SYNOPSIS^ OF PROCEEDINGS. 3II 



December 14, i8g2. — Twenty-fifth or "Silver Anniversary" 



Meeting. 



In the afternoon the Museum was thrown open to the children of 

 the city, music being furnished by a children's orchestra, In the 

 evening there was a fair gathering of interested friends in the main 

 Academy hall. 



An interesting sketch of the history of the Academy from its begin- 

 ning, December 14, 1867, was read by Dr. Jennie McCowen ; and 

 letters from absent friends were read conveying many expressions of 

 good will. 



A delightful musical programme was rendered by the Misses Bru- 

 ning, Mrs. Swiney, Miss Hoyt, and others. A bountiful repast was 

 served in the supper hall, and altogether the anniversary proved a 

 very enjoyable occasion. 



anniversary address. 



Dr. Jennie McCowen, December 14, 1892. 



Ladies and Gentlemen : 



The Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences was organized Decem- 

 ber 14, 1867, just twenty-five years ago to-night. 



Of the four gentlemen who met that night in a dingy little office up- 

 stairs on the corner of Third and Perry streets and pledged themselves 

 to- united efforts towards the acquirement and dissemination of scien- 

 tific knowledge, towards the encouragement of scientific research and 

 the promotion of practical scientific instruction in the public schools, 

 not one remains to-day in active membership in the Academy. Of 

 the first year's officers of that infant society not one remains. Of the 

 ten gentlemen who formed the first Board of Trustees, but a single one 

 remains, Dr. W. H. Barris. At the end of 1868 the membership had 

 increased from four to fifty -four. 



The first donation from abroad to the new museum was a collection 

 of crinoids from Mr. Enoch May of Burlington. 



The first lot of specimens received in exchange was a collection of 

 marine shells, sponges, etc., from the Portland, (Me.) National His- 

 tory Society, an institution which has long since ceased to exist. 



The first case for holding specimens was a home-made one, man- 

 ufactured for the Academy by one of the original members. 



The first lecture under the auspices of the Academy was by Prof. 

 Gustavus Hinrichs, then of the Iowa State University, given at the 

 German Theatre. 



The first paper read in Academy meeting was on " The Relation of 

 the Outer World to Our Senses," by Mr. W. H. Pratt, who, during 

 the twenty-four years that have elapsed since that time, has been un- 



