Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-12-04
THE MILFORD LYcEum.
Director writes on the Question Of In.
corporation. u

s' Direetor Writes on the Question Of Iu-
corporation.
EDITOR OF THE PRESS.
DEAR SIR PLEASE permit me a
few words in reply to your recent
articles on the Milford Lyceum AS
sociation. presume no one will
dispute your position that it would
bea good thing il the Association
were Incorporated. 1 for one will
OF, nor do think that the present
Board of Directors are opposed to
such step. They simply have not
been sufficiently impressed with the
advantages of it up to the present
time, to take it under consideration.
Attention having now been called
to the matter by the publication of
your views, 1 think / may say that
at an early meeting it will be
brought before the Board for dis
cussion.
But is it a fact that the want of in
corporation thus far has injured the
Association in the eye of the public,
and cost us its confidence? And
have the interests of the Association
suffered from this lack in any other
respect? l fail to see how.
Incorporation would not have
shielded us against fire, and thus
preserved to us our building. 1t
would not have determined the
character of our constitution and
bylaws, the requirements for office
or the qualifications of electors.
These points would still have been
left for the corporate members ito
settle. And we think we have now
a good constitution and bylaws, in
accordance with which we are try
ing to conduct the management.
The constitution provides for an
annual meeting for the election OF
officers, and gives to both llfe-mem-
bers and annual members the right
to vote. With a few exceptions
these are now reduced to the life
members. Proper notice of the
meeting is given each year, yet nc
one appears except the Board of Di-
rectors, These are generally renom-
mated, because they have shown suf-
ficient interest to attend meetings
and to persevere in the, work. An oc.
casional effort to utilize new names
from among the life-members has
not proved a success. The person
now serving as president does SC
solely because of the refusal of an
other TO serve after election: whose
election also the present president
was active in promoting. SO we
have struggled on from year to
year, hoping for the time when a
more general interest would intro
duce new men, and relieve us of re-
sponsibility. The sreat difficulty
has been not only the indifference OF
the public, but even of the voting
members of the association.
Now some of these, as you sug-
gest, may feel that our organization
is too loose. In that case it may be
advisable to tighten the screws all
around. Should any one wish tc
make us a donation Of five hundred
or a thousand dollars (Which we
would be very glad to receive), ma
turally such person would wish tc
see us incorporated and the wise
course perhaps win be to get ready
before the shower begins. Hitherto
it has been the day of small things
with us, and our chief concern has
been to take advantage, for the com.
munity, of the building put at oui
disposal, rent free. Now that we
have lost that building, we are anxi
Gus not to let the association die out
hoping that other rooms may bs
provided for our use without ex
pense. Under encouragement we
may enlarge our ambition. If the
community will only adopt the chilC
we have been nursing, and pledge it.
self to the child's support, theii
views, 1t is safe to say, viii not be
ignored in the management.
DIRECTOR.
Milford, Dec. 2, 1895.