August 14, 1003.] 



SCIENCE. 



2(J3 



lems or. other constructive work which 

 would tend to strengthen the science among 

 the sciences and in the esteem of those who 

 mold our educational and national life. 

 The practical aspects of our science, its 

 values in the conduct of life and its direct 

 bearings in education, medicine, treatment 

 of the unfortunates and in social reforms, 

 its influence upon the development of other 

 sciences, such as biology, anthropologj-, 

 sociology, logic and ethics, and its aid in 

 the pursuit of art, history and literature, 

 have been clearly affirmed by five presi- 

 dents, denied by one, and practically ig- 

 nored by the rest. Only one, I believe, has 

 seriously touched the question of the teach- 

 ing of psyeholog>' to our student body. 

 Which type of a president derived bj' com- 

 positing all these contrasts is the more de- 

 sirable and the more useful in our leader- 

 ship in view of the present needs of psy- 

 chologj', is a query that must be referred 

 to each one by himself. 



TIIE MEMBERSHIP. 



The structure of an association organized 

 in the interest of the advancement of sci- 

 ence finds its efficiency not so much in the 

 cortical officials who annually declare their 

 views, as in the interest and efforts of its 

 members, who actively explore the psy- 

 chological field, offer intelligent criticism 

 of past returns, and otherwise increase its 

 content of fact and in general advance its 

 repute. The scientific and professional 

 aims of the association have been safe- 

 guarded within itself, at least, by that 

 modern form of predestination which 

 makes the psj'chologist 's 'calling and elec- 

 tion sure.' We have already given an im- 

 personal sununary of the work yielded by 

 the elect. We have yet to consider its 

 distribution among the individuals. The 

 fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth 

 headings in Table I. present the aggregate 

 facts to be considered in detail. 



Beginning with twenty-six original mem- 

 bers, the association has grown annually, 

 having admitted in the ten j'ears one hun- 

 dred and forty men and eight women to 

 iiieiiibership. One man has been elected 

 twice to membership, and seven of the wo- 

 men abide with us still. The present roll 

 includes one hundred and twenty-seven 

 names, showing a total loss, by death and 

 voluntary cessation, of twenty-one mem- 

 bers during the ten years. In the matter 

 of attendance, the showing is not as satis- 

 factory as one would wish for the efficiency 

 of the association. The average attend- 

 ance of members at each meeting has been 

 nearly thirty-five, which is but slightly 

 above the membership at the first an- 

 nual meeting. Reasons geographical and 

 financial, not to mention others more tem- 

 porary or personal, must not be overlooked 

 in interpreting for psychology's fellowship, 

 the percentage the attendance at each 

 meeting has been of the total elections in- 

 dicated above. It is, however, in place to 

 ask, why has the association apparently 

 lost its hold upon our psychological nes- 

 tors, w'ho have seemed ready to give place 

 to the younger men? This may indicate 

 a lack of interest on their part in the sci- 

 entific details that legitimately find place 

 in the proceedings, or it may betoken a 

 change in the community of interest in the 

 unified development of inquiry and criti- 

 cism. Psychologists above all others are 

 least apt to misinterpret the significance 

 of mci'e numbers, popularity or enthusiasm. 

 But those who wield greater influence in 

 shaping the association's affaii-s can well 

 take into consideration the causes of the 

 lessening grip upon many of the more 

 mature and industrious of our coworkers, 

 and seek to promote the faith within our- 

 selves. 



The most noticeable feature in the com- 

 parative exhibit in Table I. is the contrast 



