THE AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION 



At a recent meeting of the trustees of the association, held in Pittsfield, 

 Mass., Dr. Edward F. Bigclow, of Stamford, Conn., was unanimously- 

 elected to the office of president. The Agassiz Association was established 

 in 1875, in Lenox, Mass., the president of the first society being Harlan H. 

 Ballard, whom Dr. Bigelow succeeds as president of the national body. 

 Louis Agassiz, whose name it adopted, had recently died when the little soci- 

 ety, which was the pioneer of a large movement, came into being, and his 

 widow and his son gave their hearty approval to the new undertaking. 

 Something of the sort had before existed in Switzerland, the native country 

 of the scientist, but the American association reached proportions of which its 

 originators never dreamed. The association was incorporated in 1892, un- 

 der the laws of Massachusetts, and its headquarters have been in Pittsfield. 

 The objects stated in the act of incorporation are the promotion of scientific 

 education, the advancement of science, the collection in museums of natural 

 and scientific specimens, the employment of observers and teachers in differ- 

 ent departments of science, and the general diffusion of knowledge. It has 

 chapters all over the United States, and several in foreign countries. The 

 chapters contain from 4 to 120 members each, and there is said to be a total 

 membership of 10,000 or 15,000. The age of its members varies from 4 

 to 84 years, but of course there are very few at the extreme points. The 

 bulk of the members consists of boys and girls, with a liking for healthy, clean, 

 outdoor life, and a desire to study plants and animals. In the organization of 

 the association, there are twenty corporators, most of whom live in Massa- 

 chusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Jersey. All are prominent 

 men in their respective localities. Seven trustees are chosen by the corpora- 

 tors. 



The association had an exhibit at the St. Louis exposition that attracted 

 considerable attention, and it was awarded a diploma. 



The officers serve without salary, and they have always shown enthusiasm 

 for the work in which it has been engaged, the encouragement of nature- 

 study. This has been directed largely through correspondence, and, as a 

 matter of fact, it can be fairly claimed that the Agassiz was the prototype of 

 all correspondence schools. The income to meet current expenses comes 

 from voluntary contributions, small fees from chapters, when entering, and 

 as annual dues. There is no charge for the instruction given, and this invol- 



