January 13, 1899.] 



SCIENCE. 



45 



geologists couuected with official surveys 

 urged the formation of a geological society 

 to bring about closer bonds among geol- 

 ogists ; and they succeeded, at the meeting 

 of the American Association, in securing 

 the appointment of a committee to consider 

 the matter. The geologists of the country 

 were consulted, and a report, showing that 

 the consensus of the replies favored the or- 

 ganization of such a society, was presented 

 in 1882 as well as in 1883, but without any 

 result. The Association's Committee on 

 the Internatioaal Geological Congress con- 

 sidered the question in 1887 and announced 

 approval. Professoi'S N. H. Winchell and 

 C. H. Hitchcock, as Chairman and Secre- 

 tary of the 1881 Committee, issued a call 

 asking geologists to assemble at Cleveland, 

 Ohio, on August 1 4, 1888, to form a Geolog- 

 ical Society. 



A large number of geologists and other 

 members of Section E assembled on the af- 

 ternoon of that day. Professor Alex. Win- 

 chell presided and Dr. Julius Pohlman was 

 Secretary. An earnest discussion respect- 

 ing the type of society to be founded occu- 

 pied most of the afternoon. The plan 

 suggested in the call looked only to an 

 expansion of Section E of the American 

 Association by holding meetings at times 

 better suited than summer to the conven- 

 ience of geologists. But a difference of 

 opinion quickly developed, for some knew 

 that no such expedient would suffice, that 

 the conditions called for something more 

 definite. Loyalty to the American Associa- 

 tion, which for forty years had been the 

 bond between scientific men, held many 

 back from an extreme position. Yet every 

 one recognized that little injury could come 

 to the Association, as, at best, only a few 

 geologists could attend summer meetings. 

 In any event, it was clear that the interests 

 of geology required the formation of a so- 

 ciety with severe restrictions upon mem- 

 bership and with publications which would 



be a credit to American science. A com- 

 promise prevailed, whereby the Original 

 members, entitled to take part in organiza- 

 tion, must be members of Section E of the 

 American Association, and that all mem- 

 bers of Section E might enroll prior to the 

 first meeting if they so desired. This last 

 provision caused not a little anxiety, as 

 membership in any section of the Associa- 

 tion predicates nothing more than a friendly 

 feeling for science — whatever that may 

 mean. 



A committee* was appointed to prepare 

 a plan of organization with a provisional 

 constitution. The committee's report, on 

 the morning of the 15th, provoked debate, 

 as the provisional constitution placed a 

 positive limit upon the membership by per- 

 mitting, after the organization, only work- 

 ing geologists and teachers of geology to 

 become members and by requiring a three- 

 fourths vote for election. The organization 

 was to be effected when the list of Original 

 members contained one hundred names. 

 The provisional constitution, with a few un- 

 important amendments, was agreed to 

 unanimously and a committee continued as 

 a committee of organization. The details 

 of arrangements were placed in the hands 

 of Professors A. Winchell and Stevenson. 



Happily the high dues and general belief 

 that no society could be formed on the pro- 

 posed basis kept the list of Original Fel- 

 lows from being swollen by those whose 

 relation to geology began and ended with 

 attendance upon the American Associa- 

 tion's meetings. The committee was en- 

 abled from the very outset practically to 

 choose the men who should make the so- 

 ciety. The required number having been 

 obtained by the 1st of December, a meet- 

 ing was held at Ithaca, New York, on De- 

 cember 27, 1888. Only thirteen were pres- 



*This committee consisted of Alexander Wincliell, 

 J. J. Stevenson, C. H. Hitchcock, John R. Procter 

 and Edward Orton. 



