340 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XIX. No. 478. 



sented a paper on the ' Permanent Protection 

 of Iron and Steel,' in which he discussed the 

 different kinds of coatings used for the pur- 

 pose, with especial reference to the good effects 

 obtainable by the use of a paint made from 

 Portland cement of a certain definite com- 

 position. Lantern slides were shown illustra- 

 ting the microscopical character of cements of 

 various compositions, and the effects of corro- 

 sion on structural iron and steel. 



Arthur M. Comey, 



Secretary. 



DISCUSSION AND CORRESPONDENCE. 

 CONVOCATION WEEK. 



To THE Editor op Science : I, with doubtless 

 many others, feel indebted to you for the clear 

 exposition, in your editorial on convocation 

 week, of certain problems in the policy of the 

 American Association. The purposes of the 

 association to encourage research and special- 

 ization and, at the same time, disseminate 

 scientific and useful knowledge among the 

 people, divides the membership of the associa- 

 tion now, more than at any time in the past, 

 into two more or less distinct groups — investi- 

 gators and popular teachers. Under ideal 

 conditions, taste and ability for these two oc- 

 cupations should be perfectly balanced in each 

 individual, but rarely is this the case. With 

 increasing specialization in science, we are 

 approaching more and more nearly to indus- 

 trial conditions, where production and distri- 

 bution are the separate functions of the manu- 

 facturer and the merchant. These two deal 

 with each other oftenest not directly, but 

 through a middle man. There is, to be sure, 

 a vast difference between knowledge and 

 merchandise, but the similarity in develop- 

 ment deserves attention. It must be ad- 

 mitted that at times in the past the two 

 purposes of the association have gone but 

 lamely together. To some lack of community 

 of interest between them, which I grant ought 

 not 'to have existed, the birth of some of our 

 separate societies was due. If efficiency in 

 each branch were the sole consideration, it 

 would be better to have investigators and 

 specialists in each science in a group by them- 

 selves for their serious work, but some point 



of contact among specialists in the different 

 sciences and with the public at large must be 

 found, or the whole system will fail from too 

 much intellectual in-and-in breeding, on the 

 one hand, if not from lack of popular sym- 

 pathy and support, on the other. The convo- 

 cation week meeting of the association, if 

 wisely conducted, can doubtless bring together 

 the meetings of a large number of affiliated so- 

 cieties, and thus effectually emphasize the com- 

 mon ground and common purpose of the sci- 

 ences, which is now too often forgotten by both 

 scientific societies and scientific men. The 

 function of the association at such a meeting 

 would be largely that of a clearing house, and 

 the second purpose of the association could re- 

 ceive but the scantiest attention. This would 

 be unsatisfactory to what I take to be the 

 larger and more rapidly increasing part of the 

 present membership of the association. I be- 

 lieve, therefore, some ampler provision should 

 be made for this already too much neglected 

 body by a second meeting at a different time 

 of year, preferably in the summer season. It 

 is plain, however, that the most careful judg- 

 ment and balance must be shown in making 

 up the programs of the two meetings, to meet 

 effectually the double purpose of the associa- 

 tion, and still make both meetings attractive, 

 if not of compelling interest, to the whole 

 membership. Aside from such considerations, 

 the financial aspect of two meetings a year 

 may prove to. many a vexing one. It may be 

 true that the association can, with its increased 

 membership, carry the financial burden of two 

 meetings; but how about the individual who 

 in most cases is compelled to live on a salary 

 inadequate to his growing obligations? If 

 those who can attend but one meeting a year 

 can be brought to see that their freedom and 

 convenience are better served when they have 

 two meetings from which to choose, the prob- 

 lem will be simplified. 



The suggested change of policy seems to me 

 one of such far-reaching importance that it 

 should receive the broadest discussion from the 

 most varied points of view before a decision 

 is attempted. Ernest Fox Nichols. 



Columbia UNn'EP.siTY, 

 February 2, 1904. 



