REPORT OF STANDARDIZATION COUNCIL

S IN THE JOURNAL Some difference of opinion is found among the members of the Association as to the advisability of continuing the abstracts as now appearing in the Journal. They are highly appreciated by some, but there seems to be others who prefer to see the space in the Journal occupied in other ways. The Council will have to decide at the Chicago convention whether these abstracts are to be continued at an expense which will be somewhat greater in the future than hitherto or whether the prevailing view of the Association would be for the discontinuance of this activity which was started under the direction of the Council in 1922. Council will welcome assistance in the determination of this question and it desires to have this subject voted upon separately when this report is presented at the convention. STATUS OF MANUAL OF WATERWORKS PRACTICE The first printing of the Manual with an edition of 2500 copies was exhausted at the end of September, 1926, one year after its first appearance. A second printing of 1579 copies was made during October last and on April 15, 1927, 505 of them had been sold. The Council has not been able to form a definite opinion as to the wishes of the membership concerning a revised edition, as compared with additional reprintings of the first edition. Some members This content downloaded from 207.46.13.189 on Thu, 04 Aug 2016 05:59:43 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms BEPORT OF STANDARDIZATION COUNCIL 599 think that the usefulness of the Manual will be enhanced if effort is limited to directing attention to it among the water works industry so as to increase its use among various workers, particularly members of water boards, superintendents and operating men. Others think that it would be helpful to rewrite portions of the Manual for the purpose of bringing the material more nearly up to date and condensing it to a substantial degree. The Council desires to secure an adequate record of what the membership desires and to this end proposes to request the Secretary of the Association to write promptly to the chairman of each geographical section, of each national division and of the Manufacturers Association, inviting each to send a delegate to a conference which the Standardization Council proposes to hold at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, June 6, at the Chicago convention to develop a plan for ascertaining the wishes of the membership as to the future of the Manual. The activities of the Council during a period of 5 years in securing material for the book in its present form have led some to believe that it would be wise to leave matters in abeyance until the membership voluntarily indicated its desires as to procedure. On the other hand, it is pointed out that what the members really think about the Matiual is not likely to come to the front, unless there is some canvassing agency set up to ascertain systematically what the wishes are of the membership, not only as it assembles at its annual conventions, but as its members gather at various meetings of the sections throughout the country. Council does not propose to be hurried in taking any steps as to revision of the Manual, but will welcome comments from all sources and will be glad to have the benefit of them at the conference in Chicago when, with the aid of the delegates from the different sections and divisions, it is hoped that there may be set up an active representative canvassing committee which will bring from all groups helpful information to the Council for its consideration in the premises. Frank A. Barbour, W. S. Cramer, W. W. DeBerard, E. E. Wall, George W. Fuller, Chairman. Malcolm Pirnie, Secretary. This content downloaded from 207.46.13.189 on Thu, 04 Aug 2016 05:59:43 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms