American Geographical Society

Thirty-Third Annual Meeting of the Association of American GeographersSource: Geographical Review, Vol. 27, No. 2 (Apr., 1937), pp. 309-313Published by: American Geographical SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/210099 .

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THIRTY-THIRD ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN GEOGRAPHERS

THE Association of American Geographers held its thirty-third annual meeting at Syracuse on December 31, 1936, and January I and 2, 1937, under the presidency of Professor William H. Hobbs of the University of Michigan.

With the exception of an evening round-table conference in Hendricks Chapel of Syracuse University, the sessions were held in the ball room of the Onondaga Hotel. In neighboring rooms map exhibits were on display illustrating recent work of members, map publishers, and others. Professor G. B. Cressey of Syracuse Uni- versity and his associates on the local committee deserve much credit for the efficient arrangements made for the conduct of the meetings. On New Year's Day a short field excursion through the environs of the city was conducted by Professor E. H. Faigle of Syracuse University; among other points of interest, old salt workings and the Barge Canal were visited.

The following officers were elected for 1937: W. L. G. Joerg, president; Guy- Harold Smith, vice-president; John E. Orchard, treasurer; Preston E. James, secre- tary; and Richard Hartshorne, councilor for three years. Other members of the Council for I937 are C. C. Colby, W. H. Hobbs, Kirk Bryan, and R. J. Russell. Derwent Whittlesey continues as editor of the Annals. The next meeting will be held at Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Including the presidential address, 45 papers were actually read at open sessions; 2I of these were by introduced speakers. Papers dealing with related topics or regions, whether by members or introduced, were grouped together so far as possible, and there was ample time for discussion of most of the papers.

At the annual banquet, after a gracious address of welcome by Acting Chancellor W. P. Graham of Syracuse University, Professor Hobbs announced two gifts to the Association. The first is a fund donated by President W. W. Atwood of Clark University. Out of the principal an award has been made to R. J. Russell for work in the Volga Delta region during the summer of 1937; the accumulated income from the remainder will be granted from time to time in aid of field studies in physical geography. The other gift will take the form of royalties on the sales of a volume entitled "Our Natural Resources and Their Conservation," a cooperative work by 22 American geographers recently published under the editorship of A. E. Parkins and J. R. Whitaker. The authors have generously agreed to donate the royalties equally to the Association of American Geographers and the National Council of Geography Teachers for the promotion of geographical research.

POLAR EXPLORATION

Polar exploration was the subject of the presidential address, delivered at the annual banquet, and also of a special session arranged by Professor Hobbs.

In his presidential address, "Discovery and Exploration within the Arctic Re- gion," Professor Hobbs surveyed the whole field of Arctic exploration from the time of Pytheas of Massilia to the present. He gave a concise account of the principal achievements of each of the maritime voyages and overland journeys that have contributed materially to the widening of geographical knowledge.

At the special session the most comprehensive paper was that of W. L. G. Joerg: a summary of the advance of geographical knowledge of the Antarctic during the last decade. Attention was directed not only to the work of formally organized exploring expeditions but also to the productive scientific researches of the Nor- wegian whalers. Professor Hobbs read a paper by Sir Hubert Wilkins entitled "Some Polar Problems and the Methods by Which They May Be Solved," in

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3 I 0 THE GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

which the need of international cooperation was stressed and two chief problems were suggested: the possibility of a strait connecting Ross Sea and Weddell Sea and the question of unknown land in the Arctic between the routes of Amundsen's and Ellsworth's transpolar flight and of Wilkins' flight from Point Barrow to Spits- bergen. L. M. Gould (introduced), second-in-command on Byrd's first Antarctic expedition, discussed the geomorphology and glacial features of the Queen Maud Mountains (see Geogr. Rev., Vol. 3I, 193I, PP. 177-200), and T. C. Poulter (intro-

duced), second-in-command on the second expedition, described the seismic appa- ratus and techniques employed during that expedition to measure the depth of ice and thereby to prove or disprove the existence of ice-buried land areas. 0. M. Miller dealt with the problem of preparing maps from high oblique photographs taken during flights in the polar regions. He specified certain essential observations that must be made if such photographs are to be of cartographic value, referring also to methods and instruments that he has developed at the American Geographical Society. Professor Hobbs described the effect of polar mirage or "looming." This phenomenon, combined with the clarity of the air, has occasionally led explorers to underestimate distances and thereby to show coasts and islands in erroneous posi- tions upon their maps.

THE GEOGRAPHY OF SOILS

At a special session on soils, arranged by W. E. Ekblaw, four papers were pre- sented, three of a broadly philosophical nature and one dealing with the soils of a particular region. In the last J. S. Gibson (introduced) considered the problem of the primary classification of the soils of the Tennessee Valley.

Professor Ekblaw, in discussing "The Significance of Soils Geography," pointed out that the character of the soils tends to reflect the aggregate of the contemporary natural elements existing in a region; for this reason soils furnish what are perhaps the most satisfactory single criterion for a preliminary classification of regional phe- nomena. J. 0. Veatch ("The Geographic Significance of the Soil Type") dealt more especially with the classification of soils into types and larger groupings; he emphasized the importance of a detailed knowledge of soils and soil maps as a basis for land inventories, the study of land-use patterns, and the delineation of natural land divisions. C. E. Kellogg (introduced), who is the late Dr. C. F. Marbut's successor as chief of the Soil Survey Division, U. S. Department of Agriculture, pointed to the soil as reflecting the sum total of the biological and geological elements in a region. He expressed a firm conviction that the conservation of the soil and the preservation of the freedom of agriculture from urban dominance are among the most pressing issues facing society today.

Soil erosion in Virginia before the Civil War was the subject of a paper read by A. R. Hall (introduced) at one of the regular sessions. Writings of the period give ample evidence that soil erosion constituted a serious menace at an earlier date than is commonly supposed to be the case.

AREAL AND URBAN STUDIES

Of the papers dealing primarily with particular areas and regions, those that aroused the greatest general interest were based upon recent field studies carried out by members of the Association in the Far East, South America, Africa, and Europe. In a skillful combination of the results of historical research and field work, R. B. Hall ("The Tokaido-Road and Region") showed the part played in Japan's development by the great historic highway connecting Tokyo and Kyoto, a road that has today been largely supplanted by a railway. G. B. Cressey con- trasted two Chinese cities and their immediate environs: Tungchow, just east of Peiping and typical of the north with its relatively dry climate, and Shatin, near

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ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN GEOGRAPHERS 3"1

Victoria (Hong Kong), in the rainier, monsoonal south. G. T. Trewartha presented the results of field observations in a part of the Canton Delta where silk culture prevails. A journey, largely by air, from the east coast of Brazil, up the Amazon, and across the Andes to Peru provided R. S. Platt with an opportunity of investigat- ing, among many other things, the fishing communities of the coasts and rivers. Some of these he described in a delightfully informal paper illustrated by superb photographs. Kano, an old city and trading center of the Nigerian Sudan, was interpreted by Derwent Whittlesey, who signalized the rapid changes that have occurred in the aspect of the town and in its economic relationships since the estab- lishment of British rule (see this number of the Geographical Review, pp. 177-199).

Four papers (besides one by Professor Van Valkenburg and Margaret Quimby mentioned below under the heading "Political Geography") dealt with European topics. H. M. Leppard described "The Water Gates of the Narrow Seas," by which was meant the rivers and estuaries entering the English Channel, the North Sea, the Irish Sea, and the Baltic. Some of the effects upon tidal action of shore- line trends and the relationship of these factors to the growth of ports were indi- cated. H. S. Kemp (introduced) commented upon areas of production and culture in Spain in connection with the present civil war and illustrated some of his points with the aid of a novel cartographic device. To his earlier studies of the islands off the west coast of Ireland (see, for example, Geogr. Rev., Vol. 17, pp. 387-396; Vol. 25, pp. 6i8-624), L. E. Klimm added observations on the problem of fuel supply; on some of the islands the stripping of the peat or turf for burning has seriously re- duced the limited areas of arable and pasture land. E. A. Ackerman (introduced) contrasted the granitic Limousin and the limestone Causses regions of the Central Massif of France with respect to historical, economic, and social circumstances.

In several papers areas of relatively small extent in North America were de- scribed and interpreted. J. R. Randall (introduced) described patterns of settlement in the Great Clay Belt of northern Ontario and Quebec. D. I. Blumenstock (intro- duced) discussed certain correlations between geography and primitive culture in the southern Sierra Nevada, and C. M. Davis (introduced) presented the results of a study of land utilization in North Park, Colorado. G. D. Hubbard spoke on a recent trip down the Gasp6 Peninsula, and L. S. Wilson (introduced) described the geographical setting of Cooperative, in southeastern Kentucky, a community developed by a coal and lumber company and dependent on subsistence farming combined with mining and lumber operations. How the problem of flood control is being solved in the Muskingum watershed, Ohio, was explained by C. C. Hunt- ington (introduced).

That linguistic researches have something to offer the geographer was suggested in an introduced paper by Professor Hans Kurath, who is in charge of the work on the "Linguistic Atlas of the United States and Canada" (see Geogr. Rev., Vol. 21,

193I, pp. 483-486). Professor Kurath presented linguistic evidence that throws light upon the routes taken and areas occupied by early settlers in New England and Virginia.

Four papers had to do with cities in the United States. With the aid of careful maps H. T. Straw (introduced) explained the functional areas of Battle Creek, Michigan; he asserted that cereal processing, though popularly believed to be the dominant industry, is actually of minor importance. E. H. Faigle (introduced) sketched the growth of Syracuse in relation to situation and site and illustrated with maps and photographs functional areas into which the city may be divided. The positions of the waterworks intakes of some of the larger cities on the Great Lakes in relation to river mouths and longshore currents were described by Bert Hudgins (introduced). M. J. Proudfoot (introduced) of the Bureau of the Census considered the problem of the census analysis of intra-city business areas; he suggested that a subdivision into districts of five different types would appear to be appropriate

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312 THE GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

to most American cities: "central business," "outlying business," "principal busi- ness thoroughfare," "neighborhood business," and "isolated store clusters."

A somewhat analogous problem of census analysis was discussed by C. E. Bat- schelet, Geographer of the Bureau of the Census. There are many unincorporated villages in the United States for which the Census has hitherto published no separate data. Some of these are as large and important as incorporated centers. Methods and criteria are being developed for defining and delimiting such settlements, but further refinements are needed.

POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY

Problems in political geography were considered in three papers. S. W. Boggs ("Notes on Certain Problems in the Definition of Water Boundaries") explained difficulties that have arisen in the interpretation of terms used in negotiations and treaties with respect to water boundaries and gave an effective demonstration of possible methods of solving such problems. C. L. Stotz (introduced) outlined the larger politico-geographical problems of Turkey today. Professor Samuel Van Valkenburg read a paper by himself and Margaret Quimby (introduced) on the regional and political geography of Eupen and Malmedy, territories transferred from Germany to Belgium by the Treaty of Versailles. The belief was expressed that although there are many strong geographical and economic ties with Belgium, the regions are more closely allied to Germany in national sentiment.

GEOMORPHOLOGY

At the St. Louis meeting of the Association in 1935-1936 six papers dealt with geomorphology. At Syracuse the results of only three independent studies in this basic field were presented. If the tendency shown by these figures arouses regret, it is to be hoped that President Atwood's generous grant for field work in physical geography may help restore a more even balance.

Reference has been made to Professor Gould's paper on the geomorphology of the Queen Maud Mountains.

W. W. Atwood outlined some of the results of many seasons of field work that he and his son have carried out in the Rocky Mountains; he made the suggestion that several apparent peneplain surfaces may have been produced during one cycle of erosion. W. W. Atwood, Jr. discussed these matters in greater detail and spoke more particularly of the courses and origin of "superimposed" streams that have carved several remarkable canyons in the region. R. J. Russell in a report on the loess of the Lower Mississippi region set forth evidence that seems to prove that this material is not of eolian origin but is, rather, alluvial silt. Professor Russell's paper aroused discussion, in the course of which the question was asked whether the term "loess" could properly be applied to deposits of this type.

CLIMATIC STUDIES

Three papers had to do with climate. C. F. Brooks described the meteorological circumstances that have brought about recent floods in the Ohio Valley (see this number of the Geographical Review, pp. 270-290). A. K. Botts (introduced) outlined the results of an investigation of rainfall in the middle west in 1935 and 1936 in rela- tion to the predominance of certain air masses; these studies offer a possible clue to the understanding of droughts. C. W. Thornthwaite's paper, "The Life History of Rainstorms in Oklahoma," was published in the January, I937, number of the Geo- graphical Review. It marks the introduction of a new technique in climatological and meteorological analysis, one that will undoubtedly have scientific and practical consequences of high value, and it is to be hoped that means may be found for carrying out similar studies in other regions.

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ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN GEOGRAPHERS 3I3

MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS

Three papers dealt with topics that cannot properly be classified under any of the preceding headings. Ellsworth Huntington's discussion of "Season of Birth and the Distribution of Civilization" evoked animated discussion. Professor Huntington upheld the thesis, supporting his conclusions by graphs and maps, that people conceived and born at certain times of the year have a greater chance of living long and attaining eminence than those born at other times. Furthermore, con- ceptions and births reach their peaks at different seasons in different parts of the world, as a result, perhaps, of more or less direct climatic influences. Erwin Raisz (introduced) showed and explained certain ingenious charts that he has prepared illustrating the history of cartography. J. K. Wright described a technique for measuring and expressing in quantitative terms the degree of evenness or uneven- ness of the distribution of geographical phenomena.

ROUND-TABLE DISCUSSION OF THE CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY

OF NORTH AMERICA

On the evening of December 3I a round table on the Cultural Geography of North America, open only to members of the Association, was held under the leader- ship of S. D. Dodge. Attention was focused in the first instance upon: the Rocky Mountains (W. W. Atwood), the Great Plains (R. H. Brown), the lower Mississippi (F. B. Kniffen), the Great Lakes (R. B. Hall), and New England (Derwent Whittle- sey). In regard to each of these regions the geographers named opened the dis- cussion and were followed by others. The speakers explained what they believe to be fruitful avenues for future research to follow. A few of the larger ideas and questions that emerged from the discussion may be stated. As to the importance of the historical as well as of the " field " approach there would appear to be general agreement; the view was also emphasized that the geographer need concern himself little with events and conditions in the past that have not left a pronounced mark upon the present. There seems, however, to be little agreement as to what is meant by "cultural geography" and how the study of this subject should be pursued. "Culturogeographical areas" (a term suggested by F. B. Kniffen) should doubtless be marked out and perhaps classified, but how? It is questionable whether schemes of classification anything like those adapted to biological or climatic phenomena may be devised or properly employed. Can detailed field studies be so directed and their results so presented that they will fit into a larger framework of synthesis and serve as a basis for valid comparisons and sound generalizations? Should cultural studies be concerned with observable, material facts only, or should the intangibles be considered? In regard to all these matters it is evident that American geog- raphers are healthily at variance in their views.

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