2 
IOWA ACADEMY OP SCIENCE 
thus fallmg upon him, and it seemed certain we were to have a pre- 
siding officer. Then, a few weeks ago a letter was received from him 
stating that circumstances had arisen making it impossible for him to 
be in attendance. When the condition of affairs was presented to- the 
first vice president he said he would attend whether it were convenient 
or not. But instead of all three of these officials preparing presidential 
addresses, neither one of the three did. As a result the Academy must 
depart from custom this year and forego the usual address. 
The membership of the Academy should be increased. The Illinois 
Academy, which was organized only a year or two ago, has a large 
membership. The Iowa xicademy should enroll many of the high school 
science teachers. The large majority of our active members are college 
instructors and advanced college students. Since the science teachers in 
the high school do not have as long a tenure of office on the average as 
the college instructor, we cannot expect as large a number proportionally 
from their ranks as from the colleges. But there should be more of them 
with us. Suggestion from the college professor to the graduates in 
science, that they identify themselves with some scientific society would 
be conducive of good results. Personal work will add names to our 
roll. 
In looking at a program of the Academy, it is at oiiQe evident that 
many sciences are represented by the active workers. There is no indi- 
cation of concerted action among members in scientific research. Usually 
every title is entirely distinct from every other one ; it is a subject stand- 
ing out by itself. Such broadness and comprehensiveness in the work 
is in accord with the purpose of the Academy. Yet the query arises 
whether or not it would be a good plan to do some continuous work on 
state problems, the work being done by groups of those whose interests 
are similar. We have an effective Geological Survey. Work is being 
done scientifically and in order. Would it be feasible for a group of 
investigators to voluntarily work together, each in his own locality, upon 
some phase of a problem that would naturally fall to theml The bot- 
anists, chemists, and zoologists might institute surveys of the state. ^ ‘You 
in your small corner and me in mine. ’ ’ Last year a letter was received 
from a member of the Academy, asking if there be any concerted action 
by committees upon assigned topics. Some years ago such committees 
were in existence, but not in recent time. In Yol. IV of the proceedings, 
there is an article on the Illinois Biological Station, in which the author 
raises the query as to the possibility of co-operation among the colleges 
of the state for the establishment of a laboratory for the study of the 
fauna and flora. That is probably not feasible, nor is there such need 
