Editorial. 



The proposition to hold the winter meetings of the Geologi- 

 cal Society of America in the city of Washington, as advocated 

 by Professor Iddings, in the last number of this Journal, is not 

 without objections. 



The members of the society may be classified in two groups ; 

 those engaged chiefly in investigation, and those who devote a 

 part of their time to teaching. The interests of these groups 

 differ and in arranging for the winter meetings of the society 

 should have equal consideration. The members who reside in 

 Washington are for the most part engaged in investigation, 

 while the majority of the non-Washington members are occupied 

 principally in teaching. It has been said by one eminent in our 

 science, that the three requisites in geological training are travel, 

 travel, travel. Under the proposed arrangement, members resid- 

 ing in Washington would be deprived in a measure of the 

 opportunities which might otherwise be secured by them of 

 seeing the laboratories, collections, etc., at various other centers 

 from which geological information is disseminated. It is evident 

 that it would be unfair to thus deprive our Washington friends 

 of a means of education which might be of profit to them. Mem- 

 bers of the society who are engaged principally in teaching, 

 probably have as earnest desires to see the lecture rooms, labor- 

 atories, and collections of their colleagues and to learn their 

 methods of teaching, as they have to study the methods of 

 investigation carried on in Washington. 



To enable both classes of members to profit by the opportuni- 

 ties afforded by our winter meetings and at the same time insure 

 the desired attendance, it seems highly desirable that for some 

 years to come, the meetings referred to should be held at the 



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