Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-04-15
METROPOLITAN MECHANICS, INSTITUTE

Doaru mas held many meetings, special and
stated, the proceedings of which related
principally to the Exhibition. 1t was
deemed advisable not to hold meeting of
the Institute during the Exhibition, and
hence the present report embraces the
proceedings of two months.
During this period the main object which
has occupied the attention and labors of the
Board for so long time has been success
fully accomplished Exhibition has
been held, and it's character and extent are
just subjects of congratulation. The Exhi-
bition Committee having given in their
report, hereto appended, succint history
OF this undertaking from its commencement
to its successful termination. the Board
deem it unnecessary to repeat what is there
so satisfactorily given.
One of the most important subjects which
has occupied the attention of the Board
since their organization, was brought before
it by proposition to open in the Exhibition
Hall the subscription book of stock for the
erection of a suitable building for the ac-
commodation of the Institute. After mature
deliberation, it was determined to accede
to the proposition; and the stock book was
accordingly opened for subscription to
building, to be erected on the site Of the
present Centre Market. The shares were
placed at S1O-for the purpose of putting
the stock within the reach of all classes of
the community. The Institute also en-
gagged to redeem the stock at par whenever
its means would allow, and any of the
stockholders might desire to sell. A sufi-
cient quantity Of the stock was taken to
indicate that it may readily be disposed of
whenever the Institute is able to submit
more definite proposition; and the Board
believe that no more serious matter will
demand the early attention of their sue
cessors than the taking of proper measures
to secure to the Institute the possession and
control of building adapted to its uses.
The Diploma ordered by the Board has
been completed, and the first proof sub
mltted to their inspection does credit to the
taste and skill of the artists who designed
and executed it,
Since the close of the Exhibition hume
rous applications have been made to the
Board for extra compensation for services
rendered. In no case has the Board granted
such compensation when thus applied for
except when they have been satisfied that
there had been an understanding between
the parties when the extra service was per-
formed, that it should be thus paid. And
the Board cannot too strongly express their
condemnation of the principle of demanding
extra. compensation for every trifling service
which may have been accidentally omitted
in the original agreement, or of volunteering
to perform services and afterwards request
ing payment. When men enter upon new
duties, they should understand what they
are about to undertake; they should make
up their minds as to the suficiency Of the
pay, and having agreed to take it, they
should ask for nothing mere, except in such
extraordinary cases as will be admitted by
all parties clearly to justify the claim The
Board is not aware of any case where such
an exception is demanded, with reference
to their own employees. The service rem
dered was just what it was expected to be,
and the Board could not, consistently with
their sense Of duty to the Institute, agree
to pay more for it than was at first stipu-
lated. These remarks are made with no
view to defend the action of the Board, nor
for the purpose of rejecting on the conduct
of individuals, but simply to record the
opinion of the Board on the subject, that
all who enter into an engagement with them
in future may distinctly understand the
principles which they consider applicable
to such cases. We're any other course
adopted, we should never know how to
estimate expenses, or when they were paid.
The Board is not yet able to report the
state of the Exhibition account, as there
are some claims and liabilities which have
Of haar, lol L.