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SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVIII. No. 405. 



eral society will practically only require the 

 affiliation of tlie local sections which are 

 already in existence. This may be done by 

 correspondence through the secretary of the 

 originating society at Stanford University. 



The desirability of such an organization can 

 not be doubted, as it would form a basis for 

 an acquaintanceship among students in geol- 

 ogy and mining which could not but be a 

 benefit and a pleasure to them. The social or 

 fraternal element would be paramount in the 

 general society, but the usefulness of the or- 

 ganization would by no means be limited to 

 this factor. Such an organization would 

 have a wide influence as a mediiim of ex- 

 change of thoughts and ideas among college 

 men interested in geology or mining, both be- 

 fore and after their departure from their alma 

 mater. These are but two of the many ad- 

 vantages which such an organization would 

 develop as its membership and influence grew. 



A constitution embodying the organization 

 and aims of a general society has been tenta- 

 tively drawn up. Its features are, in the main, 

 similar to those common to such societies, and 

 but a few points, some of which pertain more 

 properly to the constitution or by-laws of the 

 local sections, will require explanation here. 

 The name, ' Geological Society of American 

 Universities,' is thought to indicate as nearly 

 as possible the exact nature of the society; 

 and ' section ' is deemed a good designation for 

 the local branches. Active membership is 

 restricted to those students whose major sub- 

 ject is geology or mining, and who receive a 

 three fourths vote of the society. Another 

 requirement for membership, which, however, 

 is left optional with each section, but which 

 appears advisable where practicable, is that 

 making it necessary for the candidate to re- 

 ceive a recommendation for good scholarship 

 from the head of his department. It is the 

 history of ' open ' societies that sooner or later 

 the interest in them lags ; hence, the placing 

 of restrictions on the membership. The so- 

 ciety aims to take in only such men as really 

 strengthen it, and to that end have made 

 superior scholarship a requisite. Although 

 practically a senior and graduate society its 

 membership is not so limited, for it is intended 



to take in men who enter the universities 

 possessing geological or mining experience 

 and are considered otherwise eligible. Hon- 

 orary and associate members are elected from 

 outside the departments of geology and mining. 



The society is a social as well as a technical 

 organization, and in the local as well as in 

 the general organization this fact is well em- 

 phasized ; the meetings being held for the most 

 part at the rooms or homes of its members. 

 The formal atmosphere surrounding a meeting 

 in a lecture hall or laboratory is thus removed 

 and the effect is most wholesome on the life 

 of the society. 



At each meeting some member is assigned 

 to read a paper or give a talk concerning 

 some geological or mining problem ; all papers 

 or talks being based on the speaker's own 

 experience or work. Friendly criticism and 

 discussion generally follow each paper, and 

 both the speaker and the society derive much 

 benefit from this informal exchange of ideas. 

 A social hour, interspersed with refreshments, 

 usually terminates the meetings. Open or 

 special meetings are sometimes held at which 

 more formal talks are given, generally by 

 some one outside of the section. 



The emblem of the society consists of a 

 design wrought in gold of a miniature geol- 

 ogist's pick, on the handle of which is im- 

 pressed an irregular gold nugget, bearing in 

 enamel the initials ' G. S. A. U.' The seal 

 of the society is an image of the emblem. 



As it would probably be impossible for the 

 society to hold annual meetings at once, tem- 

 porary provision has been made in the consti- 

 tution for the transaction of all neeessar.v 

 business by correspondence. The growth of 

 the society, with its ever increasing number 

 of graduate members, would soon make pos- 

 sible annual meetings or conventions, as is 

 customary with like organizations. 



The history, objects and a brief outline of 

 the workings of the proposed ' Geological So- 

 ciety of American Universities ' has now been 

 given. All that yet remains to be done to 

 permanently establish this society, which 

 surely has a broad and useful existence before 

 it, is for the college men of this country to 



