88 J. J. STEVENSON — OUR SOCIETY 



in 1840 were the present conditions in 1880, but more oi)pressive. The 

 problems of 1840 were chiefly those of a narrow strip within the Appa- 

 lachian area; those of 1880 concerned the whole continent. Geologists 

 were increasing in numbers, but opi)ortunities for making ])ersonal ac- 

 quaintance were few. Meetings of societies in midsummer could ])e at- 

 tended only by those who were not connected with official surveys or were 

 detached for office work. Workers were gathering into little groujjs on 

 geographical lines and there was danger that our geology would become 

 provincialized. Members of one group regarded those of another with 

 a feeling not altogether unrelated to suspicion; letter-writing took the 

 place of personal communication, with too often the not unusual result 

 of complete misunderstanding, with the attendant personal irritation or 

 worse. 



The Geological Society of America 



In 1881 the tension was such that several geologists connected with 

 official surveys urged the formation of a geological society to bring about 

 closer bonds among geologists, and they succeeded at the meeting of 

 the American Association in securing the appointment of a committee 

 to consider the matter. The geologists of the countr}^ were consulted 

 and a report showing tbat the consensus of the replies favored the or- 

 ganization of such a society was presented in 1882. as well as in 1883, 

 but without any result. The Association's committee on the Interna- 

 tional Geological Congress considered the question in 1887 and an- 

 nounced approval. Professors N. H. Winchell and C. H. Hitchcock, as 

 chairman and secretar}^ of the 1881 committee, issued a call asking geol- 

 ogists to assemble at Cleveland, Ohio, on August 14, 1888, to form a 

 geological societ}^ 



A large number of geologists and other members of Section E assem- 

 bled on the afternoon of that day. Professor Alexander Winchell pre- 

 sided and Dr Julius Pohlman was secretar3\ An earnest discussion 

 respecting the tjqje of society to be founded occupied most of the after- 

 noon. The plan suggested in the call looked onh' to an expansion of 

 Section E of the American Association b}^ holding meetings at times 

 better suited than summer to the convenience of geologists. A differ- 

 ence of opinion, however, quickly developed, for some knew that no such 

 expedient would suffice, because the conditions called for something 

 more definite. Loyalty to the American Association, which for fort}'^ 

 years had been the bond between scientific men, held many back from 

 an extreme position ; 3'et every one recognized that little injur}' could 

 come to the Association, as at best only a few geologists could attend 



