y6 West American Scientist. 



HISTORY OF THE AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION. 



The Agassiz Association, as it appears to-day, is a union of 986 

 local societies, each numbering" from 4 to 120 members, of all ages 

 from 4 to 84. Our total membership is about 10,000. We are 

 distributed in all the States and Territories, with very few excep- 

 tions, and have strong branch societies and active members in 

 Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, Chili, Japan, and Persia. 



The 986 local societies are known as " Chapters." They take 

 their names from the towns where they are established, and are 

 further distinguished by the letters of the alphabet. Thus the first 

 Chapter established here was called New York (A), the second 

 New Zork (B), and so on. 



I may mention four different sorts of Chapters. First, family 

 Chapters. The parents and children of a single family unite for 

 joint study and research. Chapters of this sort are especially de- 

 sirable, and prove almost uniformly permanent. Chapters of 

 another sort are found in schools. There are many teachers able 

 and willing to give their strength and time, beyond the exacting 

 requirements of their contracts, to the encouragement and assist- 

 ance of their pupils. Under the fostering care of such men and 

 women, the happiest results have been accomplished. Not the 

 least important result is seen in the pleasant personal relations thus 

 established between teacher and pupil.. Chapters of a third kind 

 are organized and conducted entirely by young persons. A com- 

 pany of boys or girls meet together, and decide to form a branch 

 of the A. A. They elect their officers, draft their rules and by- 

 laws, engage their rooms, build their cabinets, make their collec- 

 tions, prosecute their studies; and, if I needed to awaken interest 

 and enthusi'^sm, I should have only to show what our girls and 

 boys have done, even when unaided and alone. They have made 

 lists of all the flowers that grow about them, and of all the birds 

 that fly over their heads. They have published papers, started 

 museums, founded libraries. In doing this, tney have mastered 

 the laws of parliamentary debate ; have learned to observe with 

 accuracy, to write with fluency, to speak with power; and, after 

 working thus for a few years, many of them have pushed them- 

 selves into schools and colleges and laboratories of the highest 

 grade, and are now completing their self-appointed preparation 

 for lives of commending intelligence and cheerful service. Fin- 

 ally, I will mention Chapters of adults. In increasing numbers, 

 men and women of mature years, feeling the need of that scien- 

 tific training which the schools of their childhood failed to give, 

 are organizing societies, joining their influence to our association, 

 and receiving in return the benefits coming from united endeavor 

 and from enthusiastic devotion to a common cause. But, excel- 

 lent as the work of all these Chapters is, we have found some 

 needed work beyond their individual attainment. A general con- 



