16 
IOWA ACADEMY OP SCIENCES. 
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 
THE ACADEMY AND THE PEOPLE. 
BY PROF. T. H. MACBRIDE OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY. 
Gentlemen of the Academy: 
Again, by the decrees of fortune, I appear before you as 
your presiding officer to extend to you the felicitations of the 
season and to congratulate you on this, our annual reunion. 
It is a fortunate thing that so many men can thus come up 
each from his own field, here to meet in friendly converse with 
his friend of like pursuit, of like employment, each to derive 
encouragement and stimulus for further and happier endeavor. 
This evening there are many reasons for special congratula- 
tion. Our roll of fellows and members is longer than ever 
before; our program shows a more general and widespread 
interest; every department of scientific work in the state would 
seem to be more assiduously cultivated than has hitherto been 
the case. 
Let us hope that the enthusiasm which has thus far marked 
the progress of the Academy, and especially distinguishes the 
present session, may continue until every man of science in the 
state shall appreciate and feel its uplifting power. We ought 
to fill the largest hall in this city, and the time approaches 
when we shall. 
It seems less necessary to enumerate here a list of the 
papers and publications of our membership during the year 
that is gone. Many of the more important are before you in 
the latest volume of our printed proceedings. Suffice it to say 
our members and fellows have not been idle. Some have been 
honored, and in their honors we rejoice to share, by transfer 
to wider fields and opportunities new, in other and distant 
states. 
Our worthy secretary. Professor Osborn, to whose enthus- 
iastic effort, more than to any other one thing the success of 
the Academy during these recent years is due, has already for 
