SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
551 
at Albany, 1895 at New York City, 1896 at Buffalo, 1897 at 
Syracuse, 1898 and 1899 at New York City, and this year at 
Ithaca. Up to 1894 the meetings were held in January, since 
which time they have occurred in September. 
“ Placed in possession of this-brief history of the society, 
furnished through the courtesy of Secretaiy ]\Iorris, I submit, 
gentlemen, that we have not been so strong numerically as we 
should have been, and we have not always been as active as a 
great State association could be, while that harmonious spirit 
essential to the accomplishment of all great undertakings has 
not always characterized our deliberations and actions, still the 
influence wielded and the work done by this society has. been 
stupendous when considered in the light of 0111 short history 
and the obstacles which have been contended with. The.plac- 
ing of the educational standard upon the high plane which it 
now occupies was the work of this society, and, while the en¬ 
forcement of the letter of the law was a grievous wrong to cer¬ 
tain unalienable rights of private corporations, the Regents of 
the University, when brought face to face with the fact that the 
standard was prohibitive of progress, so modified them as to 
leave the Empire State the foremost in the land in higher 
education, but placing its schools in a position where they 
could secure students of the higher order. As a consequence 
and as a part of this law, the Examining Board was established, 
and the high privilege is granted this society (and through it 
the legitimate members of the profession of the State) of nam¬ 
ing the gentlemen who shall constitute that board, thus lifting 
the licensing of practitioners clear of all political influences, 
making the board professionally pure and above suspicion. 
The requirements for the licensing examination aie of so high 
an order that only graduates of schools maintaining a standard 
equal to New York can present themselves.. The harmless 
amendment recently allowed to pass the. Regislature does not 
affect the integrity of our law, because the candidates which it 
is intended to "shield must have the unanimous approval of the 
b° a rd. . 1. 1 , , ,, ., 
u If nothing more than this had been accomplished by tins 
society it has a thousand times justified its existence : but it has 
ever sought by its committees and by resolution to further pro¬ 
fessional and allied interests in a hundred ways, and it is really 
amazing how successful it has been. We are not risking 0111 
reputations as prophets when we say that with increased mem¬ 
bership, stimulated interest and unity of purpose, great benefits 
