Series 1. CONSTITUTIONS, REPORTS, AND GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, CIRCA 1880, 1884, 1892, 1895, 1904, 1907, 1909, 1940.
Series 2. MINUTES OF GENERAL MEETINGS, 1894-1959.
Series 3. MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETINGS, 1880-1959.
Series 4. RECORDS OF THE SECRETARY, CIRCA 1902-1909, 1924-1972.
Series 5. RECORDS OF THE TREASURER, 1904-1905, 1917-1972.
Series 6. CORRESPONDENCE AND RELATED MATERIAL CONCERNING PUBLICATION OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON, CIRCA 1896-1918, 1924-1952, 1960, 1971.
The Biological Society of Washington was founded on December 3, 1880. Its
original purpose was the furtherance of biological scholarship by providing a
forum for the presentation of scientific papers. Later modifications limited
the purpose to the furtherance of taxonomic study and the diffusion of
taxonomic knowledge, mainly through the publication of the Proceedings of
the Biological Society of Washington. It was also one of the eight
founding organizations of the Washington Academy of Sciences. The
governing council of the Society includes the elected officers and selected
local members. The first president was George Brown Goode and the first
recording secretary was Richard Rathbun. A number of other Smithsonian
Institution and United States National Museum staff have been active members
of the Society, as have staff from other federal government scientific
agencies, particularly the Departments of Agriculture and Interior. Box 1 of 15
INTRODUCTION
This finding aid was digitized with funds generously provided by the
Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee.
HISTORICAL NOTE
DESCRIPTIVE ENTRY
The records of the Society include mailing and membership lists, officers'
reports, financial material, minutes of meetings, and official correspondence.
There is a sizeable amount of correspondence and related material concerning
the publication of manuscripts in the Proceedings of the Biological Society
of Washington.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
SERIES 1.
CONSTITUTIONS, REPORTS, AND GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, CIRCA 1880, 1884, 1892, 1895, 1904, 1907, 1909, 1940.
| Folder | 1 | Original signed Constitution, 1880(?) | |
| Folder | 2 | Mailing list, 1884 | |
| Folder | 3 | Constitution and by-laws, 1892 | |
| Folder | 4 | Invitation to reception, 1895 | |
| Folder | 5 | Resolutions and amendments to Constitution, 1904 and undated | |
| Folder | 6 | Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Volume XIX, 1907, containing Constitution and by-laws; Volume XXI, 1909, containing list of members. | |
| Folder | 7 | Correspondence of President Theodore Sherman Palmer, concerning Society membership and building for Washington Academy of Sciences, 1909 | |
| Folder | 8 | Constitution and by-laws, 1940 |
The minutes contain business brought up by Council, papers presented, and general business. Minutes for 1880-1894 are missing.
Box 2 of 15
| Folders | 1-2 | Meetings, 227-644, 1894-1922 |
Box 3 of 15
| Folders | 1-4 | Meetings 645-1027, 1923-1959 |
Council meetings usually preceded regular meetings. The minutes contain nominations of new members, committee reports, and other business.
Box 4 of 15
| Folders | 1-4 | Meetings 1-583, 1880-1918 |
Box 5 of 15
| Folders | 1-4 | Meetings 584-1027, 1918-1959 |
Box 6 of 15
| Folder | 1 | Outgoing correspondence, 1902-1909 | |
| Folder | 2 | Correspondence, 1924-1939 | |
| Folder | 3 | Lists of members, Secretary's reports, 1929-1942 | |
| Folder | 4 | Samples of form letters, 1932-1936 | |
| Folder | 5 | Correspondence, some concerning Proceedings, 1933-1934 | |
| Folder | 6 | Membership and depository lists, 1935 | |
| Folder | 7 | Depository lists and correspondence concerning Proceedings subscriptions, 1936-1937 | |
| Folder | 8 | Mailing lists; address given by outgoing President, 1938 | |
| Folder | 9 | Survey and cover letter, correspondence, 1939-1940 | |
| Folder | 10 | Notices of meetings, 1940-1942 | |
| Folder | 11 | Correspondence, reports; material concerning Junior Biological Society, 1941-1947 |
Box 7 of 15
| Folder | 1 | Mailing list, business correspondence, 1949-1950 | |
| Folder | 2 | Correspondence concerning membership, 1950-1951 | |
| Folder | 3 | Mailing list, correspondence, 1951-1952 | |
| Folder | 4 | Correspondence concerning membership, 1952-1953 | |
| Folder | 5 | Correspondence, some concerning Marcus Ward Lyon, Jr. Trust, 1953-1954 | |
| Folder | 6 | Mailing lists, correspondence, 1955 | |
| Folder | 7 | Correspondence, 1956 | |
| Folder | 8 | Correspondence, some concerning Lyon Trust, 1957 |
Box 8 of 15
| Folder | 1 | Correspondence concerning membership, 1958 | |
| Folder | 2 | Correspondence, some concerning Marcus Ward Lyon, Jr. Trust, 1959 | |
| Folder | 3 | Membership lists, correspondence, 1960 | |
| Folder | 4 | Correspondence, mailing lists, reports, 1960-1961 | |
| Folder | 5 | Correspondence, mailing lists, 1961-1962 |
Box 9 of 15
| Folder | 1 | Correspondence, mailing lists, 1961-1963 | |
| Folder | 2 | Correspondence, reports, 1962-1963 | |
| Folder | 3 | Correspondence, memoranda, 1964-1970 | |
| Folders | 4-5 | Correspondence concerning membership, 1968-1972 | |
| Folder | 6 | Mailing lists, 1969 | |
| Folder | 7 | Membership lists, lists of out-of-print issues of Proceedings, 1970 |
Box 10 of 15
| Folder | 1 | Reports, 1904-1905 | |
| Folder | 2 | Reports, including auditors' reports, 1917-1965, 1970-1972 | |
| Folder | 3 | Treasury reports and papers, 1920-1970 | |
| Folder | 4 | Material concerning American Security and Trust Bank transactions, 1942-1971 | |
| Folder | 5 | Material concerning application for tax-exempt status, 1965-1968 |
Box 11 of 15
| Folder | 1 | Record book of Perpetual Building Association and Interstate Building Association accounts, 1957-1970 | |
| Folder | 2 | Ledger, American Security and Trust Bank account, 1962-1970 | |
| Folder | 3 | Petty cash journal containing revolving fund account, 1964-1972 |
This series contains correspondence of Charles Wallace Richmond and Herbert Friedmann, editorial chairman, with contributors to Proceedings. Some correspondence concerns personal affairs.
Box 12 of 15
| Folder | 1 | Committee on Publication repots, 1902 and undated | |
| Folders | 2-8 | Correspondence, 1924-1934 |
Box 13 of 15
| Folders | 1-6 | Correspondence, 1935-1940 |
Box 14 of 15
| Folders | 1-10 | Correspondence, 1941-1950 |
Box 15 of 15
| Folders | 1-2 | Correspondence, 1950-1952 | |
| Folder | 3 | Price lists for Proceedings, circa 1896-1918 | |
| Folder | 4 | Suggestions to contributors and information concerning publication, circa 1902-1960 | |
| Folder | 5 | Author index to Proceedings volumes 1-35, 1924 | |
| Folder | 6 | List of herpetological papers printed in Proceedings, 1971 |
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Revised: June 16, 2003