WELCOME TO THE 21ST CENTURY

In 1874, a group of American chemists discussed the possibility of forming an organization for the strengthening of chemistry in the U.S. The initial reaction was that, for various reasons, it would not work. However, there were some who did not accept the verdict of "impossible," and they refused to give up. Two years later the foundation was laid in New York City for our organization, the American Chemical Society. During its 125 years of existence, the Society's pioneer "can-do" spirit was occasionally threatened by doubt, overcautiousness, and even complacency. The voices for change were frequently downplayed. Although gains were made in the membership numbers, many dissatisfied members also gave up and quit. Nevertheless, the Society grew and became the world's largest single-discipline scientific society. This was not easy. While we were successful in making crucial business decisions, growth was made possible through the work of countless idealistic members building Local Sections and Divisions, or...