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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XL. No. 1025 



considerable degree. If the active members 

 of tbe chapters have a fairly clear appre- 

 ciation of the meaning of the society and 

 are conscientious in nomination and elec- 

 tion of members, that is probably about all 

 that can be expected. As the world in 

 which we live to-day exists, the clever 

 manipulator, the politician, or the man of 

 unlimited assurance frequently fills the 

 position of importance rather than the man 

 of merit. Some will know the difference, 

 but probably with the mass of people the 

 man who has a big amount of assurance 

 will very frequently be able to pass the 

 counterfeit as the genuine. It is believed, 

 however, that we ought not to be unduly 

 discouraged by this fact, or that we should 

 in any measure lower the standards and 

 ideals of Sigma Xi. Even in the Church of 

 'God the saint and sinner, the genuine and 

 the hypocrite, are associated. You will 

 remember in the parable of the wheat and 

 the tares that the householder commanded 

 the servants not to attempt to separate the 

 tares from the wheat "lest while ye gather 

 up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with 

 them." So in our own society it is be- 

 lieved that you are called to a great work, 

 to help increase the sum of human knowl- 

 edge, and one that calls for the best efforts 

 that you can put forth. It is believed that 

 this is a personal call to each one of you, 

 so far as it may be possible to consecrate 

 whatever God-given talent you possess to 

 some earnest work toward the increase and 

 dissemination of knowledge. It is also be- 

 lieved that you need not be specially con- 

 cerned whether at present you can see any 

 practical results from such discovery or 

 not. Find the new truth, and neither you 

 nor perhaps any one can foresee what may 

 be its importance in the future. So do not 

 be overanxious as to whether your research 

 has an immediate pecuniary reward in 

 sight. Eemember that Louis Agassiz, the 



greatest zoologist that America has had, 

 said that he did not have time to make 

 money. His regular efforts brought him, 

 however, a comfortable living and a name 

 that will last far longer than that of most 

 of our American multimillionaires. So my 

 counsel to you is that this is largely a per- 

 sonal matter and that your main efforts 

 are to be devoted to producing the best of 

 which you are capable, rather than watch- 

 ing and criticizing the efforts or non-efforts 

 of others. If you earnestly and faithfully 

 attempt to live up to the pledge of this 

 society you will have a clear conscience 

 yourself and in the final estimate of results 

 it is believed you will be classed with the 

 wheat and separated from the tares. 



Finally, it is my duty to read to you the 

 pledge of the Society of the Sigma Xi, to 

 which you are asked to assent as your names 

 are called. There is perhaps an appro- 

 priateness in the fact that one who was a 

 member of the first list of novitiates of the 

 Alpha Chapter is to put this pledge to you, 

 the youngest members of the Omega 

 Chapter. The pledge is, "Do you hereby 

 pledge yourself to uphold the principles of 

 the Society of the Sigma Xi, and assume 

 the responsibilities incumbent upon active 

 membership therein?" 



Chaeles S. Peosser 



Ohio State Univeksitt 



DOCTOBATES CONFEBBEB BY AMEBICAN 

 UNIVEBSITIES 



The tables here published for the seven- 

 teenth year on the doctorates of philosophy 

 conferred by American universities show 

 that the number of degrees this year for the 

 first time exceeded 500, being an increase 

 of 31 over 1913, but of only 18 over 1912. 

 Two hundred and forty-one of the 502 

 degrees were in the natural and exact sci- 

 ences, which is about the same proportion 

 as for all the years covered by these sta- 



