| dc.description.abstract | Clinton Hart Merriam (1855–1942), a classically trained medical doctor of the latter 1800s, quit his medical practice in 1885 to follow his lifelong passion of natural history. In 1885, he became the first chief of the Division of Economic Ornithology, which in 1886 was renamed the Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Division later became the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1940. Because of his leadership there, driving passion for research, and no doubt charismatic personality, in 1919 Merriam was elected as the first president of the newly formed American Society of Mammalogists. Our fledging Society thrived under his leadership, but full credit must also be given to the unselfish, dedicated work in fostering the new Society from the legions of other members. The first listing of members, published in the Journal of Mammalogy in 1920, included 358 individuals from 15 countries. The photograph taken of attendees at the organizational meeting of the Society in 1919 shows 14 women and 43 men (Timm and McLaren 2019). Running the ASM has been a team effort from the beginning, with legions of members serving on committees, working closely with elected officers and other colleagues behind the scenes, and volunteers quietly running much Society business. Anna M. Jackson, wife of Hartley H. T. Jackson, the first Recording Secretary of the ASM and key figure in getting the Society started, is perhaps the earliest example of the importance of the contributions of so many members. In recognition of her time and support, Jackson provided funds for the Anna M. Jackson honorarium to memorialize his wife and to encourage students to attend annual meetings and participate in the Society (Journal of Mammalogy 50:908, 1969). In fact, these involvements provide the background and training instrumental in the development of effective leadership within the ASM throughout our history. | |
