The Bloomfield Scientific Club was founded in April 1903 by a group of forward-
thinking people living in the East Bloomfield-Holcomb area. Regular meetings
have been held since that date. Some present-day members may be descendants of the club’s founders.
In the spring of 1903, two men were riding on the train from Canandaigua to
Holcomb. One of the men was Dr. S. R. Wheeler. The other one – Rev. W. D.
Robinson. Dr. Wheeler had shortly before attended a meeting of the
Canandaigua Scientific Association and they were discussing this meeting and
wondering if such an association could be formed in Bloomfield.
While at Mr. McGlashan’s home a short time after, Mr. Robinson told him about the conversation between Dr. Wheeler and himself in regard to forming a club here. As a result of these talks, and a few other conferences with different men, an invitation was sent to those whom it was thought would be interested, to attend a meeting at the home of Dr. S. R. Wheeler, April 22, 1903, for the purpose of talking over the proposition of forming an association here. The twelve men who attended this meeting, according to the records, were F. R. Appleton, H. C. Arnold, T. L. Briggs, W. C. Buell, J. L. Buell, Prin. T. B. Jones, H. E. McGlashan, Dr. B. S. Partridge, Rev. W. D. Robinson, Dr. S. R. Wheeler, H.
E. Wheeler, and H. M. Parmele.
W. D. Robinson was chosen Chairman, and T. L. Briggs, Secretary. The account
states, that …This group of persons banded together for the purpose of founding
an organization for scientific study and discussion. The name of the
organization, “The Bloomfield Scientific Club”, was designated by the combined
suggestion of the members, with the exception of the word club, which was by 1956, the club’s bylaws contained no mention of gender restrictions on membership.
Most of this history consists of excerpts taken verbatim from a document, of unknown authorship, copied from the files of the East Bloomfield Historical Society advised and adopted by Prin. R. B. Jones. At this meeting, the dues were placed at .25 (twenty-five cents.)
By motion H. S. McGlashan and R. L. Briggs were made a committee to draft
the Constitution, along the lines suggested, taking the Constitution of The
Canandaigua Scientific Association as a guide. The officers elected to serve
until the annual meeting in June were, Pres. – Dr. S. R. Wheeler, Vice President –
Rev. W. D. Robinson, Secretary – R. L. Briggs, and Treasurer – H. C. Arnold. By
motion it was decided to allow the secretary to draw names from a hat to
designate persons to give papers for five months. The persons drawn were: May
- Dr. B. S. Partridge, June – Prin. T. B. Jones, July – H. S. McGlashan, August –
J. L. Buell, and September – H. C. Arnold. Invitations being extended, it was
decided to hold the May meeting at H. M. Partridge’s and the June meeting at J.
L. Buell’s. Adjourned at 10:30 PM.
Thus was started this little club which has played such an active part in the
welfare of this community the past 23 years. It has been very interesting looking
over the records of the club to note the variety of subjects studied and
discussed. I don’t believe that there are many subjects left that have not been
touched upon – Religion, Agriculture, Law, Medicine, Banking, Mechanics,
Engineering, Politics, and Philosophy have all been dealt with in a scientific
manner and presented in a masterly way….”