The Institute of Actuaries had been in existence forty-one years when the first decisive steps were taken by the actuaries of America to form an Association for the promotion of the Science of Life Insurance. It happened that in February 1889, Messrs. David Parks Fackler, Clayton C. Hall, Sheppard Homans, Emory McClintock, and Howell W. St. John (the third and fourth being respectively a Corresponding Member and a Fellow of the Institute), independently thought of proposing an organization of actuaries. Somewhat by accident their ideas were intercommunicated. On the request of the four other gentlemen, Mr. Fackler sent letters to the actuaries of the regular Life Insurance Companies in the United States and Canada, which called forth replies cordially favourable to the project. Accordingly, in response to an invitation of actuaries resident in New York, on 24 April 1889 twenty-nine of the actuaries met at the Astor House in New York, and, after a conference which exhibited a marked unanimity, founded the Actuarial Society of America. On 25 April, they adopted a Constitution and elected officers.