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8CIE]SrCF, 



[Vol. IX., No. 208 



all who might be interested to join us in our 

 work. This request was granted, and the in- 

 vitation appeared six years ago, and was widely 

 accepted. 



The word ' association ' was chosen instead of 

 ' society ' from an impression, perhaps not entire- 

 ly well founded, that that word could be taken to 

 mean ' a union of societies,' just as society means 

 ' a union of individuals.' And our first plan was 

 to have these local societies entirely independent 

 of one another, except in the general name and in 

 the purpose of studying nature. At that time no 

 conventions were thought of, assemblies were not 

 in mind, courses of study had not been contem- 

 plated, a badge was not designed,, nor had we 

 supposed it possible that thorough scientific work 

 could be systematically done by many of the chap- 

 ters, if at all. 



We chose the name ' Agassiz ' because it was 

 then uppermost in mind. His then recent death 

 was fresh in the hearts of the nation ; and his birth 

 in Switzerland, where a similar organization was 

 said to exist, rendered it especially appropriate. 

 The choice was wiser than we knew. No one 

 can read Mrs. Agassiz's life of her husband with- 

 out feeling that no name could better stimulate us 

 to faithful work. 



Having thus selected the name, a letter was 

 sent to Prof. Alexander Agassiz, asking per- 

 mission publicly to adopt it. Professor Agassiz 

 replied that he cordially assents that this very 

 pleasant and useful plan for children be called the 

 Agassiz association, and that we have his hearty 

 good wishes for its success. 



The societies that joined us during the first year 

 or two of our existence, when our plans were still 

 uncertain and our methods comparatively crude, 

 retain in many cases the notion that the Agassiz 

 association to-day is the same loose organization 

 it was at first, — an aggregation of local societies 

 united only in name, allowed to drift hither and 

 thither without direction or assistance. But the 

 necessity for careful supervision and guidance has 

 grown more and more apparent. We have been 

 constantly besieged with requests for ' systematic 

 courses of study,' elaborate plans of work, per- 

 sonal counsel and advice. Courses of study have 

 accordingly been added, plans of work sketched, 

 and a regular system of reports established. The 

 conditions of admission have been defined, and, 

 in short, more business-like methods adopted, un- 

 til we now resemble rather an extended school 

 with numerous classes than an ordinary society. 



What, then, is the Agassiz association as it ap- 

 pears to-day? And what claims has it upon the 

 interest of the public ? It is a union of 986 local 

 societies, each numbering from 4 to 120 members. 



of all ages from 4 to 84. Our total membership 

 is above ten thousand. We are distributed in all 

 the states and territories w^ith very few excep- 

 tions, and have strong branch societies and active 

 members in Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, 

 Chili, Japan, and Persia. 



The 986 local societies are known as 'chapters.' 

 They take their names from the towns where they 

 are established, and are further distinguished by 

 the letters of the alphabet. Thus the first chap- 

 ter established here was called New York (A) ; 

 the second. New York (B) ; and so on. 



I may mention four different sorts of chapters. 

 First, family chapters. The parents and children of 

 a single family unite for joint study and research. 

 Chapters of this sort are especially desirable^ and 

 prove almost uniformly permanent. Chapters of 

 another sort are found in schools. There are 

 many teachers able and willing to give their 

 strength and time, beyond the exacting require- 

 ments of their contracts, to the encouragement 

 and assistance of their pupils. Under the foster- 

 ing care of such men and women, the happiest re- 

 sults have been accomplished. Not the least im- 

 portant result is seen in the pleasant personal rela- 

 tions thus established between teacher and pupil. 

 Chapters of a third kind are organized and con- 

 ducted entirely by young persons. A company of 

 girls or boys meet together, and decide to form a 

 branch of the A. A. They elect their officers, 

 draft their rules and by-laws, engage their 

 rooms, build their cabinets, make their collec- 

 tions, prosecute their studies ; and, if I needed to 

 awaken interest or arouse enthusiasm, I should 

 have only to show what our girls and boys have 

 done even when unaided and alone. They have 

 made lists of all the flowers that grow about them, 

 and of all the birds that fly over their heads. 

 They have published papers, started museums, 

 founded libraries. In doing this they have mas- 

 tered the laws of parliamentary debate ; have 

 learned to observe with accuracy, to write with 

 fluency, to speak with power ; and, after working 

 thus for a few years, many of them have pushed 

 themselves into schools and colleges and labora- 

 tories of the highest grade, and are now complet- 

 ing their self-appointed preparation for lives of 

 commanding intelligence and cheerful service. 

 Finally I will mention chapters of adults. .In in- 

 creasing numbers, men and women of mature 

 years, feeling the need of that scientific training 

 which the schools of their childhood failed to 

 give, are organizing societies, joining their influ- 

 ence to our association, and receiving in return 

 the benefits coming from united endeavor and 

 from enthusiastic devotion to a common cause. 

 But, excellent as the work of all these chapters is, 



