Spring Meeting: Friends Historical Association

SPRING MEETING FRIENDS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION CONTRARY to the usual practice the Spring Meeting of Friends Historical Association was held in downtown Philadelphia instead of somewhere in the surrounding countryside. But this concession to war-time restrictions on gasoline did not preclude the consideration of things relating to nature. For the place of the meeting on May 19, 1945, was The Academy of Natural Sciences, at 19th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and Quakers in natural science was the theme of the speakers of the afternoon. Calling the meeting to order at 2.30 P. M., President William W. Comfort quoted Lord Lister, by way of introduction, on the tendency of Friends to employ in scientific investigation the time which they save by their withdrawal from the world's more distracting activities. He also remarked upon the recent death of one of the most distinguished modern Quaker scientists, Sir Arthur S. Eddington. Francis W. Pennell spoke on "Botanical Interests of Friends," calling attention to the interesting fact that most Quaker botanists, from John Rutty and John Bartram to those of our day, have been quiet, observational specialists rather than men of speculative and experimental turn of mind. James Logan, the great Pennsylvanian, is almost unique among Quaker experimentalists in botany. Edward E. Wildman followed with the paper on "Friends Interested in Natural History Other Than Plants" which is printed in this issue of the Bulletin. After the meeting members of the Association enjoyed the opportunity to inspect the extensive exhibits of The Academy of Natural Sciences. ASA foretaste of his forthcoming book on the subject, Arthur E. ^*" James published in The Magasine Antiques, vol. 47 (1945), pp. 540-1, an illustrated article on "Clockmakers of Chester County, Pennsylvania." Thirty-three persons have been found to qualify in his list for between 1766 and 1840, and naturally many of them prove to be Quakers. Vol. 34, Autumn 194564 ...