XXll 



of a few men who loved nature, and then in a somewhat greater num- 

 ber who looked with a friendly interest upon such endeavor. 



During- the year 1881 the desirability of such an association was 

 discussed by several young- men who occasionally tramped the Island 

 tog-ether. A notebook was put in circulation in which any one who 

 favored this idea was invited to write his name. 



When about twenty names had been secured, a call for a meeting 

 was issued, sig:ned by Nathaniel L. Britton, Arthur HoUick, and Wil- 

 liam T. Davis, to be held at the residence of Mr. Davis, on Saturday 

 evening-, November 12, 1881 — twenty-five years ag-o tonig-ht. 



This is the piece of paper on which this call was writteti by Dr. Britton 

 while crossi?ig the bay on one of the ferryboats, which paper Mr. Davis 

 took to the prijiter as copy for the ?wtice that was issued. This paper, 

 therefore, more than any other token, stands for the org-anization of 

 this association. It is the original document. 



[The paper was here handed out and passed around for inspection.] 



Fourteen responded to this call and organized the Natural Science 

 Association of Staten Island, choosing Mr. Sanderson Smith as the first 

 president. 



During the next few months meetings were held at the rooms of the 

 Young Men's Catholic Union and in Public School No. 3, New Brigh- 

 ton. In 1882 the Board of Trustees of the Village^ of New Brighton 

 offered the free use of a large room in the village hall as a meeting 

 place and museum, which was thus occupied for some fourteen years. 



In 1896 the Staten Island Academy generously tendered the Associa- 

 tion the use of its facilities, and a room was set aside to which the libra- 

 ry and museum were tranf erred. Meetings were then held, sometimes 

 at the Academy, but more often at the residence of various members, 

 as had become the custom since 1892. 



During the first four or five years the membership gradually increased, 

 and the meetings were well attended. The interest then somewhat 

 waned until, in 1892, the membership reached the low water mark of 

 thirty-six and the attendance at meetings was very meagre. 



About that time it was my pleasure,, as a new resident, to learn of 

 the existence of the Association, and I shortly became a member. The 

 first meeting that I attended is well impressed upon my memory. It 

 was on May 14, 1892, the o>nly other member present being the secre- 

 tary, Arthur Hollick. 



Various conditions, which of themselves were of little importance, 

 had operated to cause all or many of the meetings to be poorly attend- 

 ed. In some respects it was perhaps a fortunate accident that at my 



