Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 59.djvu/324

314 science will not and cannot come together at midsummer. If a week can be set aside at the beginning of the year, it is probable that the scientific character and weight of the meetings will be greatly forwarded. The importance of obtaining a convocation week in midwinter has been emphasized in a recent editorial ('Science/ April 26, 1901), and we are now able to report that, of the fourteen universities composing the Association of American Universities, all but two either already have no exercises at the time or have altered their calendars in the direction of setting aside the week in which New Year's Day falls for the meetings of scientific and learned societies. It might, however, be well to have, say once in three years, a summer meeting in which the social and excursion elements should be emphasized. It must be remembered that the National Educational Association can bring together 10,000 members in this way. Or perhaps, it will be found with experience that the winter meeting is so advantageous that the summer meetings can be omitted altogether. Meanwhile there might be suggested a special meeting at Chicago next year at Christmas time in conjunction with the Naturalists and affiliated societies, the usual meeting at Pittsburg in midsummer, and a meeting of unusual importance at Washington at the end of the year.