50 



ests along with any degree of specialization that may be attained. In 

 \-iew of this belief may I repeat that the personal interchange of ideas 

 and the comradeship that our meetings afford can do much to nourish and 

 keep alive this wider interest in different fields that all too readily be- 

 comes deadened by the isolation of the individual in his own work. In 

 this service the Academy has a peculiar advantage over associations organ- 

 ized to promote some particular purpose. Its interests are broad, its 

 members are recruited from widely varying tields. and yet all are bound 

 together by their common interest in scientific work. In this respect no 

 other organization has quite so much to offer to its members. The work- 

 iug out of the proldem involves grave difficulties, but I believe there should 

 l)e some way of putting larger emphasis upon the social side of the meet- 

 ings. If p()ssil)le the program committee should make some provision 

 lor greater opportunity for social intercourse. Short recesses in the regu- 

 lar sessions might be of service. The examination and discussion of 

 exhibits sudi as i)reviously suggested woubi be achuiraiile for tbe purpose 

 and would be not less effective than more elaborately planned occasions 

 which are likely to become more or less formal and thus miss their real 

 object. A gi'i-ater coidialiry on the iiart of tlic older iiicinhcrs toward 

 the younger, especially those who have recently joined the ranks of the 

 Academy, would count for much. AVe should be of one large family and 

 not stand too inu<-b upon fm-inality. 



In this c(mnection let me remark that the Academy is not living up 

 to its privileges. It should have a much larger menibcrsbij). Indiana has 

 many scientists engaged in indu.strial work. I'nrc and aiii)li('d science, if 

 we may use as still tenable that distinction of Huxley's, go band in band 

 and we should do well if we could enlist in the service of the Academy 

 many of the workers in the fields of the practical application of .science. 

 There should l»e some systematic effort by the membership conmiittee to 

 seek out these men and to show them the advantages of a connection with 

 the Academy. • In this work the committee must have the hearty coopera- 

 tion of e\-ery member. It should be possible to enlist in o\u- service the 

 memlters of the various state departments of science who are doing valiant 

 service in promoting the welfare of the people through work in agriculture, 

 entomology, forestry, geology, health, hygiene, and sanitation. They would 

 greatly help the Academy and in turn would unquestionably be well repaid 

 by the advantages of memliershi]). 



In connection with the social side of the work of the Academy, one 



