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AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION' 
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Kstablished 1875 Incorporated. Massachusetts, 1892 Incorporated. Connecticut, 1910 
Death of a Sustaining Member. 
It is with personal grief and genuine 
sympathy to the members of his family 
that we announce the death of Merwin 
Porter Snell, Ph. D., of Sound Beach, 
Connecticut, on Friday. September 23. 
The Agassiz Association regarded 
Dr. Snell as one of its most appre- 
ciative and loyal members. His hearty 
personal interest and financial coopera- 
tion began when ArcAdiA became a 
Sound Beach institution in 1909. 
He never became a “has been” in na- 
ture study. He was enthusiastically in- 
terested in animal and plant life, 
and his conversation showed especial 
thoughtfulness with reference to God’s 
works. 
He was not only keenly interested in 
science but in religion and theology. 
He was a devoted member of the 
Roman Catholic Church and always 
able to give a reason for the hope that 
was in him. He was thoroughly in- 
formed not only in the history of his 
own church but in that of all others. 
In many of the comparatively modern 
beliefs he could undoubtedly have re- 
sponded to a catechism better than 
some who maintain those beliefs. He 
wanted to be technically informed 
whether it was a matter of church his- 
tory or of some plant he found grow- 
ing by the wayside. 
He was a frequent visitor at Ar- 
cAdiA and often introduced his call 
with, “What is this? I found it near 
my home.” After the specimen was 
identified and explained he would lead 
on to other things, showing a wide- 
awake interest in everything he read 
or observed. He surely met the condi- 
tions of AA membership in the prac- 
tice of our slogan, “See, think and tell.” 
He was an omniverous seeker for 
knowledge and a lover of humanity in 
dispensing it. 
“The Daily Advocate” of Stamford 
says of him : 
“Dr. Merwin Porter Snell, who died 
at the Stamford Hospital yesterday. 
had been a resident of Sound Beach for 
fifteen years. He came here from .St. 
Louis, where he had lived for many 
years. Dr. Snell received his Doctor of 
Philosophy degree at the Albertus 
Magnus Catholic University, Kansas 
City. He was afterwards connected 
with the Catholic University at Wash- 
ington, and at one time was in another 
college in Arkansas. He spent most of 
his life writing on philosophical sub- 
jects. Dr. Snell is survived by his 
mother, A I rs. Mary C. Snell; his wife, 
Mrs. Minnie L. Snell ; two children. 
Misses Margaret and Priscilla ; four 
brothers, Theodore T., Charles L., Wil- 
liam A. and Clarence E. ; and two sis- 
ters, Miss Cora L. Snell and Mrs. Jo- 
seph M. Long. Dr. Snell was fifty- 
eight years old. The funeral service 
will be held on Monday morning, in 
St. Catherine’s Church, Riverside. In- 
terment will be in Woodland Ceme- 
tery. Stamford.” 
The Work of The Agassiz Association. 
Dr. David Starr Jordan, Chancellor 
Leland Stanford Junior University, 
Stanford University, California, writes 
to Dr. Bigelow on September 3, 1921, 
telling of his heart)" interest in the work 
of The Agassiz Association and his de- 
sire that it may be properly financed. 
“Dear Mr. Bigelow: 
“I have been for many years inter- 
ested in your work and in that of The 
Agassiz Association under your direc- 
tion. I remember once when Professor 
Agassiz, my teacher, came before the 
Legislature at Boston. One man said 
that he did not know much about the 
value of Agassiz’s studies but he for 
one was not willing to stand by and see 
so brave a man struggle without aid. 
I have had the same feeling in regard 
to you. 
“Your work is one greatly in need in 
our country. The study of nature is 
the best remedy for many of the dan- 
gers into which the nations of the world 
are falling: greed, glory, and fight — 
