uthorities in
the United States. Doubtless in recognition of this fact, at the
Inter-State Educational Convention held in Louisville in 1883 and
composed of delegates appointed by the governors of the several states,
he was invited to deliver the opening address, a paper on the Ideal
Public School System, which was characterized by the Chairman of the
convention as "one of the best ever read before a like body." Aside from
editorial work he has furnished frequent contributions to various
periodicals, and has gained a special reputation as a writer upon
politico-economic subjects. Two of these contributions recently
published in the form of a brochure by D. Lothrop & Co., under title of
"Illiteracy and Mormonism," have attracted especial attention among
those interested in these important questions. When residing in New York
he was President of the Political Science Association, and Chairman of
the Executive Committee of the National Reform League, one of the
pioneer organizations for the reform of the civil service; and while
residing in Washington was president of the Social Science Association
of the District of Columbia.

Dr. Waite is a logical, fluent and earnest speaker, and his reputation
as a student of educational and social problems has led to a frequent
demand for his services on the part of committees concerned with
legislative questions, and at assemblies of leading educators. He
presided and delivered an address at one of the sessions of the National
Educational Assembly at Ocean Grove, in 1883, and in an address at one
of the meetings of the National Educational Association at Madison,
Wis., in 1884, following Mgr. Capel, to whose covert attack upon our
public school system he made, as reported in the Chicago _Tribune_, a
temperate but caustic and able reply. At the last meeting of the same
association, at Saratoga, he delivered an address upon the Tenure of
Office and Compensation of Teachers, which is characterized by the Iowa
_School Journal_ as one of the specially fine papers of the occasion. In
connection with his editorial labors, he discharges the duties of
President of the American Institute of Civics, an organization lately
incorporated, "for the purpose of promoting the study of political and
economic science and so much of social science as is related to
government and citizenship"; the aim of the institution being to secure,
in every walk in life, a more thorough preparation for the duties of