Brought forward,........ $97,895.00 $96,050.00 $116,895.00 Hoosier Equipment Co., 5 per cent. 4,000.00 5,000.00 5,000.00 5,000.00 2,000.00 2,000.00 2,100.00 2,000.00 2,000.00 2,000.00 2,000.00 10,000.00 10,450.00 10,450.00 2,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00 2,000.00 The undersigned, Auditors of the American Antiquarian Society, hereby certify that they have examined the report of the Treasurer, made up to October 10, 1906, and find the same to be correct and properly vouched; that the securities held by him are as stated, and that the balance of cash, to be on hand, is satisfactorily accounted for. as stated A. G. BULLOCK, BENJAMIN THOMAS HILL. October 19, 1906. REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN. Ca November 7. 105, was begin de ransfer to our new store-com on Summer street of accut ifteen hundred bound lumes of seiden-used newspapers. This step has given relief in our newspaper hal, which relief can anly be proicared in our present quarters by a very marked reduction of the number of es which we have hitherto bound for posterity. The prociem is a diferit cre. but it is clearly cur present duty to strengthen our eighteenth and early nineteenth century collection, for which purpose a special find would seem destracie. The purchase of a new case for cur card catalogue room has given us temporary refer in this important department. Here as elsewhere in the crazy, space is one of the essentials which must always be taken into account if the best results are to be secured. The last Roll of Membership of the American Antiquarian Society with a List of Officers" was issued in June, 1901, since which time we have lost by death twenty-three resident and thirteen foreign members, and by resignation two resident members. Five cicers have died during the same period. I would suggest the publication of a new Roil with the Proceedings of this meeting together with the By-Laws as amended, and the Rules and Regulations of the Library as changed. "Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts," has been largely prepared in this library, whereby some of its weak and some of its strong points have been indicated. Without the income from the George E. Elis fund, few of the important gaps discovered could have been filled. In this connection the need of a much larger local history fund has been strongly emphasized. On account of our national name and character, we have been called upon by the history commissions and by the new and by revived State Historical Societies, for material relating to the various states. Advice has also been sought by clubs formed to encourage an interest in the history of city, town or village; such societies, in general, wisely taking the local name as a constant reminder to follow Agassiz's counsel to the early natural history societies, to "Work your own field carefully." Among the minor duties of the firmly established Carnegie Institution will be the answering of such appeals by experts. The Carnegie Institution has generously arranged for the completion of Sabin's "Dictionary of Books relating to America," under the continued direction of our associate, Mr. Wilberforce Eames of the Lenox Library. Our aid was sought early in the year 1866, and has ever since been freely given. The original prospectus was dated, December 5, 1866, and "Part I., A to Allen" bears the imprint "New York 1867. Price $2.50." The imprint of the last issue, "Parts CXV.-CXVI., Simms-Smith" is "New York, 1892, Price $5.00"-This monumental work which was received as published, for service rendered, has been a mine of information both for the Society and for the scholars whom it has been its pleasure to serve. Recognizing the national and international character of our Society, the Library Committee has from time to time approved gifts foreign and domestic from our collection of duplicates. The larger recipients since the librarian's last report have been Fairmount College, Wichita Kansas; and the National Soldiers' Home, Johnson City, Tennessee; to the former were sent miscellaneous literature, and to the latter illustrated periodicals. For many years Antiquarian Hall has been the meetingplace for the corporation of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the depository for its valuable records. On January 20, 1906, a transfer was made to the office of the President elect, the Hon. Charles G. Washburn of the Class of 1875. On December 6, 1884 our Council "Voted: That the Trustees of the Worcester Free Institute be authorized to hold meetings at the hall of the Society also that they may be allowed to deposit their records at the hall." Our Society has taken action with reference to the purchase of the Benjamin F. Stevens Index of Revolutionary Archives. I submit a few paragraphs from a London letter relating thereto, received by your librarian from one of the Society's American patrons. I have been more than interested in seeing the wonderful index of Revolutionary archives prepared by Mr. B. F. Stevens and described so fully at the end of Mr. Fenn's "Life of Stevens." The many magnificent volumes are located in a bookcase in Stevens and Brown's office. Mr. Brown tells me that he is once more making efforts to sell it to the United States Government to be deposited in the Library of Congress. That is surely where it ought to be, as it is a work of reference absolutely invaluable to the historical student of the period just before and during the Revolution—a task that Mr. Stevens did once for all. It almost frightens me to see that magnificent series of volumes anywhere but in a fireproof safe. If I had my way Congress would buy them and print copies to be given to the larger libraries and historical societies and for sale to private collectors. That no doubt is too much to hope, but I really think it is a duty for our Government to secure this great work and place it in our capital city where students may have access to it. Anyone going abroad to study the original documents could thus by going to Washington make a schedule for his researches to start with. I wish that the famous historical societies, like yours and the two in Boston, might take, as bodies, some action to urge the matter upon the Government. The sources of gifts for the year ending October 15 number three hundred and eighty-six, namely: from thirtysix members, one hundred and thirty-one persons not members, and two hundred and nineteen societies and institutions. We have received from them nine hundred and thirty-five books; twenty-nine hundred and thirtytwo pamphlets; twenty-two bound and seventy unbound volumes of newspapers; ten maps; eight manuscript volumes; six coins; six photographs; four broadsides; two engravings and one medal; by exchange twenty books, and five pamphlets; and from the bindery thirty-eight volumes of newspapers and eighty-seven volumes of magazines; a total of ten hundred and forty-three books, twenty-nine hundred and thirty-seven pamphlets, thirtyeight bound and seventy unbound volumes of newspapers etc. An interesting Harvard College quarto broadside from President Salisbury bears the following endorsement by his honored father (H. C. 1817): "Extract from College Laws presented to Stephen Salisbury, Jun' when he was informed that he was admitted August, 1813: hence it was commonly called the Admittatur, August 30, 1817the last is date of graduation." A sample from these "Extracts from the Laws of Harvard College, for the information of the parents and guardians of students" follows: CHAPTER I. LAW II. THE parents or guardians of those, who have been accepted on examination, or some other person for them, shall pay ten dollars to the Steward toward defraying their College charges, also give bond to the President and Fellows, with such surety or sureties, as shall be to the satisfaction of the Steward, in the sum of four hundred dollars, to pay their several quarter bills, according to the laws and customs of the College, together with such sum, as may be assessed upon them by the President and Tutors, to repair their chambers or studies, should any damage be done during the Commencement season, when they shall take their degree; and they shall lodge the said bond with the Steward, who shall, as soon as may be, deliver the same to the Treasurer; and, in case of death or removal before the College charges arise to the sum, which shall be advanced, as aforesaid, the Steward shall return. the remainder to the person, who gave the bond. LAW III. Every one, who has been accepted on examination, shall, as soon as may be, exhibit to the President a certificate from the Steward, that the foregoing law has been complied with, and sign an engagement to observe the laws of the College in the following form, namely, 1, the subscriber, being admitted a Student of Harvard College, do promise and engage, that I will observe and conform to the Laws and Regulations, made for the government of the students of the said college, and that I will accordingly submit to and obey the several Governors thereof so long as I shall continue a Student of the said College. Upon the receipt of said certificate, and the signing of said engagement, the President shall deliver him a printed copy of the Laws, to which shall be annexed an order for his admission to the privileges of the College in the following form: |