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NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



to the requirements of teachers, students and tourists gener- 

 ally; and the general demand for it is sufficient testimony of its 

 usefulness. I am gratified to add that the exhibit of the de- 

 partment received the highest award, a gold medal. 



Memorial tablet for the Emmons house, Albany "N. Y. 

 It seems appropriate to take note here of the recent action 

 of the American association for the advancement of science at 

 its Denver meeting, August 1901, authorizing the placing of a 

 bronze tablet on the house which formerly was the home of 

 Dr Ebenezer Emmons, state geologist of New York in charge 

 of the second geological district, 1836-42, to commemorate the fact 

 that the association looks on this house as the place of its 

 inception. The events leading up to this action are rehearsed 

 in the following document, which is the report and recommenda- 

 tion made by the committee of the American association for 

 the advancement of science, and adopted by that body. 



Report of committee of American association for the 

 advancement of science on the emmons house memorial 



The American association for the advancement of science was 

 organized in 1847. It was the organic descendant and enlarged 

 outgrowth from the Association of American geologists and 

 naturalists. The latter body was created in 1842 by the 

 incorporation of the naturalists within the Association of 

 American geologists. The Association of American geologists 

 is therefore to be looked upon as the legitimate organic ancestor 

 of the American association for the advancement of science. 



The circumstances which led up to the organization of the 

 Association of American geologists are as follows: 



During the prosecution of the geological survey of the state 

 of New York the need of the geologists for consultation and 

 interchange of view with others engaged in official geologic 

 work led to the suggestion of an organization of a body of 

 American geologists. 



It appears that Lieut. W. W. Mather, one of the New York 

 geologists, suggested the subject of such a meeting to the 

 board of geologists in November 1838. He wrote: 



" Would it not be well to suggest the propriety of a meeting 

 of the geologists and other scientific men of our country at 

 some central point next fall, say in New York or Philadelphia? 

 There are many questions in our geology that will receive new 

 light from friendly discussion and the combined observation of 



