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SCIENCE. 



[Vol. XXI. No. 537 



SCIENCE: 



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THE CHICAGO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



ET C. H. GORDON, EVANSTON, ILL. 



The arrangements recently completed whereby the Chicago 

 Academy of Sciences receives from Mathew Laflin of Chicago 

 $75,000 for the construction of a building at Lincoln Park, re- 

 vives interest in an association formerly among the foremost of 

 similar associations in this country. In giving a brief resume of 

 the history of the Academy, the treatment will naturally follow 

 the order suggested by its financial experiences, as follows: (1) 

 period of organization and early struggle— 1856-64; (3) pros- 

 perity,- 1864-81; (3) decline — 1881-91: (4) revival — 1891. 



1. Organization. The Chicago Academy of Natural Sciences, 

 as it was at first termed, was established in 1856, chiefly through 

 the efforts of Robert Kennicott, then a young man of indomit- 

 able perseverance and rare scientific attainments. There were 

 fourteen charter members as follows: J. B. Blaney, M.D., N. S. 

 Davis, M.D., J. W. Freer, M.D., C. Helmuth, M.D., E. W. An- 

 drews, M.D., H. A. Johnson, M.D., H. Parker, M.D,, F. Scam- 

 mon, M.D., Robert Kennicott, George A. Mariner, Samuel Stone, 

 R. K. Swift, J. D. Webster, H. W. Zimmerman. The energy, 

 loyalty, and ability of these men, some of whom are still active 

 in the affairs of the Academy, gave the impetus which con- 

 tributed largely to the success attending it in subsequent years. 

 Steps were taken very early to establish a museum, and rooms 

 were secured in what was then known as Dearborn Seminary on 

 Wabash Avenue, north of Washington Street. Subscriptions to 

 the amount of $1,500 were obtained, and Robert Kennicott, who 

 had contributed his fine collection of zoological specimens, was 

 installed as Director. Contributions were also made by Dr. An- 

 drews and others until many thousand specimens were accumu- 

 lated. 



The financial crash of 1857 ruined most of the subscribers to 

 the original fund, and left the Academy nearly destitute of 

 means for meeting its necessary expenses. In 1859 it was incor- 

 porated under the laws of Illinois and its name changed to its 

 present form. The Civil War breaking out soon afterwards 

 completely absorbed jjublio attention, and took from its ranks the 

 more active members for service in the army. Deprived of pub- 

 lic attention, destitute of money, and stripped of working mem- 

 bers, the whole enterprise seemed likely to be extinguished. 



In 1859, Robert Kennicott departed for Arctic America in 

 charge of an exploring expedition under the auspices of the 

 Smithsonian Institution. He returned from Alaska in 1863, 

 richly laden with specimens in all departments of natural his- 

 tory. The results of this exploration were considered to be 

 second to no other similar expedition on record. As the expenses 

 pf the expedition were borne by the Smithsonian Institution, the 

 collections all went to Washington with the understanding, how- 

 ever, that a full series of the specimens was to be presented to 

 any institution, otherwise eligible to such donation, that Mr. 



Kennicott might designate, provided suitable provisions were 

 made for their reception and preservation. Naturally, Mr. Ken- 

 nicott designated the Chicago Academy of Sciences as the recip- 

 ient of such donation. During the year 1863 the collections were 

 studied and arranged, and early in 1864 word was received stat- 

 ing that the duplicate series awaited the action of the Aqademy. 



3. Period of Prosperity. The opportunity thus offered was 

 eagerly seized by the active spirits remaining, and steps taken to 

 secure the requisite funds. On Feb. 33, 1864, an informal meet- 

 ing of interested gentlemen was held, at which Professor Agassiz, 

 who was opportunely visiting Chicago, was present. Professor 

 Agassiz testified to the great value of the collection and gave 

 added impulse to the movement. 



A reorganization of the Academy followed, and a correspond- 

 ing act of incorporation obtained in 1865. A change in the 

 constitution was effected by which life memberships of $500 each 

 were established. During the summer of 1864, an active can- 

 vass was made resulting in 125 subscribers to life-memberships, 

 making a total of .f62,500. Of this, $50,000 was to be held as a 

 permanent endowment. The following year the collections 

 were received and deposited temporarily in the Metropolitan 

 Building, at the corner of Randolph and LaSalle Streets. 



The selection of a lot and the erection of a building next en- 

 gaged the attention of the Academy, and it was only after much 

 effort and discussion that a location was decided upon; but finally 

 in January, 1867, the trustees reported the purchase of a lot on 

 Wabash Avenue, just north of VanBuren Street, and the con- 

 struction of a fireproof building thereon soon after began. Here 

 began the contention, sometimes characterized by good humor, 

 sometimes by acrimony, and renewed from time to time through 

 the following years between the Academy and its trustees. The 

 cause of this contention lay in the constitution, which was de- 

 fective in two points; first, in delegating to the trustees, a body 

 of its own creation, sole authority in certain lines, thus depriv- 

 ing itself of supervision over the acts of its servants; and, sec- 

 ond, of failure to define clearly the powers and limits of the two 

 bodies. A dual government was thus inaugurated, destined to 

 bring trouble and perplexity into the affairs of the Academy. 

 The assets of the Academy at this time, as shown by the finan- 

 cial report, were $73,000, with an annual income of $6,500. 

 In the meantime, however, it had suffered two irreparable losses. 

 The first veas in the death of Robert Kennicott, which occurred 

 at Nolato, a Russian port on the Yukon river. May 13, 1866, 

 while on a second expedition to the far north, which had been 

 undertaken the previous summer. Following close upon this 

 (June 7th) came a disastrous fire in the building containing the 

 collections, by which a large portion were destroyed and the re- 

 mainder badly damaged. 



Notwithstanding these misfortunes, however, the years from 

 1864 to 1871 may be reckoned as the most prosperous years in the 

 history of the Academy. Active investigations of much import- 

 ance were being carried on in various lines, and the work of its 

 active members attracted the attention of leading scientists 

 throu,gliout the country, many of whom were enrolled as corres- 

 ponding members. In meteorology, observations were conducted 

 under the special supervision of Dr. Joseph Henry of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution. The work in natural history, which had re- 

 ceived special impetus from the labors of Robert Kennicott, was 

 continued under the able leadership of Dr. Stimpson, and the 

 growth of the museum was remarkable. The library was in 

 constant receipt of books and the publications of scientific asso- 

 ciations of all countries, while the papers presented to the 

 Academy were of a high order of merit. 



The Academy building was completed in 1867, and the associa- 

 ciation immediately entered upon the publication of its proceed- 

 ings, the first part of volume one being issued in 1868 and the 

 second in 1870. 



On the departure of Mr. Kennicott, in 1865, Dr. W. S. Stimp- 

 son, a young man of rare scholarship and excellent scientific at- 

 tainments was called to act as director of the museum, to which 

 duties were added those of the secretaryship. The Academy was 

 especially fortunate in having at the helm in its early career two 

 men of such eminent ability, energy, and devotion as Kennicott 



