Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 64.djvu/132

128 noted; but almost in the turn of a hand, the charming impromptu character of the meetings gave place to formality. Current publications were not brought in by those who, if they had had them in hand, would have commented on them. Specimens not announced were not brought to be shown if opportunity offered. Apparatus, chiefly from the laboratories of the university staff, which had been easily exhibited when the meetings were held under the university roof, was rarely taken down, transported and rearranged where facilities were few, with the certainty that the reverse process must be gone through in the busy hours of the following day. So it quickly came about that if nothing was announced for a given meeting little or nothing was offered, and the council was thus compelled to provide a stated program for each meeting, which contributed to cut out the last remnant of spontaneity in offering the many small things which go to make up the daily life of the teacher, investigator or reader, and which, fresh from his own life, are of greatest interest to his associates. To counteract this regrettable loss, the council, for the greater part of the past decade, has striven to make the program of evident interest to the non-professional members by providing, at least for alternate meetings, lectures divested of technicalities on matters of current scientific progress. Do what they may, however, though they have succeeded in winning the approbation of the non-scientific contingent, they have not much more than doubled the average attendance, while the membership has correspondingly grown; and they have not secured the attendance of any considerable number of members or other persons not themselves closely identified with pure or applied science.

It has been evident for several years past that the accommodations at the historical society's building were inadequate to the needs of the academy, and access to the building had become less convenient because of great changes in the location of the residence section of the city. This led to another effort being made, a year or two ago, to secure the much needed building; and again little reason was found for hope. But during the present year, as a gift from Mrs. William McMillan and her son Mr. William Northrop McMillan, the academy has been put in possession of a building, conveniently located with reference to intersecting car lines traversing the now widely separated residence districts. It was originally built for a private school, and has therefore been found directly adapted to many uses of the academy; such changes as were needed and practicable have been made, and the building has been renovated and equipped with modern heating and lighting appliances.

With the opening of the fall, therefore, the academy, for the first time in its existence, meets in its own home, and this, fortunately, not only without any encumbrance of debt, but with a small invested fund