16 PROCEEDINGS OF THE PRINCETON MEETING 



anything but a society of geologists, and this was to decide whether or not a 

 geological society was needed. There was also a very well defined dread lest 

 the organization of the Societj^ might be an entering wedge leading to eventual 

 disruption of the Association. The proposition was made that membership 

 should be restricted to that of Section E and that the Association should chose 

 the officers. These conditions were included in the call inviting American 

 geologists to meet prior to the Cleveland meeting, in order to consider the 

 formation of a geological society. 



A large number of geologists came together at Cleveland on August 14, 1888. 

 The difference in opinion was as marked as in previous meetings, but geologists 

 were in the majority, and the decision was that the Society should be wholly 

 independent of the Association, and that membership should be restricted to 

 those actually engaged in field work or in teaching geology. It was agreed, 

 however, that only members of Section E could be original members, while all 

 others with the required qualifications would be eligible to election after for- 

 mation of the Society'. Those insisting on an independent organization urged, 

 successfully, that the annual fee be fixed at $10. They regarded this as im- 

 l>ortant, believing that the cost would prevent all except geologists from claim- 

 ing enrollment as original members. A committee, with Alexander Winchell as 

 chairman and Edward Orton, C. H. Hitchcock, J. R. Proctor, and J. J. Steven- 

 son as associates, was apiwinted to prepare a provisional constitution. The 

 committee reported on the next day. The proposed constitution was adopted 

 and the committee was continued, with authority to make all arrangements 

 for formation of the Society. 



A clause had been inserted that the Society should not be organized unless 

 at least 100 persons agreed to become members. This was a wise suggestion, 

 as it insured success from the beginning; but there were those who imagined 

 that it was inserted to make failure certain, since it appeared impossible to 

 secure the desired number at $10 a year. 



The committee placed the whole responsibility in the hands of its chairman 

 •and secretary. Prof. A. Winchell's facile pen prepared all the circular and 

 Professor Stevenson stirred up geologists to a sense of their duty. Before 

 leaving Cleveland the members of this subcommittee discussed fully the plan 

 of procedure and decided that neither one would interfere with the other, and 

 that no attention would be paid to suggestions from others ; and this arrange- 

 ment proved wholly satisfactory. In spite of all prognostications, the desired 

 number was secured before the end of October, and the meeting of the organi- 

 zation was called for December 27, 1888, at Coniell University. At that meet- 

 ing it was announced that 98 original Fellows had paid the fee and that 22 

 others had been chosen by the ballots of those Fellows ; so that the Society 

 was begun with an actual membership of 120. 



The organizing meeting was merely formal. The important matters had 

 been submitted to all the Fellows, and there remained little to be done beyond 

 registering their discussion. Only 13 were present, of whom 7 are still with 

 us. James Hall was chosen as the first president, Henry S. Williams as the 

 treasurer, and John J. Stevenson as the secretary. A committee, with Joseph 

 Le Conte as chairman and W J McGee as secretary, was appointed to consider 

 the form of publication, and the Society adjourned, to meet at Toronto on 

 August 28, 1889. 



