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Meetings of the AAS: 1932-1937

Created By Brant Sponberg, edited and expanded by Paul Routly and Joseph S. Tenn.

49th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS)

Dates: December 27-29, 1932

Place: Atlantic City, New Jersey

Number of Members in Attendance: 76 Total; 15 Female; 61 Male

Number of New Members Admitted: 6 Total; 0 Female; 6 Male

Total Membership: 534 (530 According to J. Hussey)

Number of Papers Presented: 36

Officers:

  • President, W.S. Adams 1931-1934
  • Vice-President, C.g. Abbot 1931-1933
  • Vice-President, Benjamin Boss 1932-1934
  • Secretary, R.S. Dugan 1932-1933
  • Treasurer, F.c. Jordan 1932-1933
  • Councilors, E.P. Hubble 1930-1933, C.P. Olivier 1930-1933, R.M. Stewart 1930-1933, J.C. Hammond 1931-1934, P.W. Merrill 1931-1934, F.R. Moulton 1932-1934, Harriet W. Bigelow 1932-1935, D.W. Morehouse 1932-1935, and Otto Struve 1932-1935.
  • Ex-President(s), G.C. Comstock 1928-1934, and E.W. Brown 1931-1937.

Members/representatives/delegates: None

New Committees: None
Old Committees: None

Held in Conjunction With: Section D of AAAS

Honorary Member(s): None

Notes of Interest: The AAS held its Forty-ninth Meeting in Atlantic City, NJ, on Tuesday to Thursday, December 27-29, 1932, with Section D of the AAAS. Ex-President W.W. Campbell presided at one scientific session, and President W.S. Adams Presided at the others. Three addresses of special note were given during the meeting - the first by the retiring Chair of Section D of the AAAS, J.H. Moore, on "Solar Eclipse Problems," the second, by Harlow Shapley on "Fact and Fancy in Cosmology," and the third, by H.N. Russell on "The Constitution of the Stars."

Published descriptions of meeting:

Group photo of attendees [Identifications].

50th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS)

Dates: June 21-24, 1933

Place: Chicago, Illinois

Number of Members in Attendance: 97 Total; 19 Female; 78 Male

Number of New Members Admitted: 10 Total; 2 Female; 8 Male

Total Membership: 532 (534 According to J. Hussey)

Number of Papers Presented: 36

Officers:

  • President, W.S. Adams 1931-1934
  • Vice-President, Benjamin Boss 1932-1934
  • Vice-President, Harlow Shapley 1933-1935
  • Secretary, R.S. Dugan 1933-1934
  • Treasurer, F.C. Jordan 1933-1934
  • Councilors, J.C. Hammond 1931-1934, P.W. Merrill 1931-1934, F.R. Moulton 1931-1934, Harriet W. Bigelow 1932-1935, D.W. Morehouse 1932-1935, Otto Struve 1932-1935, J.C. Duncan 1933- 1936, C.O. Lampland 1933-1936, and H.T. Stetson 1933-1936.
  • Ex-President(s), G.C. Comstock 1928-1934, and E.W. Brown 1931-1937.

Members/representatives/delegates: Representatives of the Society on the Division of Physical Sciences of the National Research Council are: H.N. Russell 1933-1934, H.D. Curtis 1933-1935, J.A. Miller 1933-1936, and Frederick Slocum 1934-1937.

New Committees: Finance Committee, made up of F.C. Jordan, Chair, E.W. Brown, and A.L. Loomis.
Old Committees: None

Held in Conjunction With: AAAS

Honorary Member(s): None

Notes of Interest: The AAS held its Fiftieth Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, on Wednesday to Saturday, June 21-24, 1933, in affiliation with the AAAS. The meeting opened with a symposium on "Spectroscopy and Astronomy," Arranged jointly with the American Physical Society, and held at the International House of the University of Chicago. The speakers were W.S. Adams, Theodore Dunham Jr., A.G. Shenstone, and Otto Struve. Two sessions for contributed papers were held at the Planetarium, Following addresses by Mr. Adler, donor of the Planetarium, by Mr. Donoghue, General Superintendent of the South Park Commissioners, Director Philip Fox, and by President W.S. Adams. Messrs. V.M. Slipher, Chair of Section D, and Frederick Slocum were called upon to share the duties of the Chair. The Program of the Association offered many interesting features, and there was something for everyone in the "A Century of Progress" exhibition. The meeting closed with an excursion to the Yerkes Observatory on Saturday, June 24.

Published descriptions of meeting:

Group photo of attendees [Identifications].

51st Meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS)

Dates: December 28-30, 1933

Place: Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Number of Members in Attendance: 100 Total; 24 Female; 76 Male

Number of New Members Admitted: 16 Total; 5 Female; 11 Male

Total Membership: 538 (534 According to J. Hussey)

Number of Papers Presented: 40

Officers:

  • President, W.S. Adams 1931-1934
  • Vice-President, Benjamin Boss 1932-1934
  • Vice-President, Harlow Shapley 1933-1935
  • Secretary, R.S. Dugan 1933-1934
  • Treasurer, F.c. Jordan 1933-1934
  • Councilors, J.C. Hammond 1931-1934, P.w. Merrill 1931-1934, F.r. Moulton 1931-1934, Harriet W. Bigelow 1932-1935, D.W. Morehouse 1932-1935, Otto Struve 1932-1935, J.C. Duncan 1933- 1936, C.O. Lampland 1933-1936, and H.T. Stetson 1933-1936.
  • Ex-President(s), G.C. Comstock 1928-1934, and E.W. Brown 1931-1937.

Members/representatives/delegates: None

New Committees: None
Old Committees: None

Held in Conjunction With: AAAS

Honorary Member(s): Albert Einstein

Notes of Interest: The AAS, in affiliation with the AAAS, held its Fifty-first meeting jointly with Section D at the Harvard College Observatory from Thursday to Saturday, December 28-30, 1933. Messrs. Harlow Shapley, Vice-President of the Society, V.M. Slipher, Vice-President of Section D, and Councilors E.W. Brown, J.C. Duncan, D.W. Morehouse, H.T. Stetson, and Otto Struve were called to the chair. The Annie J. Cannon Prize in Astronomy was established and rules for it being awarded accepted by the Council. Social events included a reception on Thursday afternoon, December 29, given in the observatory residence by Dr. and Mrs. Shapley, and at luncheon the following day.

Published descriptions of meeting:

Group photo of attendees [Identifications].

52nd Meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS)

Dates: September 10-12, 1934

Place: Connecticut College, New London, Connecticut

Number of Members in Attendance: 79 Total; 20 Female; 59 Male

Number of New Members Admitted: 18 Total; 5 Female; 13 Male

Total Membership: 546 (535 According to J. Hussey)

Number of Papers Presented: 24

Officers:

  • President, H.N. Russell 1934-1937
  • Vice-President, Harlow Shapley 1933-1935
  • Vice-President, C.A. Chant 1934-1936
  • Secretary, R.S. Dugan 1934-1935
  • Treasurer, F.C. Jordan 1934-1935
  • Councilors, D.W. Morehouse 1932-1935, Otto Struve 1932-1935, J.C. Duncan 1933-1936, C.O. Lampland 1933-1936, H.T. Stetson 1933-1936, W.E. Harper 1934-1937, J.H. Moore 1934- 1937, R.E. Wilson 1934-1937, and Cecilia P. Gaposchkin 1934-1935.
  • Ex-President(s), E.W. Brown -1937, and W.S. Adams -1940.

Members/representatives/delegates: The Representatives of the Society on the Council of the AAAS are H.D. Babcock and R.T. Crawford for the Berkeley Meeting, June, 1934 and Keivin Burns and Zaccheus Daniel for the Pittsburgh Meeting, December, 1934.

New Committees: None
Old Committees: None

Held in Conjunction With: None

Honorary Member(s): None

Notes of Interest: The AAS held its Fifty-second Meeting at Connecticut College, New London, Connecticut on Monday to Wednesday, September 10-12, 1934. The scientific sessions were presided over by E.W. Brown, Frank Schlesinger, Benjamin Boss, Harlow Shapley, and by H.T. Stetson. A decision to award the first Annie J. Cannon Prize to Cecilia Payne Gaposchkin at the next Society Meeting was taken by the Council.

Published descriptions of meeting:

Group photo of attendees [Identifications].

53rd Meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS)

Dates: December 27-29, 1934

Place: the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Number of Members in Attendance: 104 Total; 20 Female; 84 Male

Number of New Members Admitted: 17 Total; 1 Female; 16 Male

Total Membership: 557 (535 According to J. Hussey)

Number of Papers Presented: 42

Officers:

  • President, H.N. Russell 1934-1937
  • Vice-President, Harlow Shapley 1933-1935
  • Vice-President, C.A. Chant 1934-1936
  • Secretary, R.S. Dugan 1934-1935
  • Treasurer, F.C. Jordan 1934-1935
  • Councilors, D.W. Morehouse 1932-1935, Otto Struve 1932-1935, J.C. Duncan 1933-1936, C.O. Lampland 1933-1936, H.T. Stetson 1933-1936, W.E. Harper 1934-1937, J.H. Moore 1934- 1937, R.E. Wilson 1934-1937, and Cecilia P. Gaposchkin 1934-1935.
  • Ex-President(s), E.W. Brown -1937, and W.S. Adams -1940.

Members/representatives/delegates: None

New Committees: None
Old Committees: None

Held in Conjunction With: None

Honorary Member(s): None

Notes of Interest: The AAS held its Fifty-third Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from Thursday to Saturday, December 27-29, 1934, on invitation from the Franklin Institute, and supplementary invitations transmitted by Professor Chas. P. Olivier, for the session on Thursday afternoon, followed by Tea in Houston Hall, from Haverford College for both sessions on Friday, with luncheon in Founder's Hall, and an inspection of Strawbridge Memorial Observatory guided by Professor Henry V. Gummere, and from the Rittenhouse Astronomical Society for a reception on Thursday evening. On that occasion, the address of Ex-President W.S. Adams was delivered on the subject "Some Factors in the Design of a Large Telescope." President H.N. Russell presided at all sessions. During the meeting, Mr. James Stockley gave a special demonstration of the Fels Planetarium. As noted in the summary of the previous meeting, the Annie J. Cannon Prize was awarded to Cecilia Payne Gaposchkin by Society President H.N. Russell. Mr. D.B. Mclaughlin acted for the Society Secretary. A short session of the American Section of the International Astronomical Union, in preparation for the Meeting of the Union in Paris, July 10-17, 1935, was held immediately after the adjournment of the Society Meeting.

Published descriptions of meeting:

Group photo of attendees (left side)
Group photo of attendees (right side)
Identifications of persons in group photo of attendees

57th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS)

Dates: December 28-30, 1936

Place: Hood College, Frederick, Maryland

Number of Members in Attendance: 81 Total; 15 Female; 66 Male

Number of New Members Admitted: 7 Total; 2 Female; 5 Male

Total Membership: 580

Number of Papers Presented: 31

Officers:

  • President, H.N. Russell 1934-1937
  • Vice-President, Frederick Slocum 1935-1937
  • Vice-President, R.S. Dugan 1936-1938
  • Secretary, J.C. Duncan 1936-1937
  • Treasurer, F.C. Jordan 1936-1937
  • Councilors, W.E. Harper 1934-1937, J.H. Moore 1934-1937, R.E. Wilson 1934-1937, R.H. Baker 1935-1938, Annie J. Cannon 1935-1938, Theodore Dunham Jr. 1935-1938, D.B. Mclaughlin 1936-1939, S.L. Boothroyd 1936-1939, and Keivin Burns 1936-1939.
  • Ex-President(s), E.W. Brown -1937, and W.S. Adams -1940.

Members/representatives/delegates: None

New Committees: None
Old Committees: None

Held in Conjunction With: None

Honorary Member(s): None

Notes of Interest: The Fifty-seventh Meeting of the AAS was held at Hood College, Frederick, Maryland, from Monday to Wednesday, December 28-30, 1936 at the invitation of Leah B. Allen, Professor of Astronomy. Sessions for papers were held in the Reading Room of the College Library, and housing was provided in nearby Coblentz Hall, one of the girls' dormitories. President Russell occupied the chair at two of the sessions on Tuesday - Vice-President Slocum presided at the other session Wednesday morning. The social side of the program was well taken care of, and ended in the society dinner Tuesday evening. Most of the members left promptly after luncheon on Wednesday, a few continuing to Atlantic City for a part of the meeting of the AAAS.

Published descriptions of meeting:

Group photo of attendees [Identifications].

58th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS)

Dates: September 8-11, 1937

Place: Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts

Number of Members in Attendance: 94 Total; 17 Female; 77 Male

Number of New Members Admitted: 22 Total; 2 Female; 20 Male

Total Membership: 595 (596 According to J. Hussey)

Number of Papers Presented: 50

Officers:

  • President, Robert G. Aitken 1937-1940
  • Vice-President, R.S. Dugan 1936-1938
  • Vice-President, Frank E. Ross 1937-1939
  • Secretary, John C. Duncan 1937-1938
  • Treasurer, Frank C. Jordan 1937-1938
  • Councilors, R.H. Baker 1935-1938, Annie J. Cannon 1935-1938, Theodore Dunham Jr. 1935-1938, D.B. Mclaughlin 1936-1939, S.L. Boothroyd 1936-1939, Keivin Burns 1936-1939, Leon Campbell 1937-1940, Edwin F. Carpenter 1937-1940, and Alfred H. Joy 1937-1940.
  • Ex-President(s), W.S. Adams -1940

Members/representatives/delegates: Mr. William D. Macmillan was elected to represent the Society in the Division of Physical Sciences of the National Research Council, 1938-1941. Mr. W.S. Adams was also elected to fill the uncompleted term of Dr. Robert G. Aitken in the Division. Dr. Aitken, however, remains a member ex officio. The Society was represented at the centenary celebration of Mt. Holyoke College by Miss Anne S. Young, and at the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Societe Astronomique De France by Mr. William B. Stearns.

New Committees: None
Old Committees: None

Held in Conjunction With: None

Honorary Member(s): None

Notes of Interest: The AAS held its Fifty-eighth Meeting at Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts from Wednesday to Saturday, December 8-11, 1937, at the invitation of Professor Willis I. Milham. Most of the members occupied rooms in Currier Hall, one of the College Dormitories, and sessions were held in near-by Goodrich Hall. It should be remarked in passing that, in spite of several inconveniences, the idea of holding meetings on college campuses, and residing in college dormitories, seems to be increasingly popular. One of the sessions was presided over by Vice-President Frederick Slocum - the remainder by President Henry Norris Russell. On Thursday afternoon, Professor Milham gave an address entitled "Early American Observatories" in which he gave convincing evidence that Hopkins Observatory (The observatory associated with Williams College) is probably the oldest American observatory in existence. The society dinner was held at the Williams Inn on Friday evening. After the close of the meeting on Saturday, Mrs. Milham conducted an expedition, in which many members took part, to the famous Bennington Battlefield; on their way home, the party visited Bennington College. The second award of the Annie J. Cannon Prize was made by the Council to Charlotte Moore Sitterly, the prize to be presented at the December Meeting in 1937.

Published descriptions of meeting:

Group photo of attendees (left side)
Group photo of attendees (right side)
Identifications of persons in group photos of attendees

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