CONCLUSION. 143 



We chose the name 'Agassiz' because it was then up- 

 permost in mind. His then recent death was fresh in the 

 hearts of the nation ; and his birth in Switzerland, where 

 a similar organization was said to exist, rendered it es- 

 pecially appropriate. The choice was wiser than we 

 knew. No one can read Mrs. Agassiz's life of her hus- 

 band without feeling that no name could better stim- 

 ulate us to faithful work. 



Having thus selected the name, a letter was sent to 

 Prof. Alexander Agassiz, asking permission publicly to 

 adopt it. Professor Agassiz replied that he "cordially 

 assents that this very pleasant and useful plan for chil- 

 dren be called the Agassiz Association, and that we have 

 his hearty good wishes for its success." 



The societies that joined us during the first year or 

 two of our existence, when our plans were still uncer- 

 tain and our methods comparatively crude, retain in 

 many cases the notion that the Agassiz Association 

 to-day is the same loose organization it was at first 

 an aggregation of local societies united only in name, 

 allowed to drift hither and thither without direction 

 or assistance. But the necessity for careful supervision 

 and guidance has grown more and more apparent. We 

 have been constantly beseiged with requests for system- 

 atic courses of study, elaborate plans for work, personal 

 counsel and advice. Courses of study have accordingly 

 been added, plans of work sketched, and a regular sys- 

 tem of reports established. The conditions of admission 

 have been defined, and, in short, more business-like 

 methods adopted, until we now resemble rather an ex- 

 tended school with numerous classes than an ordinary 

 society. 



I may mention four different sorts of chapters. 

 First, family chapters. The parents and children of 



