338 -ROCHESTER ACADEMY OF SCIEN'CE. [Jan. I4, 



sympathy and respect for the Society and to whom the money charges 

 are of sHght consequence. Low charges repel instead of attracting 

 the latter class of patrons. 



The Academy should restore the initiation fee of five dollars, thus 

 requiring a payment of ten dollars to perfect membership. And the 

 cost to women should be made the same as to men, instead of two 

 dollars, as at present. Why should not the women practice their 

 theory of equality ? A scientific society should be thoroughly demo- 

 cratic and show no favors. 



A glance at the minutes of the Academy show that for several 

 years a large proportion, or a majority, of the persons who have been 

 elected to membership have never qualified. This is a bad state of 

 affairs. It means either that the persons were proposed without pro- 

 per assurance of their interest, or that the administrative officers have 

 not properly looked after the elected persons. 



Administration . 



One helpful change will be to throw more of the details of 

 administration upon the Council. The rules should be so amended as 

 to empower the Council to elect members (not Fellows) and to direct 

 the payment of ordinary expenses. This would relieve the Academy 

 meetings of some annoying business details. The practice in success- 

 ful scientific societies is to concentrate in the Council the responsibility 

 of the business administration. 



But the one absolute essential to successful administration is 

 devoted, tactful ofificers. One man alone can make a society grandly 

 successful if he is the right man in charge of the machinery. But he 

 must not only possess certain mental qualities, he must have the work 

 and welfare of the society on his mind and heart, so that he eats and 

 sleeps with it and never counts the cost to himself in time and labor. 



The writer's suggestion is to go slow. Better be too conserva- 

 tive and keep in well-worn paths rather than too radical. Never make 

 changes merely as experiments. Do not become discouraged because 

 the Academy is small or weak and some great thing can not be done 

 at once. A few choice scientific minds with a very little money will, 

 with patience, persistence, courage and wise economy produce 

 scientific results that will make the Society honored at home and 

 abroad. 



The function of the Academy as a center of scientific influence is 



