REPORr OF THE PRESIDENT. 



To His Excellency, William E. Smith, 



Governor of the State of Wisconsin: 



Sir : — It affords me great pleasure to be able to report that the 

 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters is in a flourish- 

 ing condition, steadily gaining in membership and usefulness. . 



Every college and educational institution of high grade in the 

 state is now represented in the Academy; thus bringing together 

 many of the ablest men in science, literature and art. The sum- 

 mer meetings held in Kacine and Milwaukee were well attended 

 and were instrumental in exciting a lively interest in the society 

 and its aims. We are satisfied that in inaugurating this summer 

 migratory meeting, the society acted wisely, and that these ses- 

 sions will be productive of good. 



At the Milwaukee meeting, a number of ladies were elected 

 members, several of whom are not unknown to science and litera- 

 ture. In electing these ladies, the Academy has gained valuable 

 working members and has added not a little to its well-being, intel- 

 lectually as well as socially. The society acted on the broad prin- 

 ciple that science and letters, have neither country, color or sex- 

 The straight-jacket of superstition and bigotry no longer cramps 

 and cripples investigation in any department of knowledge. 



The report of the librarian shows the extent and value of our 

 exchanges from this and foreign countries. 



We have already formed the nucleus of a valuable library. 

 The finances are in a healthy condition, the funds are not large, but 

 sufficient for the workings of the society, aside from the publish- 

 ing of the proceedings, which is justly done by the state. 



