ABSTRACT OF HISTORY. 



ORGANIZATION. 



The Academy of Science of St. Louis was organized on 

 the 10th of March, 1856, in the hall of the Board of Pub- 

 lic Schools. Dr. George Engelmann was the first President. 



CHARTER. 



On the 17th of January following, a charter incorpo- 

 rating the Academy was signed and approved, and this was 

 accepted by a vote of the Academy on the 9th of February, 

 1857. 



OBJECTS. 



The act of incorporation declares the object of the 

 Academy to be the advancement of science and the estab- 

 lishment in St. Louis of a museum and library for the illus- 

 tration and study of its various branches, and provides that 

 the members shall acquire no individual property in the real 

 estate, cabinets, library, or other of its effects, their inter- 

 est being usufructuary merely. 



The constitution as adopted at the organization meeting 

 and amended at various times subsequently, provides for 

 holding meetings for the consideration and discussion of 

 scientific subjects; taking measures to procure original 

 papers upon such subjects ; the publication of transactions ; 

 the establishment and maintenance of a cabinet of objects 

 illustrative of the several departments of science and a li- 

 brary of works relating to the same; and the establishment 

 of relations with other scientific institutions. To encourage 

 and promote special investigation in any branch of science, 

 the formation of special sections under the charter is pro- 

 vided for. 



MEMBERSHIP. 



Members are classified as active members, corresponding 

 members, honorary members and patrons. Active member- 



