Our Guests

The American Association, which holds is ncxt ainuml nirciinj; in tiiis city in consequcnce of the invitation wliich we extended iai September, is onc of the Inroest and uu st important nonpolitical societles in the United States. lts orlgln dates froun 1840 when a number of persons, irterested chielly in grolngy and natural history, met in Phlludelphla in April of tliat jear and organizcd the American Assoeiatiou of Oeolojiists and Naturalista. Aniong tbe offlcers of tliis lltfant society we flnd the name of Edw. Hitehcock, Henry D. Bogen and Doujilas Ronghton - all men who attained a more tli au national reputation, and the latlcr of hom, the pioneer geolojrist and explorer of Michigan, has left his natne indelibly aModated with the upper peninsular. In 1847 it was decided to enlnrge thp scope of the society und by widening its purpose to draw to it a larger number of miinheis and to give it greater inllueDce Aecorilingly at the next animal meeting we finil its title rhungcd to ts present one, The American Assnciation for the Advancement of Science, so tliat the history of the assoelation undcr lts present loiin dat' sfrom September, 1848. Finally in 1K74 the association acquired n legal status by being incorporated ander the laws of Massachusetts with its present title, the riglits of suing and beinjrsued, and with authorüy to hold property to the amount of three hundred and fifty thousand di-llars. This last step was n wise one. Tbe ef fect of it was soon npparent, for the society beeame the recipiënt of considerable donntlona of money and other pioperty from persons interested in the ment of aotonce. The associution now hokls several trust funds, the incomc of wliicli is av.ühiblo for fnrtberlng certain scientific publlcattona and for the encourHgfinent ofrwwrob. The little seed sown In 1840 has produced worthy fruit, so tliat now it 8 the largMt scientiflc body in tho Western Bemlipbere. lts members are dniwti from every slate and tenitory iu the Union as well as in Canada, so that today ils total tneiuborship will reach very nearly thres thousand. A glanee over its list of past pretldentl and othernfflecrs will reveal ii list of naines which includes a majority of the foremost men in American science. The purpose of the Association being to ftid Miitüice in cvery way, it was decmed advisable by its founders to hold its meetings iu a large number of places, rather thau to have a permanent botne in one spot, bücause by this plan the influence of personal contact with a boily of learntd nieu would be pread more wMely over the country. So powerfül ís this stimulus, and so important is the permanent alter effect on the community vvhere one of its meetings has been held, that the several large cities of the country have made strenuoiis efforts to invite the As-oiiation to their halls, and to extend to them a erous tiospitality. No city sosmal] as A nu Arbor has ever betore been honored by i visit frotn the A-Miation, ind therrfore it shoukl be a matter of pride to every citizen tbat we in to liave this distinction. Tlie animal volume wil] be headed the "Ann Arbor Meeting1' and w i 1 1 carry that title page to nearly 4,000 subscribers, beside this,the scientitic uenp'ipi-i'sof che land will have n pie-cntiitivuB protent. umi it. is r..l.,.i,. that surli papéis as the New York Tribune and the Chicago Times will contain reporta of the proeeediugs, so that the name of Ann Aibor, and its scientilic and educational interest will be carried to ten?, aud huiidieds of thoiuaads of readers. Eliewhere we give a report of the orgi'iiizaiion of Uih ritizeiia comm ttce wlio have in chai jte the consideration of what we, the üostih will do lor ourgut-bts.