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deal of the scientific benefit is lost or perhaps not realized, by having such 

 a large number of papers of such short duration. To my mind it takes 

 a man who is a good deal better than the average to prepare a paper 

 of five or ten minutes in length, that has anything in it, and if that is 

 all there is to the paper, I do not know that it is really worth while to 

 read it. I believe the whole work of the Academy could be much better 

 carried on if we did not try to crowd sixty or seventy papers into one 

 short meeting. 



With the great number of things that have come into life since this 

 Academy was organized, it is not possible for us to give two or three days 

 continuously to a meeting of this kind very often, and so we could not 

 have sixty or seventy papers. But if we could have papers that are long 

 enough to be beneficial, and put them into a shorter space of time, we 

 could then devote more time to the social element of the meeting. I do 

 not believe we get much social benefit from the meeting, as it only happens 

 once a year. We come up here and meet a few men and go back home, and 

 in the course of a few months we have forgotten who these men were and 

 where they came from and what sort of work they are particularly in- 

 terested in. I believe we should have meetings which would not be too 

 scientific very much oftener than once a year, which would serve to bring 

 the members of this Academy into closer touch with each other. 



I would suggest that we have, if possible, some sort of Academy head- 

 quarters here in Indianapolis, and that once a month or once in two 

 months, or once a quarter, as may seem advisable, notices be sent out to 

 the members that there will be a meeting. Have not over one or two pa- 

 pers, that could be presented after a little dinner or lunch. I think this 

 would be well worth while. 



I was very much interested yesterday in the statements of the Libra- 

 rian of the State, in regard to the new building that is proposed. If by 

 any possibility that building could be obtained through appropriation from 

 the Legislature, a permanent headquarters for the Indiana Academy could 

 be secured, a most excellent place for carrying out some such idea. It 

 would give us a place for our library, and it seems to me it would be a 

 benefit to the Academy on every side. It would bring the whole scientific 

 body of the State of Indiana together often enough to get acquainted and 

 keep acquainted. 



I believe that some sort of permanent headquarters, more frequent 

 meetings and shorter meetings, would give us the best results in this State. 



