734 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



BENEVOLENCE FOR SCIENCE. 



B. B. Redding, a San Francisco gentleman, recently made the Academy of 

 Sciences of that city a present of $20,000, which he designated as a permanent 

 fund, the interest of which is to be applied to aid students in original investiga- 

 tions in all branches of science in California, Nevada, Oregon and Arizona. 



Referring to the above we call attention to the following appeal for aid for 

 our own Academy of Science, which we clip from the Mid- Continent : 



"Is not the time approaching when the friends of science in Kansas City 

 will remember the Academy of Science in a substantial manner by way of be- 

 quests and legacies? Organized December 2, 1875, it has already shown an 

 earnest of what it might do had it more means at command. The Academy has 

 two functions : to increase and to diffuse a knowledge of science. As Kansas 

 City has no institution of learning of a higher order, there are but few original 

 observers in our midst. Prof. Nipher when here, said : ' People in great cities 

 are too busy to think.' The Academy has naturally drawn in the popular ele- 

 ment, and done more to diffuse than increase a knowledge of science. Many 

 valuable papers have been read, some of which have been published in Europe. 

 The best talent in the city, and in Kansas and Missouri, has been engaged by the 

 Academy. Prof. Proctor and Col. Fairman, the two leading lecturers in the 

 world in their respective departments, have lectured under the auspices of the 

 Academy. The Academy has also done some original work in the way of obser- 

 vation and investigation. The discovery of the Clay County mounds, and their 

 subsequent development, would have honored any veteran society. 



" But the work of the Academy so far has been carried forward by a few 

 devoted friends of science. It has struggled for an existence and bee<i depend- 

 ent on the annual fees. It needs a permanent fund and a home to do substantial 

 work. It needs a cabinet, a museum and a library. It wants appliances to illus- 

 trate scientific lectures. It needs means to publish its transactions. It wants 

 funds to cary on original investigations and observations. It needs a scientist as 

 secretary, who can devote his whole time in making collections. 



Such an Academy in Kansas City would exert a powerful influence over the 

 whole city. Men in the whirl of commercial centers need to have their attention 

 arrested and directed to higher and nobler themes. We need to put ourselves in 

 connection with the world of thought and attract hither distinguished scientists. 

 The fresh currents of scientific thought are thus brought and find their way through 

 lectures and papers to all inquirers, and are diffused by the press so as to reach 

 every home. Has not the time come for the benevolent in Kansas City to re- 

 member their Academy ? The Kansas Academy has been provided for by the 

 State, and given a place in the Capitol building. The Philadelphia Academy has 

 probably a million of dollars invested in buildings and collections. This is also 

 true of other Academies. A benevolent lady in Kansas City has endowed an 

 opera-house. Is there not some benevolent person in Kansas City who will do so 

 much for science — one of the noblest objects of benevolence in the world. 



