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: Q-'; pf* * %APRIL 29, 1931ofr-c-iratarovers,rn-SCIENCEBY DAV1I) DIETZOldest Scientific Society in America Holds Its Annual Meeting in Philadelphia.LEADING scientists from all parts of the United States— astronomers, geologists, biologists, and others—gathered in Philadelphia last week for the annual meeting of America’s oldest scientific society. *The organization is the American Philosophical Society. The meeting was its 204th one. for the society, which was founded by Benjamin Franklin, is older than the American republic.In 1727. Franklin, who just had come of age, organized his friends into a society which he called the Junto. At first the membership was limited to twelve. * 4But later he felt that, to use his own terms, “virtuosi or ingenious men residing in the several colonies’* ought to be invited to meetings at Philadelphia. On May 14, 1743, he wrote a letter to these men in whichhe said: •“The first drudgery of settlingnew colonies, which confines the people to mere necessities, now is pretty well over and there are many in every province in circumstances that set them at ease and afford leisure to cultivate the finer arts f and improve the common stock of knowledge.” ; v yFrom this letter grew the American Philosophical Society into which the Junto was merged. Early members included George Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, Lafayette and Tallerand.Independence SquareOINCE 1789, the American Phl-^ losophical Society has been meeting in its own quarters, a building adjoining Independence hall in Independence Square, Philadelphia.Here in a room whose walls are decorated with priceless relics, paintings and busts of patriots, statesmen and pioneer scientists, and medals and scientific instruments which belonged to America’s first ~ scientists, the annual meeting of the nly society is held.een ^he meetings are impressive. The tlie room by itself is impressive. But ffer when the leaders of present-day *uf- science in America gather in it, the sight is doubly impressive.Fers The meetings are a tribute to the far far-sighted genius of Franklin, who to distinguished himself in the field of ens science as well as in the realms of statesmanship and diplomacy, lual But despite the appeal of the old ut meeting room, the society is now nty engaged in a campaign to raise $2,-250,000 for the erection and endow-yice ment of a new home. r tQ The old building is not adequate .. to house the society’s library and historical collections. There are notsufficient rooms for offices and ma meetings. TThe new building is to stand on 01 the parkway, within the site of the Museum of Art and the free library, adding another structure to a great civic center.The Changing World1 1 T — - - I. t. . ’1—1 _ r ^ 1 * nb .of yl FEATURE of this year’s meet- ing was a symposium on “TheIch Chan?inS World.” In keeping with a policy adopted by the society aing few years a£°. an inquiry is beingmade to chart the development of science and its effect upon life.old 1716 symposium was divided into three sections. The first dealt with “Tendencies in the Natural Sciences.” Speakers and theirms subjects were:Frank Schlesinger, director of the Yale university observatory, “The Astronomer’s Goal.”8er Arthur H. Compton, professor of a physics, University of Chicago, “Theset Assault on Atoms and Molecules ”William Morton Wheeler, professor of entomologyr, Harvard university. “Hopes in the Biological Sciences.”Lee K. Frankel, second vice-president, Metropolitan Life InsuranceCompany, “Lengthening the Spanof Life.’*Willis R. Whitney, director, research laboratory, General Electric Company, “Technology and Material Progress.0The second section of the sym-ish posium dealt with “Tendencies in the Field of the Social Sciences.’*} Speakers included Professor Emestl Patterson of the University of sh- Pennsylvania, Waldemar Kaempff-ert of the New York Times, Arthur Woods, chairman of the Hoover ing emprgency committee for employ-Pho ment* and Congressman James M.Beck..... The third section was a round the taTle dlscusslon- led by ProfessorEchvm G. Conklin of Princeton5eP university.
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