ADDRESSES 27 



THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS— THE RELATION OF 



ACADEMIES OF SCIENCE TO THE STATE. 



A. R. Crook, Springfield, 111. 



The Illinois State Academy is true to type as defined in Brit- 

 tania, which says : 



"An academy of science is a society whose object is the cul- 

 tivation and the promotion of science undertaken for the pure 

 love of these pursuits with np interested motive." 



It thus differs from many organizations whose motive is 

 profit of a pecuniary character for the members. In our or- 

 ganization the motive is the promotion of research and the dif- 

 fusion of scientific knowledge for the advantage of the people 

 of the State. 



Membership in the Academy does not convey distinction. 

 Any one of reputable character who is genuinely interested in 

 science is welcomed as a member. Fortunately the most prom- 

 inent of our men of science are active members of the Acad- 

 emy, but high school boys are welcomed just as cordially — 

 they are the eminent men of science of the future. The Acad- 

 emy is not exclusive or aristocratic. On the contrary, it is gen- 

 uinely democratic. 



As one meets man after man of our membership he finds 

 an interesting company. They may be connected with an edu- 

 cational institution or not. They have usually the charm of 

 individuality. For example, there is Mr. F., one of the most 

 successful collectors of shells in the United States, who has a 

 remarkable collection of snail shells which he has brought to- 

 gether in a search extending from Maine to Oregon and from 

 Arizona to Florida. A few weeks ago the conchologist of the 

 Philadelphia Academy of Science said to me : "Mr. F. has a 

 remarkable faculty of finding the shells in which we are inter- 

 ested. When in the field he seems to go directly to the pile un- 

 der which the shells are hidden while I wander around in vain." 



Another interesting member of the Academy works in a 

 steel mill. A few 1 years ago when his left hand was caught in 

 the cogs of a wheel he had sufficient quickness, strength and 

 courage to throw his arm around a pillar and to hold until his 

 left arm was torn from the body and his life was saved. In 

 spite of this affliction he has done remarkable work in paleon- 

 tological collecting. Equipped with the kind of hammer den- 

 tists use he has carefully and patiently chipped out very deli- 

 cate fossils. He has one of the most complete collections of 

 mastodon tusks and teeth which I have seen outside of a pub- 

 lic museum. 



