TEXT OF CALL FOR CLEVELAND MEETING 745 



The following is the text of the call, drawn up by the secretary and 

 published in the American Geologist for June, 1888. Extra copies were 

 distributed far and wide, and many geologists signified their approval 

 of the scheme. 



"Geologists will recall the fact of the appointment of a committee of their 

 number at the meeting of the A. A. A. S. in 1881 to consider the advisability 

 of forming an American Geological Society. This committee sent out circulars 

 asking for opinions, and received 126 answers to their inquiries, all but two of 

 which expressed a belief in the expediency of organizing such a society. These 

 facts were reported at Montreal in 1882. It was there voted expedient to 

 establish a geological magazine. A proposed constitution for a society was 

 presented, discussed, and laid upon the table for future consideration. At the 

 adjourned meeting in 1883, at Minneapolis, the questions of the magazine and 

 society were' further considered. Little was accomplished beyond the appoint- 

 ment of a committee to confer with the Mineralogical and Geological section 

 of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences. For various reasons no 

 meeting was called to discuss the subject at Philadelphia. Since then regret 

 has been expressed by some who were at first opposed to the project that the 

 effort had not been pressed. At the New York meeting of the International 

 Congress Committee (A. A. A. S.), August, 1887, the following resolution was 

 passed : 'That the American Committee of the International Congress will ap- 

 prove of a call for the meeting of an American Geological Congress, whose 

 object shall be the discussion of important geological questions.' 



"The chief objection to the establishment of an American Geological Society 

 has been the fear that its existence would impair interest and attendance at 

 the meetings of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. 

 But if the new societj^ could be made identical with Section E, retaining the 

 officers chosen at the meetings of the A. A. A. S., and having the power to 

 assemble at other times during the year, adopting necessary regulations for the 

 extra sessions, it would seem as if the geologists might obtain all the advan- 

 tages of a special organization. 



"The chairman and secretary of the above named committee of American 

 geologists would therefore call upon all American geologists to assemble with 

 them at Cleveland, Ohio, at 3 p. m. of Tuesday, August 14th, the day before 

 the next session of the A. A. A. S., and, if deemed expedient, organize a society 

 subject to the following limitations : 



"1. The members of the society shall be also members of the A. A. A. S. 



"2. The president and secretary of the new society shall be the gentlemen 

 elected to these offices by the A. A. A. S. 



"3. It will be recommended to Section E at its formal session to offer an 

 amendment to the constitution of the A. A. A. S., that Section E may be 

 allowed to hold meetings at such time and place as they may desire, inde- 

 pendently of the other sections, subject to their own regulations. 



"(Signed) N. H. Winchell, Chairman. 



"C. H. Hitchcock, Secretary." 



This final call proved to be a success. At the day appointed a large 

 number of geologists assembled at Cleveland and unanimously resolved 



