December 8, 1922] 



SCIENCE 



653 



Bert Lord, New York State Department of 

 Motor Vehicles,* Albany, N. Y., representing the 

 group of administrative officials and departments; 



T. D. Pratt, Motor Truck Association, New 

 York Citj', representing the owners and operators 

 of motor vehicles; 



G. G. Kelcej", American Gas Accumulator Com- 

 pany, Newark, N. J., representing the group of 

 automotive accessory, signs and signal manufac- 

 turers ; 



A. H. Eudd, Safety Section, American" Railway 

 Association, representing the railroads; 



W. P. Young, general manager. National Auto- 

 mobile Underwriters Conference, representing the 

 group of insurance interests on the sectional com- 

 mittee ; 



W. P. Eno, of the Eno Foundation, Washing- 

 ton, D. C, representing the group of scientific and 

 technical societies; 



Harry Meixell, of the Motor Vehicle Confer- 

 ence Committee, New York Citj-, representing the 

 motor vehicle manufacturers; 

 and the tOiree offleers of the sectional com- 

 mittee. 



The sectional committee 'by resolution invited 

 the Aei'onauti'eal Chaimber of Commerce of the 

 Una ted States to participate in the work of 

 the committee. It was also idecided at the 

 organization meeting of the sectional committee 

 to appoint a su'b-eommittee to investigate the 

 efficieney of all color signals now in use as 

 trafiie signals, and where possible to ascertain 

 the reasons for adHspting certain -Colors for 

 specific uses. This committee will investigate 

 the use of various types of semaphores and 

 silent policemen. Another committee will make 

 an original study of sj)eciflc colore for definite 

 uses as a check upon previous researches and 

 to establish 'certain 'oolors for traffic signals. 

 A third committee will study non-luminous 

 signs and signals and propose, after thorough 

 research, signs of definite colors and shapes for 

 highways and also for railroad crossings. 



THE CHARLES A. COFFIN FOUNDATION 

 On May 16, 1922, Mr. Charles A. Coffin, in 

 his seventy-eighth year, retired from the active 

 leadership of the 'General Electric Company. 

 Mr. Coffin has been identified with the develop- 

 ment of the electrical industry since 1882. He 

 was the founder and creator of the General 



Electric Company, of which he has Ibeen the 

 inspiration and leader for tliirty years. As 

 an expression of appreciation of Mr. Coffin's 

 great work not only for the Greneral Electric 

 Company but also for the entire electrical 

 industry and witih the desire to make this ap- 

 preciation enduring and coaistruetive as Mr. 

 Coffin's life and work have been, the board of 

 directors of the General Electric Company 

 created on 'his retirement and mow desire to 

 annioTiniee 'the "Charles A. Coffin Foundation." 



A fund of $400,000, to . be known as the 

 "Charles A. Coffin Foundation," has ibeen set 

 aside and the income, 'amounting to approxi- 

 mately $20,000 per year, will be available for 

 encouraging and rewarding service in the elec- 

 'trical field by giving prizes to its employees, 

 recognition to lighting, power and railway 

 companies for improvement in service to the 

 public and fellowships to graduate students and 

 funds for research work at technical schools 

 and colleges. The foundation will ibe con- 

 trolled and administered toy a foundation com- 

 mittee appointed toy the hoard. This com- 

 mittee, within the limits of the purposes for 

 wfliich the foundation is 'created, will have 

 power to change the conditions 'applicable to 

 the distritoution of the fund and the amounts 

 for each particular purpose. 



The committee proposes to distritoute the in- 

 come of the foundation as follows : 



. First. Eleven thousand dollars ($11,000) in 

 prizes for the most signal contributions by em- 

 ployees of the General Electric Company toward 

 the increase of its efficiency or progress in the 

 electrical art. Particularly, the prizes are to 

 further encourage suggestions from workmen. 

 With each prize, the company will give a cer- 

 tificate of award. 



Second. A gold medal, to be known as the 

 "Charles A. Coffin Medal," will be awarded an- 

 nually to the pubUe utility operating company 

 Avithin the United States which, during the year, 

 has made the greatest contribution towards 

 increasing the advantages of the use of electric 

 light and power for the convenience and well- 

 being of the public and the benefit of the indus- 

 try. The company receiving the medal mil also 

 receive one thousand ($1,000) for its employees ' 

 benefit or similar fund. 



