AMERICAN GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION 307 



of man on a higher plane than is known abroad. Thus America 

 has outstripped the rest of the world in scientific development, 

 especially during the last quarter-century, and while the pro- 

 gress has gone forward at equal rate in every part of the land 

 its center is the National Capital, where the federal offices and 

 several of the scientific societies are located ; and the assembling 

 of our educators in our Capital City is a fitting conjunction which 

 must benefit both. 



The largest learned body domiciled in the Capital City is the 

 National Geographic Society. Although the major portion of 

 its members are residents of the District of Columbia, it has a 

 membership distributed over all of the states and territories, 

 especially in the leading educational institutions. The express 

 function of the Society is " the increase and diffusion of geo- 

 graphic knowledge." These ends are attained by means of 

 public meetings for the presentation and discussion of commu- 

 nications, by the publication of a magazine, and in other appro- 

 priate ways. It is, in the best sense of the term, an educational 

 institution ; and the success of its work is attested by its unpre- 

 cedentedly rapid growth in membership and influence. 



The National Geographic Society is among the institutions of 

 the National Capital striving to render the meeting of the Na- 

 tional Educational Association agreeable and profitable. It has 

 secured the cooperation of the scientific bureaus in the prepara- 

 tion of an exhibit illustrating the work of the federal government 

 in knowledge-making, and indicating the educational facilities of 

 the Capital ; this exhibit is installed in the Central High School 

 building, and will be in immediate charge of custodians able to 

 explain the maps, apparatus, and other objects exhibited, and 

 to describe the work of the bureaus. It has arranged a field- 

 meeting in the interest of the Association, at which the methods 

 and purposes of the Society will be illustrated bjr addresses on 

 phases of geography by the leading living specialists. It has 

 devoted a special number of The National Geographic Mag- 

 azine to the Association, and provided for its sale to members 

 at a fraction of the-customary price. Finally it was one of the 

 institutions of the National Capital to cordially invite the edu- 

 cators of the country to Washington; its officers and members 

 are serving on local committees and contributing in other ways 

 to the convention ; and it stands second to no institution in wel- 

 coming the educators of America to the fair city by the Potomac 

 which has become the world's center of enlightenment. 



