35 

 The Beginning of the Indiana Academy op Science. 



By Amos W. Butler. 



In my early years the lack of association with persons who were in- 

 terested in scientific pusnits and of opportunity to refer to books on 

 scientific subjects was greatly felt. I planned to interest several persons 

 in establishing a local society which would bring kindred spirits together. 

 This resulted in the organization of the Brookville Society of Natural 

 History in 1881. That year, for the first time, I attended the meeting of 

 the American Association for the Advancement of Science at Cincinnati. 

 There I had the pleasure of meeting many persons of whom I had only 

 known by reading. This wils the beginning of many acquaintances that 

 have been permanent, helpful and inspiring. In my efforts to study local 

 natural history I found it difficult to obtain information from students in 

 other parts of the State. In talking with others I found they had had the 

 same difficulty. In the winter of 1SS3-1S84, the need of a State organiza- 

 tion was strongly impressed upon me. Correspondence was begun with 

 a number of persons whose names were prominent in scientific work of 

 the State, and the majority of them favored such an organization. Among 

 these were Dr. David Starr Jordan, Dr. J. P. D. John, Professors John 

 M. Coulter, Stanley Coulter, Philip S. Baker, Daniel Kirkwood, Richard 

 Owen and Oliver P. Jenkins. There were others who discouraged it. 

 The subject was fresh in mind at the time of the meeting of the American 

 Association for the Advancement of Science at Ann Arbor in 1884. There 

 opportunity was given to talk the subject over, and for the first time I 

 met Dr. John C. Branner, who had just been appointed professor of 

 geology at Indiana University, and he strongly urged the formation of 

 such a society. Finally it was decided to call a meeting to organize an 

 Indiana Society. The Brookville Society of Natural History, as the most 

 active organization of its kind in the State, was asked to take the initia- 

 tive and call the first meeting. Accordingly that society appointed a com- 

 mittee for that purpose, consisting of Rev. David R. Moore, its president, 

 Dr. S. P. Stoddard and Amos W. Butler. The meeting was called for 

 Indianapolis on December 29, 1SS5. The plan was to have a series of 

 papers on the status of different branches of science in Indiana. The 

 meeting was held in the Marion County court house. The program in- 

 cluded the following papers: 



