thing under consideration among our most active members. Thus far we have used the offices of the President and the Secretary for our quarters. In conclusion permit me to say that we have met with many people who have no taste for history or its preservation. They are always ready to discourage those who have an inclination for this kind of work. Numbers of them are to be found in all communities. If their way of doing things were followed out, future generations would know as little of the present time and of the things that are now being done as we do of the races that have preceded us. The course to pursue is to pay no attention to the discouraging words and discouraging attitude of those people who have no love for history or its preservation. Give no heed to anything they may say or do, but go on with the work. Discharge your duties faithfully and well, and the blessings of Heaven and the praises of all grate ful people will rest upon you. Dr. FRANK E. HORACK:- A scientific society which has concerned itself with historical matters as well as with science is the Sioux City Academy of Science and Letters. Mr. E. E. Stacey, of Sioux City, will report from the Sioux City Academy. Mr. E. E. STACEY: - The Sioux City Academy of Science and Letters had its beginning in the Scientific Association, organized over twenty years ago by men whose names have been identified with the progress of the State. Mr. J. C. C. Hoskins, the first President, and Messrs. D. H. Talbot, E. H. Hubbard, and C. R. Marks were among the charter members and are still interested in the work. The list of members who have belonged since then is a long one, and to mention the illustrious names would be to include all. Among those whose lives have passed into history are Messrs. E. H. Stone, W. R. Smith, Geo. Wakefield, and John H. Charles. Mr. Charles was President for many years; and to his memory the Academy owes more than to any other one person. An incident connected with his settling in Sioux City, fifty years ago, shows the characteristics of the man. It is related that he arrived in the midst of a fierce December blizzard. No railroads entered the place, and there were but few houses. The hotel afforded but scant protection from the storm. He had for a bed-fellow, on the floor under a buffalo robe, the only other guest wearing a white shirt. In the morning the kitchen and dining room were half full of snow and he had to look elsewhere for breakfast, in the pursuit of which he fell in with a Mr. Davis. They talked over the prospects of Sioux City and the conditions under which the new comers were becoming discouraged and were leaving in large numbers. They decided to stay, Mr. Charles closing the conversation with "I'll be in Sioux City on the morning of January 1, 1900, and as the sun rises over the hills to the East, I'll say, 'Hail, old Fellow! I'm still here.'"" On New Year's day forty-four years afterward, Mr. Davis had breakfast at Mr. Charles's house. You can guess what they talked about. During the early years of its existence the Scientific Association had various meeting places, but on the completion of the library building in 1892 it was given permanent quarters in which it has since held its meetings. In 1903 the scope of the Scientific Association was enlarged by having merged with it a society from Morningside College; and the new corporation was called, "The Sioux City Academy of Science and Letters." The purposes of the organization are shown by Article II of the Constitution: The object of the Academy shall be: First, original investigation in Science, History, Sociology, and other branches of useful knowledge and the promotion of the study thereof; Second, the publication of the proceedings of the Academy and such original papers as may be deemed profitable; Third, the maintenance of a Museum and a Library and to provide for public meetings for the delivery of papers and lectures. The following partial list of papers read since the reorganization does not include many of those on scientific subjects which were also presented: Some Phases of the Early History of Sioux City. City. City. Stories of Early French Settlers of Sioux Ventilation in the Public Schools of Sioux Mounds in Northwestern Iowa. Indian Life on the Broken Kettle. Some Defects in our Municipal Government. The Lead and Zinc Deposits in the Upper Mississippi Valley. Bacteriology. Fundamental Conception of Radio Activity. Recent Alluvial Changes in Southwestern Iowa and the Antiquity of the Human Remains. A book of the Proceedings of the Association is published every two years, two volumes having appeared up to this time. The last volume was made a memorial to Mr. John H. Charles. These books contain, besides the proceedings, biographical sketches, bibliographies of Sioux City and Woodbury County authors, and articles of historical and scientific interest about which there is not time to speak. We are pleased to exchange copies of our publication with other societies. The museum, containing minerals, fossils, mammoth remains, shells, birds, Indian specimens, historical relics, and curios, is a popular and growing feature of our work. The collections, valued at several thousand dollars, fill many large cases. Under the able direction of the Curator, Professor H. C. Powers, who devotes much of his time to this work, the museum is open twice a week and is freely visited by the general public. Classes from the public schools, especially the high school, attend with their teachers and find abundant material illustrating subjects of study. The Librarian, Professor F. H. Garver, is performing a commendable service in forming a scientific library and making a collection of all sorts of valuable historical material. The present year has been particularly successful. The membership is larger than ever before, the meetings have been well attended, the |