51 



was a conception of the idea that knowledge is to be gained on all of 

 the common affairs of life which put into practice would result in effi- 

 ciency and in economy. 



Now, that is a matter of slow growth — public education. We are 

 striving to bring people to a conception of that idea in all of our schools 

 and colleges, and here is a public body which should be recognized as 

 having influence and standing and weight in this State. What better 

 service could it render in the course of a quarter century than to have 

 promulgated steadily that notion of appreciation of scientific methods and 

 scientific spirit? It is worth more than papers. It is the ultimate ob- 

 ject of this Academy. It is the highest service it can i*ender the State 

 as a matter of public welfare and public education. 



Now, that is very intangible, I realize, but I thiuk it is an end worth 

 thinking about. (Applause.) 



Dr. C. L. Mees : It appears to me that the remarks I had prepared 

 upon being notified to speak have been stolen by those who have pre- 

 ceded me. It is an old Chinese saying that it is dangerous to stoop down 

 even to fasten your shoe strings in your neighbor's melon patch. So there 

 is very little left for me to say. 



I certainly am thoroughly in accord with all that has been said this 

 morning, and by Dr. Coulter last evening, but there are one or two prac- 

 tical things which come to my mind now. Dr. Coulter referred to the fact 

 that we are in danger of dissipation. Owing to the fact that the number 

 of scientific workers in special lines in Indiana has increased very greatly 

 in the last two years, papers presented to the Academy have become more 

 and more technical in narrow specialties and the number capable of discus- 

 sing them or even following them as presented was necessarily small and in- 

 terest correspondingly flagged. This condition led to the formation of half 

 a dozen or more of scientific societies made up of men especially interested 

 along narrow lines of scientific research, commanding the interest and at- 

 tendance of those having common interest and drawing their attention 

 and membership from the Academy. Now the question is whether the 

 Academy cannot devise some plan by which the work of these various 

 societies could be co-ordinated and perhaps their meetings be arranged 

 to occur about the same time as the Academy meeting. If the program 

 of the Academy meeting could be somewhat sbortened and the papers be 



