| ASSOCIATE MEMBERS OF AMERICAN SOCIETIES |
By Professor EDWARD C. PICKERING
HARVARD COLLEGE OBSERVATORY
TWO papers on "Foreign Associates of National Societies" were published in The Popular Science Monthly, Vol. 73, p. 372, and Vol. 74, p. 80, in which the foreign membership of the seven great scientific societies of the world was discussed. It is the object of the present paper to make a similar study of the associate and honorary membership of the leading American societies, based on the latest printed lists. To avoid confusion, members paying fees will be called residents, those who live at a distance and pay no fees, associates, and foreigners, honorary members. All of the American members of the National Academy and the honorary members of the New York Academy, if Americans, will be included in the second class.
The oldest of American scientific societies is the American Philosophical Society held at Philadelphia for Promoting Useful Knowledge. It was founded in 1743, on the initiative of Franklin. Its membership consists of 165 residents, who live within thirty miles of Philadelphia, 224 associates and 113 honorary members. The number of persons elected each year is limited to fifteen Americans and five foreigners.
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences, founded in 1780, with its headquarters in Boston, is the second oldest scientific society. The numbers of residents (citizens of Massachusetts), associates and honorary members are 193, 87 and 63, and are limited to 200, 100 and 75, respectively.
The New York Academy of Sciences was founded in 1817. The numbers of residents, associates and honorary members are 468, 139 and 48, respectively. The numbers of the last two classes are limited to 200 and 50, respectively.
The National Academy of Sciences was founded in 1863, with its headquarters in Washington. Its membership consists of 113 associates and 45 honorary members. The number of the latter class is limited to 50.
Lists were next prepared of the associates and honorary members of these societies. Table I. contains a list of those Americans whose names appear on two or more of these lists. The successive columns give the name, place of birth, college, residence, specialty, date of birth and age at the time of election into each of the four societies. Place of birth and residence are indicated by states, or countries, except in the
