16 



FUTURE WORK OF THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 

 IN OHIO. 



BY F. M. WEBSTER, WOOSTER, OHIO. 



Let me preface m}^ paper with the suggestion that 

 all science is alike to us, as a body. Science is facts 

 classified and the mere statement of facts may, or may 

 not, be science. The man or woman, who presents a 

 lengthy, wordy paper, abounding in technical and 

 obscure terras, is not likely to be a scientific person, 

 unless such have, in their researches, gone beyond their 

 fellows and pushed far out into the unknown. Even 

 here, it might be well to call attention to the fact that 

 the foremost among scientific people are noted for 

 simplicity and brevity rather than otherwise. 



As I have indicated, there is not a branch of science 

 in which we, as members of this body, may not legiti- 

 matelv enter. I am. indeed, pleased to note the 

 broadening out as indicated by the program of the 

 present meeting and hope this will continue. As to 

 methods of investigation, it would be the height of 

 presumption on my part to attempt to lay down any 

 particular scheme. But when a paper comes to the 

 publication committee, a certain amount of discretion 

 is demanded, and with your board of trustees, it is 

 imperative that the best possible use should be made 

 of our funds. 



We expend both time and money in attending the 

 academy meetings, and we hope and expect to derive a 

 certain benefit from the association with one another. 

 But beyond this it seems to me we have a right to 

 expect to hear new facts stated, or the new application 

 of old ones. So also in our publications, we expect not 

 to read of old and threadbare subjects that have been 

 repeated again and again, but we look for additions to 



