262 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [Aug 



utility in their desire to be successful candidates for F. R. 

 M. S. If so, how can it be expected that the meeting's will 

 be larg-e ? 



Each year the president of the society receives the long- 

 coveted honor. The records will show, that having got- 

 ten it, he usually graduates from all active connection with 

 the Society. Annually relegate one of the most active 

 members to obscurity and what should be the effect in the 

 19 years the society has been in existence? Do we need 

 go further in order to answer why the attendance at the 

 meetings is confined to a small group of people ? If a man 

 can get his paper before the Royal Microscopical Society 

 by delivering- it to the secretary of the American Society 

 in time to go into the Proceeding's why should he be to the 

 time and expense of a trip to Toledo? 



What then is necessary for the success of the Society? 



1. Chang-e its whole spirit and methods. 



2. Elect only such men to the presidency as have 

 largely advanced microscopical interest in America. 



3. Pay the expenses of a disting-uished microscopist to 

 visit each meeting. 



4. Transfer all business to secret sessions of a Board. 



5. Publish only the results of business discussions. 



6. Publish no paper that has not been read at a meeting-. 



7. Publish in full only such papers as are of g-reat 

 value and require expensive illustrations. 



8. Publish brief abstracts of minor papers, leaving- the 

 periodicals to publish them in full. 



9. Leave to periodicals all that properly belongs to 

 journalism. 



10. Permit and encourage the periodicals to publish all 

 that they can of the papers read and of the president's 

 address. 



11. Be at work all the year preparing something that 

 will interest a larg-e number of people. 



12. Take great interest in the welfare of the local 

 societies and invent means to help them to prosper. 



13. Receive their delegates as honorary members, enter- 

 tain them and send them home full of enthusiasm. 



