Morgantown Post
W. Va. Academy Of Science In Session Today
New Organization Will Seek Natural Science Building At University
Committees Are Named
A. B. Brooks Details Progress Of Fight For Conservation In State
November 28, 1924
One of the first efforts of the newly organized West Virginia Academy of Science, which is holding its organization meeting here today, will be a definite appeal to the State Legislature for an appropriation to erect a Natural Science Building at the University.
Dr. F. B. Trotter, in welcoming the delegates to the meeting this morning, declared that he favored such an appropriation, and he approved the intention of the Academy of Science to present its appeal for the appropriation.
The principal feature of this morning's program was an address on "Lighting the Lamp of Conservation In West Virginia" by A. B. Brooks, chief game and fish protector of West Virginia. This address took up most of the morning open session, which was also devoted to the appointment of committees and sectional conferences.
The following committees were appointed:
Constitution and By-Laws - Dean A. C. Workman. Bethany College; Prof. R. P. Davis, Prof. R. J. Ganber. Prof., H. R. Rodgers of Fairmont Normal, and Prof. A. S. White of Marshall College.
Nominations - Dr. T. L. Harris, Dr. E. P. Deatrick and Dr. A. M. Leitsch of Bethany College.
Resolutions - dr. A. M. Reese, Prof. J. L. Tilton, A. B. Brooks of Buckhannon.
The principal address of the meeting will be delivered tonight by Dr. Francis Herbert Herrick of Buckhannon.
The principal address of the meeting will be delivered tonight by Dr. Francis Herbert Herrick of Western Reserve University who will speak at 8 o'clock in Martin hall on "Animal Instinct, and intelligence." Original pictures of Dr. Herrick's wide investigations, particularly into the behavior of the American eagle, will be displayed. The public is invited to attend.
Chief Game Protector Brooks, was followed very closely as he delivered his lecture on "Conservation in West Virginia". He presented an array of facts as to the original quantity and value of the State's natural resources.
The amount of good coal in the various veins of West Virginia is estimated at 61 billion tons and the inferior grades at 100 billion tons he said, a supply sufficient to last 1,800 years at the present rate of consumption.
The deposits of oil and gas are so deep that we can never know their volume, he said. The 8,173,000 barrels of oil produced annually with a 200-billion barrel reserve and a 1 billion foot daily production of gas from ten of the leading operators furnish slight indications of the total quantity," he said. "Of limestone we have a greater area than Kentucky or any other state in the union. The ledges of building stone and glass sands are beyond computation, and the deposits of iron ore, fire and potters's clay and other minerals will prove of enormous value."
Mr. Brooks also pointed out West Virginia's great resources of water power, timber, and soil.
In tracing the growth of the conservation movement. Mr. Brooks paid a tribute to Dr. I. C. White of Morgantown. State geologist. To Dr. White we are indebted more than to any other man," he said, "for that which has been accomplished in the saving of West Virginia's natural wealth. He has been a leader and earnest advocate of conservation for more than thirty years."
At this afternoon's conference, Dr. R. C. Colwell and staff will give a popular demonstration lecture on physics. Then the committees named this morning will submit their reports, and officers will be elected. After further sectional meetings inspection trips to various laboratories of the University scientific departments will be made. Those from out-of-town who had registered up to noon included D. R. Weimer, A. M. Leitsch and Dean A. C. Workman of Bethany College: Sebie Bailey of Fairmont, A. B. Brooks of Buckhannon, C. T. Gayley of Pittsburgh, Arthur V. Upton of Clarksburg, A. S. White of Huntington, P. R. Cutright of Geveva College, Beaver Falls, Pa., A. H. Stark of Charleston and H. W. Bromley.