Learned Societies and Co-operation in Research

Abstract

DR. R. E. MORTIMER WHEELER showed no little wisdom in his selection of a subject for his presidential address to the Conference of Delegates of Corresponding Societies at the Leicester meeting of the British Association. The position of the learned society in relation to the present tendency towards the centralisation and co-ordination of scientific research is becoming increasingly difficult. This applies more particularly to the local learned society of the older type, in which the amateur naturalist or archaeologist once flourished. In London and the larger provincial cities, more especially if these happen to be university centres, a professional element helps to direct the activities of the society and to keep it in touch with scientific movement. Dr. Wheeler, however, evidently had in mind the smaller society of the provinces, which has done valuable work in the past, but at the present day is in danger of losing that enthusiastic support, which as the British Association has reason to know, was a valuable adjunct in securing the conservation of local antiquities or other material of scientific interest or importance, as well as in local scientific observation and record.