HISTORY OF THE BULLETIN 27 



Those of us who believe in social progress and woman's rights may yet be 

 gratified by seeing the introduction, on festal occasions, of the tango and the 

 turkey trot, and possibly the cabaret — that wonderful modern institution which 

 has taken the "rest" out of restaurant and put the "din" in dinner. 



But, returning to seriousness, let me use this last minute of my allotted ten 

 to say that in all its moods and tenses the Society has ever cultivated the 

 spirit of good fellowshii) — the keystone of the structure. Let that habit not 

 only continue, but be strengthened as the years go by. Let us be as broad as 

 the universe we study and as patient as the geologic time we seek to measure. 

 Let us welcome within our gates every one interested in any form of geologic 

 research, and the next anniversary day will mark tlie close of another period 

 more brilliant, more useful, and more gratifying even, than the one we now 

 celebrate. 



The following paper by N. H. Winchell was given at the annual dinner 

 of the Society on December 31, but is inserted here for record, as being a 

 part of the quarter-centennial celebration : 



REVIEW OF THE FORMATION OF GEOLOGICAL SOCIETIES IN THE UNITED 



STATES 



There was an "American Geological Society" in 1832 at New Haven, Con- 

 necticut, but it faded out in the glare of the chemical and physical sciences 

 which bloomed brilliantly at that time in New Haven. I have not been able 

 to get any detailed information conceraing it. President Smith's address at 

 this meeting referred at some length to this early organization. 



About the same time was organized the Geological Society of Pennsylvania, 

 1832. At a meeting of February 22, 1832, the officers were John R. Gibson, 

 President; Nicholas Bibble, Vice-President; Stephen S. Long, Vice-President; 

 Henry S. Tamer, Treasurer; Peter A. Browne, Corresponding Secretary; 

 George Fox, Recording Secretary. 



, This society sent out a circular signed by John Gibson and George Fox, 

 announcing the organization and asking assistance in getting information and 

 specimens. The organ of publication was Featherstouhaugh's Monthly Amer- 

 can Journal of Geology. 



This Society seems to have aimed to develop the geology of Pennsylvania 

 specially, but its plan of operation covered other States. It came quickly into 

 competition with the Philadelphia Academy of Science. Its transactions were 

 published in Featherstouhaugh's Journal at first, but as that journal passed 

 through only one volume, it is unknown to me whether the Society survived 

 long after the death of the journal. It appears that there was close sympathy 

 between them, and it may be presumed that Mr. Featherstonhaugh was the 

 instigator and prime mover of both. 



There may have been other local geological societies in the country since 

 1832 whose records have not been published, but I have not heard of any. 



The period of discussion and gestation prior to the birth of the present 

 Geological Society of America extended from August, 1881, to August, I8881 — 

 seven years. 



A few weeks before the 1881 meeting of the American Association for the 

 Advancement of Science, at Cincinnati, Professor Chamberlin called on the 



