Breckenridge, Walter J.

English

University of Minnesota, Morris (UMM): Digital Well

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science Volume 16 Number 1 Article 2 4-1948 The Academy in 1947-1948: The President's Address Walter J. Breckenridge Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/jmas Recommended Citation Breckenridge, W. J. (1948). The Academy in 1947-1948: The President's Address. Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science, Vol. 16 No.1, 65-67. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/jmas/vol16/iss1/2 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at University of Minnesota Morris Digital Well. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science by an authorized editor of University of Minnesota Morris Digital Well. For more information, please contact skulann@morris.umn.edu. I_, THE ACADEMY'iN 1947-1948:--·,'-THE J:>RESIDENT'S ADDRESS w ~TER J. BRECKENRIDGE By way-of~ brief report from the· Presid~nt, it might b~ ;aluabte · to first state that I consider the following as the objectives of our ·Academy:' first, to_ promote .social ·contacts between Minnesota· · science workers:___ to get_ t:heni to· know each other personally; sec- · ond, to better acquaint the members with the work of others -i:i;i _ , their own chosen fields and in.other related fields of science.; third, to stimulate original thought among younger workers aild to help _ _ · them continue in scientific fields; fourth, to aid in carrying through . 'to completion worthwhile scientific fySearch projects. , From a nieagre start, only 15 years ago in 1933, the Academy has -... increased its membership to nearly 600 and is definitely contribut-- ing toward acquain,ting its members with their colleagues. Exten-sive series of papers given at the various annual meetings have given members opportunities to let others know more .about_ their work. Through the efforts of special committees,, the Academy has _ acquired some 39l0 acres of land in the· Cedar Creek Forest area and has turned · this 'over· to the University of Minnesota as_ the. most logical supervisor of the area for preservation in its natural state _and for study by qualified research workers. The· Academy was ~ctive iri sponsoring the acquisition of the Nerstrand Woods by the Federal government and in promoting the exchange of the, -area to the-State of Minnesota as a State Park. A large portion of . this' has been assigned for perinanent preservation ·and study ·pur~ • poses. As an intermediary- between the A.A.A.S. and _Minnesota _ , science workers; the Academy has· distributed several thousand_s ,of -dollars in research grants to active workers in a number· of science fields. In' the field of interesting younger potential scientists, I think the Academy can be complimented on the success of the Junior, Academy which it has sponsored _and 'Yhich, as you know, is meet-· ing in a very active session with, us here today. In reviewing these projects, I think_the Ac·ademy, for a ·comparatively young organiza-tion, has certainly done outstanding work in the direction ·of attain~ '· ing these pa~ticular 9bj_ectives. , Ifowever, turning tci the internal workings of our organization, o_ur treasury should provide for the printing of our Proceedings; _for . the publication of special articles too extensive and specialized for the Proceedings; for scholarships to aid ,promising -younger ,students;'· and for more. extensive sponsoring of Minnesota scientists' research projects. In these activities we are woefully weak_. Sev.eral possible · moves seem to be in order to help this situation. First, a sub_stantial endowment fund would give us a backlog to ·at least' assi_st in the -6 THE MINNESOTA _AC.illEMY OF SCIENCE publication of the proceedings .. The difficulties and possibilities of this source of income will be discussed later by Dr. Sheard reporting . for th_e Endowment Committee. A second possibility· is that with the Academy's record of past accomplishments, it would seem that the time has come when we can reasonably seek some outside . financial assistance to continue our work on a somewhat expanded scale; Many State Academies of Science receive state funds through legislative appropriations or otherwise, arid it seems that one of the . first major moves for the incoming officers of the Minnesota Academy might be to take vigorous· action in this direction. During the past year a committee has begun investigating this source of possible aid and Dr. Thiel, its chairman, will report later ·on its findings. Another activity in which the _Academy could well be far more. active, is in assisting high school students with definite scientific promise to continue their schooling. In this we have taken some -steps during the past year which are already securing results. Mr. Nelson, Chairman of the Science Talen·t Search Committee, will · report on this later. Steps have further been taken to secure some really substantial scholarships for these outstanding youngsters from some of the larger more forward looking commercial concerns ·' of the state. The results of this spade work will be turned over to i ~he incoming officers for their vigorous prosecution during th'e com-mg year. .. _ In this report I want to call the attention of a large majority of Academy members to the fact that on last August 30 all but about· 60 Academy members·missed out on a very pleasant and profitable summer field meeting at the Nerstrand Woods under Dr. Stork's-leadership. The weatherman provided us with a very pleasant day and Dr. Moore arranged for an excellent box lunch for the occasion. A short talk on the history of the· Nerstrand Woods was given by Dr. Stork of Carleton and some remarks on the foresters' possible uses of the woods in, research were made by Dr. Henry Hanson of the University Forestry Department. The m~jor part of the day, however; was devoted to a leisurely field trip along Prairie Creek, examination of the beaver. colony's work and quizzing the specialists about plants, birds, and insects, encountered. Among the very important happenings in the life of the Academy during the past year has been tlv:! serious illness which we hope has only temporarily relieved o·ur friend, Dr. John Moore, of his duties as secretary and treasurer. He has so ·carefully and conscientiously carried out these duties for so long that I, as a brand new, uninitiated Academy president, felt I had a real bulwark to support me in. car-rying qn my duties which I knew so little about. Just as prepara-tions began for this ann_ual meeting, Dr. _Moore was sent to the hospital ap.d his duties have been carried on by Mrs. Moore with the help of Mr. Donald Lewis of our Museum staff who ,vas .asked .J ,, PROCEEDINGS, VOLUME SIXTKEN, 1948· ·7 . -to help fill the gap. I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank both Mrs. Moore. and Mr. Lewis for stepping· in and assuming this very considerable burden at this crucial time. We, as an organiza-tion, certainly owe a debt of gratitude to Pr. Moore whose past services we appreciate even more under these circumstances. I am sure the entire membership of the Academy joins me in wishing hini a complete and rapid recovery from his illness. The difficulty which we find in securing even' a temporary .secretary-treasurer impresses us with one more fact about the Academy and that is that the organization is now at the betwixt · and between stage where it is too large to have its· business carried on by a volunteer secretary a}!d not larg(;) enough to supp9rt a paid one. The matter of $100 or $200 paid for such .services still . leaves it a joh to be done duririg.-one's spare time and few are able or willing to devote this much spare time to such a task. Perhaps the solution is -to split the position into two - a secretary and a · treasurer. Probably the report of the Nominating Committee will · further discuss this point. While clealing with techµicalities, may I , suggest that the custom be established that the vice-president be regularly elevated to the presidency. The Academy functions are· . of such worthwhile p·roportions now and s_hould ·and will become greater as the years pass that the incoming president should have had _some experience in Academy bu_siness prior to his taking •office. Actually, in surveying the year's accomplishments, I _feel that they have not ·been very extensive, but I have triea to carry on.in the face of difficulties and am very glad to have .been· of some service to the organization. REPORT FROM· THE CHAIRMAN . OF THE COMMITTEE FOR'CONSULTATION. ON THE CEDAR CREEK FOREST PROJECT 0. T. WALTER . Macalester College; St. Paul ABSTRACT. The committee is now devising ways and means of making 'this · area readily available for scientific study and research. The com-mittee has: provided entrance signs, completed an aerial survey and stereoscopic mapping of the region, and has made arrange-ments Mr the establishment of a. ten feet by fourteen feet shelter building. Visitors and research workers can obtain admission cards · · 'from Dr. A. N. Wilcox, Horticqlture Division 306, University of Minnesota, St. Paul Campus. 

The Academy in 1947-1948: The President\u27s Address

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The Academy in 1947-1948: The President\u27s Address

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