PROCEEDINGS OF THE CENTENARY MEETING. ix 



The meetings were held, not as usual in the Reading Room, but in the Lecture 

 Hall which afforded more ample accommodation and which was well filled on 

 the occasion of the opening session, the front seats being occupied by delegates. 



On the platform were seated the President, the Mayor of the City, the two 

 Vice-Presidents, the Corresponding and Recording Secretaries, and Sir James 

 Grant, the representative of the Royal Society of Canada. 



The weather Wednesday morning was bright, sparkling, and genial, but 

 that of Thursday was in violent and undesirable contrast, a fall of snow being 

 driven along by a penetrating wind. It was a most gratifying evidence of the 

 earnestness and interest of those in attendance that but little decrease in their 

 number was observable when the meeting was called to order. 



The announcement of the death of Thomas Harrison Montgomery was a 

 pathetic incident of the opening session. As stated in the memorial note pre- 

 ceding his paper Dr. Montgomery had been deeply interested in the arrange- 

 ments for the celebration and was the first one to hand in a contribution to this 

 commemorative volume. It had been arranged that he should read the first 

 paper on Thursday morning, but instead of hearing the voice which many 

 present loved so well, the Chair announced that his funeral would take place 

 the following morning from St. Mary's Church, West Philadelphia. 



The midday luncheons provided on Wednesday and Thursday were thor- 

 oughly enjoyed and furnished the opportunity for social intercourse which was 



generally taken advantage of. 



A brilliant reception was given as part of the anniversary celebration by the 

 President, Mrs. Dixon, and Miss Dixon at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel on the 

 evening of the 20th. It was attended by upwards of fifteen hundred invited 

 guests, the Philadelphians being manifestly delighted to meet the Academy's 

 correspondents and delegates. A charmingly sociable tone prevailed during 

 the evening and the occasion will long be remembered by those present as a 



most enjoyable feature of the program. 



The indispensable banquet was also a brilliant success, owing to the dis- 

 cretion and good taste of the Chairman of the Committee on Entertainment, 

 Dr. Robert Grier LeConte, who had the cooperation of Dr. Henry Tucker and 

 Dr. Thomas G. Ashton. The luncheons and the banquet were served in the 

 New Hall, the preparation of which in time for such service was due to the 

 executive ability of the President and the energy of his Secretary, Edwin I. 

 Simpson. The system of lighting produced the effect of a soft diffused illumina- 

 tion as pleasant as daylight. It imparted full value to the floral and other 



beautiful decorations. 



Thanks to the cooperation of those best able to judge of the value ot tne 

 work accomplished, the general success of the Centenary Celebration was com- 

 mensurate with the influence exerted by the Academy on the development of 

 the natural sciences during the past one hundred years 



April 



Edward J. Nolan, 

 Recording Secretary 



