May 23, 1902.] 



SCIENCE. 



809 



to enlarge its activity in establishing 

 anthropology on a firmer basis. Although, 

 therefore, the establishment of elose rela- 

 tions between all individuals all over the 

 country who are interested in anthropol- 

 ogy seems to be of great importance, the 

 reserving of an opportunity for discussion 

 among scientists alone must not be lost 

 sight of. At the present time the num- 

 ber of trained anthropologists is so small 

 that it is doubtful if there is any immediate 

 necessity of providing for such meetings. 

 A conservative estimate of the number of 

 anthropologists who can lay claim to a 

 fairly symmetrical training, and who 

 contribvite to the advance of anthropology, 

 would hardly exceed thirty. At the same 

 time the number of young men who devote 

 themselves to this science is constantly in- 

 creasing. Harvard, Columbia and Chi- 

 cago universities are constantly training 

 new men, and the breadth and thorough- 

 ness of their training are constantly in- 

 creasing. If therefore the time is not ripe 

 for providing for strictly technical meet- 

 ings, it is certainly not far distant. In 

 most sciences the organizations which are 

 providing for technical meetings, and those 

 which provide for the general interest of 

 the science, have become distinct organiza- 

 tions. I have hinted before at the reason 

 which led to this condition of afi:airs. The 

 foundation of societies of specialists was 

 partly a reaction against the popular char- 

 acter of the meetings of the older societies. 

 The experiences of the last few years seem 

 to suggest that a separate organization 

 gives a better assurance of preserving the 

 purely scientific character of meetings than 

 attempts to distinguish between two kinds 

 of meetings of the same society — technical 

 meetings and popular meetings— orthrough 

 the division of the membership of a society 

 into two classes, as fellows and members. 

 Nevertheless it is not certain that adequate 

 provisions for technical meetings might not 



be made in the general society. I wish to 

 call attention here to the methods of scien- 

 tific societies abroad, many of which have 

 also a miscellaneous membership. The 

 scientific work of these societies is carried 

 on successfully, notwithstanding the pres- 

 ence of lay members, and the success of 

 such meetings depends simply upon the 

 courage of the presiding officer, and of the 

 speaker to discuss before his audience 

 technical matters which may be beyond the 

 comprehension of a majority of the audi- 

 ence. I do not venture to say whether an 

 attempt of this kind could be successful 

 here. 



I believe the reasons that have been ad- 

 duced, and which have been much discussed 

 among a number of anthropologists, are 

 weighty enough to induce us to consider 

 carefully if the time has come for a better 

 organization of anthropological work all 

 over the country, and what steps may be 

 the most advantageous to take. 



Franz Boas. 



EXCERPTS FROM THE REPORT OF THE 

 CENSUS COMMITTEE OF THE AMERI- 

 CAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY. 



The Census Committee of the American 

 Chemical Society sought to learn as accu- 

 rately as possible the progress during the 

 last twenty-five years, and how to better the 

 conditions for the development of chemis- 

 try in America. A mere statement of the 

 conditions without further comment would 

 hardly secure that end. It was therefore 

 necessary to gather statistics of the most 

 varied character. Naturally such a report 

 could not be complete, as the members of 

 the committee had various other cares de- 

 manding their attention, and the means at 

 their command were limited. Sufficient 

 data, however, were secured to give cause 

 for some gratification and at the same time 

 to indicate directions for much home mis- 

 sion work among American chemists. This 



