548 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XIX. No. 483. 



illustrating the practical methods of using 

 thermit in welding electric car rails in place, 

 repairing broken stem posts and shafts in 

 large steamers, etc. 



Arthur M. Comey, 



Secretary. 



DISCUSI^WN AND CORRESPONDENCE. 



CONVOCATION WEEK. 



In the multitude of counselors there is said 

 to be safety, and it may be hoped that a sound 

 conclusion may be evolved from the widely 

 differing views which are finding expression in 

 the columns of Science. 



In my own opinion, as in the opinion of 

 some others who have already written, it has 

 been a mistake to change the time of the meet- 

 ing of the American Association from summer 

 to winter. The American Association is and 

 should be a popular association. It seeks to 

 include in its membership not alone profes- 

 sional workers in science, but the wider public 

 who have a more or less intelligent interest in 

 the results of science. It appeals not only to 

 the professors in the universities and colleges, 

 but also to the great army of teachers in the 

 secondary schools. It draws its members not 

 from one district, but from all parts of the 

 continent. Now I think that the time for the 

 meeting of such an association is the summer 

 vacation. In our winter, long journeys are 

 apt to be more or less uncomfortable, and 

 trains are not infrequently seriously delayed 

 by snow. It is impracticable for the colleges 

 and schools to arrange their work so as to 

 allow a long vacation at Christmas time ; and 

 part of the Christmas vacation is and ought 

 to be devoted by most of the students of sci- 

 ence in the country to the claims of home and 

 family. Both the inclemency of the weather 

 and the shortness of the time at our disposal 

 render it impossible to have excursions in con- 

 nection with a Christmas meeting ; and, in the 

 American Association, as in its illustrious 

 prototype, the British Association, the ex- 

 cursions are a very valuable part of the 

 privileges offered by the meeting. Any one who 

 has attended a meeting of the British Associa- 

 tion in recent years, studied the elaborate 

 guide-book for the locality prepared by the 



local committee, and availed himself of the 

 opportunities of excursions adapted to his own 

 tastes and studies, whether he be a geologist 

 or a naturalist or an archeologist or an engi- 

 neer, will appreciate how valuable this part 

 of the work of such an association may be 

 made. These excursions are valuable alike 

 to the professional scientist and to the ama- 

 teur. 



While the Christmas vacation seems to me 

 a very unsuitable time for the meetings of 

 the American Association, it is an excellent 

 time for the meetings of the numerous asso- 

 ciations of more restricted membership and 

 more definite scope. In several cases 

 these narrow professional societies have al- 

 ready divided themselves into sections dis- 

 tributed in different regions of the country. 

 The members of a local section of such a so- 

 ciety can easily get together' in the Christmas 

 vacation. The journeys required are com- 

 paratively short, and the time at their disposal 

 is amply sufficient. Their program does not 

 aim to cover all science; they are not required 

 to do anything in the way of popularization; 

 they can meet for a few days of quiet, earnest 

 work in the discussion of the papers of a 

 homogeneous program; they can find relief 

 from the serious work of the sessions in a 

 dinner or a smoker or both ; and, when they 

 have done their scientific work, and enjoyed 

 their friendly greetings and renewal of cher- 

 ished associations, they can go home in season 

 for the opening of the winter term in the in- 

 stitutions with which they are connected. 



It was said by many that the large attend- 

 ance and the great interest in the Washington 

 meeting were the vindication of the plan of 

 a winter session of the American Association. 

 It must be remembered, however, that Wash- 

 ington is altogether an exceptional city. In 

 the number of resident scientific men, and in 

 the variety of museums and other indoor at- 

 tractions for students of science, professional 

 or amateur, Washington stands unrivaled. 

 The success of the Washington meeting was 

 due to the exceptional character of the locality. 

 The comparative failure of the St. Louis meet- 

 ing affords more nearly a just criterion of the 

 expediency of the plan. 



