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* NATICA. 250 NATIONAL AKTS CLUB. Consult Arnold, The Sea licuch at Ehh-Tide (New Voi-k, UIOl). NATICK, nfi'tik. A town, includinfr several villagi'S in Middlesex County, Mass., 17 miles west-southwest uf Boston ; on the Boston and Al- bany Railroad (Map: ilassachusetts. E 3). It has ]iublie parks, in one of which is a soldiers' monu- ment, and in another a monument to the memory of John Eliot; the head of Cochituate Lake, one of the sources of Boston's water supply: the Walnut Hill School for young ladies; the Morse Institute (public library and reading room) ; and the Bacon Public Library. The principal in- dustries are the manufacture of boots, shoes, shirts, clothing, baseballs, boxes, saws, etc. The government is administered by town meetings. There are municipal water-works. Population, in 1890, 9118; in I'JOO, U488. Xatick was founded by John Eliot, who about 1051 brought hither from Nonantum a company of 'praying Indians,' and for many years it was almost exclusively a settlement of Indian converts. It was incor- porated as a town in 17S1. Consult: Bacon, Ilis- • ton) of Xatick (Boston, 185(i) ; llurd. History of Mi'ddlcsr.r Coiiiitii. .U.i.s-.v. (Philadelphia, 1890). NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DESIGN, The. A society of American painters and sculptors, whose headquarters is in New York City. The first Academy of Arts in New York City was founded in 1802 by prominent citizens, among whom was only one lu-ofessional artist, Trum- bull, but it excited little interest until 1825, when a secession of the younger artists occurred. Dissatisfied with the character of the old so- ciety, they formed a new association, called the New York Drawing Association, direct- ed by practical artists. The present name was adopted in 1828, and the society, composed of thirty members, was incorporated. Prof. S. F. B. Morse (q.v.) was the chief organizer of the move- ment, and was twice president of the National Academy, in 1827-45 and again in 1801-62. In this capacity he delivered the first lecture on the fine arts ever given in America. The Sketch Club, formed by C. C. Ingham, one of the original members of the National Academy of Design, afterwards became the Century Club (1840). The National Academy is founded on the plan of the Ro^-al Academy of London, and its active members are divided into academicians and associates, the number being limited to one hundred, the only qualification that they be professional artists. There are also honorary members and fellows of the Academy who have certain privileges. The society is governed by a council consisting of its officers and six mem- bers, and the instructors in the school of design are chosen from among its ranks. The Academy stands for the conservative, traditional element in art. as opposed to the more modern sentiments which were represented in the earlier work of the Society of American Artists (q.v.). It held its seventy-eighth annual exhibition in 1903. At these exhibitions the Clarke prize of .$300, and the Ilallgarten prizes of .$300. .$200, and $100, respectively, are distributed, and the Inness gold medal for the best landscape. The school of design connected with the Academy has been in existence since 1825, and the instruction includes classes in the antique, life, still life, anatomy, painting, perspective, composition, etching, and medal and coin engraving. These classes are open from October until ilay, and are free to students admitted on the evidence of the school conunittee. The average attendance of pupils is about 300. Consult Cummings, Uistoric Annals of the Xational Academy of Design (Philadel- phia, 1805). NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. An organization incorporated by act of Congress on March 3, 1863, to investigate, experiment, and report on any subject of science or art, when called upon to do so by any department of the United States Government. The membership was limited to fifty till 1870, since when it has never had more than one hundred members at a time: and at the annual elections no more than five names are considered. The members are grouped into committees on: (1) mathematics and astronomy; (2) physics and engineering; (3) chemistry; (4) geology and paleontolog,v ; (5) biology; and (0) anthropology. Admission to the Academy is through the recommendation of the committee on the subject in which the nominee is a specialist. There are also fifty foreign associates. Two annual meetings are held. The Academy has prepared a number of official reports on subjects that call for special scientific advice, among which may be mentioned: On the Protection of the Bottoms of Iron Ves- sels (1864); On the Preservation of the Writ- ing of the Original Declaration of Independence (1879); On the Forest Policy for the Forested Lands of the United States (1897); and Con- cerning the Value of the Metric System (1002). Several of the members have left fimds to the Academy for use in research in various branches of science, and also for medals, of which there are now four that are awarded at intervals. Of these the Draper medal is awarded every two years for the most important discovery in as- tronomical pliysics. The Watson medal is given for any astronomical discovery or any astronomi- cal work worthy of special reward ; the J. Law- rence Smith medal is awarded to students of meteoric bodies; the Barnard medal is given for discoveries in physical science. The publications of the Academy include seven quarto volumes of memoirs and four octavo volumes of biological memoirs and annual reports made to the ' Gov- ernment. The presidents, who are chosen for the term of six years, have been Alexander Dallas Bache (1863-67), Joseph Henrv (1867- 78), William B. Rogers (1879-82), 0. C. Marsh (1883-95), Woleott Gibbs (1805-1900), and Alex- ander Agassiz (1001 — ). NATIONAL ARTS CLUB. An organization fornietl in New I'ork City in 1898 "to promote acquaintance among art lovers and art workers in the United States, and to stimulate the prac- tical expression of the artistic sense of the Ameri- can people; to provide proper exhibition facilities for such lines of ajiplied and industrial art as shall be unprovided for: and to encourage the publication and circulation of new suggestions and discussions relating to the fine arts." A regular feature of the club programme is the holding of monthly exhibitions of works of art. The membership of the club is large and includes men who have won fame in various walks of art, and who are in constant requisition for advice by various associations to whom are com- mitted public and private enterprises in which art largely enters. The principal executive office.