon us by our imperfect almanacs, consider the proposed change to be 

 highly desirable, as it will benefit everybody without injuring anyone. 



Statesmen and representatives of the nations called upon to consider 

 the advisability of this reform will realize the developing need for a more 

 convenient almanac suited to modern requiremenrts and unfettered from 

 the defects of the imperfect system of unequal months and changing day 

 names that sufficed in the era of slavery and serfdom 2,000 years ago. — 

 They know that the vast social and industrial changes developed durmg, 

 that long period are becoming more acccnituated every year, and they will 

 be quite as ready as the members of the Eoyal Society of Canada to 

 appreciate not only the conveniences a '^ Eational Almanac '' would give 

 to themselves daily when reading, v/riting, making appointments, etc., 

 but also give due weight to the fafct that the existing almanac anomalies^ 

 and inconveniences are similarly detrimental to nearly all the 2,000,- 

 000,000 people in the world. 



Many of us make numerous almanac references every day in busi- 

 ness transactions. It will surprise mosit people when they individually 

 count the number they make. — But if we take the least possible number 

 of one day, that shows that the colossal number of 730,000,000,000 need- 



