The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-02
Report or the
Festival.
A NEW LIBRARIAN.
Director Chadwick to Be
Tried Again.

w
profit of $50 on the concerts of the last
festival; President Bent's recommended
ton that the director, George w. Chad
wick, be re-engaged for another year;
the resignation of George w. Elkins,
after 81 years of service as librarian,
and the appointment of Director Paul
b. Morgan in his place; the election
of Walter S. G. Kennedy as a director
in place of Mr.. Morgan and the cleo
ton of Josiah NJ Lasell of Whitins-
vile as a member of the association.
Samuel w Wiley and Arthur j. Bas-
sett were reelected directors for four
years, and the hold-oVer members Of
the board are Edward l.. Sumner, j.
Vernon Butler. Charles I. Rice, Charles
A Williams and Col. Samuel &. Win
slow
The. old board of officers, aside from
the librarian, were reelected, as fol-
lows:
President, Charles NJ. Bent; vice-pres-
ident, Daniel Downey; secretary, Lu-
ther M. Lowell; treasurer, George M.
Bliss.
So far as heard from, the Worcester
FESTIVAL is the only one in the country
that has not lost money this year.
The cash balance of $50, however, re-
fers only to the concerts. Insurance,
rent and other incidentals covering the
entire year, cause an actual deficit of
about 800 in the association accounts,
because the income from invested
funds is not enough to provide for all
items of this sort
| It is especially with q view to meet
ing standing accounts of this sort
that President Bent renews his argu-
ment for increasing the permanent
fund of the association.
The association officers do not say
so, but others have said that, sooner
or later, the fund must be increased,
or else the price of tickets win have
to be raised. A canvass of the last
ten years does not encourage the hope
for materially lettering financial re-
suits than those of the last festival In
fact. only twice within that period have
the receipts been larger than they were
last September, and, as the presidents
report shows, the respective amounts
in these cases were $500 and $62
i President Bents annual report is as
follows:
| To the Members of the Worcester
County Musical Association: Gentle
men-In compliance with bylaw regu-
latiOns, I herewith present the annual
report required of the president
| I extend to you cordial congratula-
4 tons The prophecies made by our
friends at the close of the 10th fes-
tival have been fulfilled. The fruitage
of the superior work of that series of
Il concerts is the generous support of this.
The lively bidding and the spirit of
E'CheerfulnesS at the last auction sale Of
season tickets were happy omens of the
confidence and interest that animated
our patrons throughout the festival.
Large audiences of enthusiastic peo-
pie attested the purpose of our citi-
zens to sustain this association in its
laudable work. Praise and generous
encouragement we're on every hand
And it gives me the greatest pleasure
flor myself and in your behalf to thank
those good people for their confidence
and support so essential to our we'll
being.
The 41st festival of this association
has passed into history. Its successes
and failures have been noted and dis
cussed by our patrons in a friendly and
encouraging spirit in most instances,
for which helpfulness we are grateful.
AS we take a retrospective view of
the long period indicated by the num-
Der of these festivals, we cannot re-
strain &, sense Of satisfaction as we see
the great advance made in the stand
ing Of this association.
bound from a level of utmost simple
ity of musical effort to the present
exalted position, but step by step has
it been accomplished, ourselves learn
ing as we educated others, until now
our position is as honorable as it is
conspicuous.
Having attained this high level, we
can but feel a great responsibility
resting upon us as successors to those
who built so well in the past, hence it
is that every year, as the managers
plan for a coming festival they have
great anxiety for the outcome of their
plans that the results shall equal the
progress of former days.
| Especially was that the feeling when
the scheme for the 41st festival was
laid out. The financial disaster which
overlook the 40th hung over them like
! a cloud, not as a beacon to point the
way, but of depressing doubt and I'M
certainty.
Happily, the men did not finch un-
der the task, but, encouraged by the
assurances of many friends who as
sured them that the musical success
of last year justified their continued
support, they entered upon the work
| with renewed energy. though harassed
by doubts born of their recent fail
ure. AS the work progressed and the
time appointed approached, numerous
; indications of interest We're in evidence
and it at last became quite evident
that a rally of support of potent force
was in store for the coming festival.
The board eagerly caught at this
straw of promise, and noupished the
spirit of friendliness by judicious and
frequent announcement of it's plans as
they developed, which met with favor
and approval
Among the many features the board
introduced to further the interests of
the association and cater to the COM
fort and convenience of its patrons
was the change made in the method of
selling the season tickets. That radi-
cal departure had been in the minds
of some of the managers for some
time, but action was necessarily de-
layed until now 1t commended it.
self to our patrons at once, and | be-
lieve it contributed more to the finan-
cial success of this festival than any
other one feature.
Sale by auction is the only fair meth
cd, but in the old plan there was so
much uncertainty, the bidder was not
at all sure of getting the location he
paid for. Now, happily, that difficulty
is removed, and the management and
patrons are alike pleased
The action of the managers of the
40th festival that discarded the star
system and selected better artists for
all roles, met with universal approval,
at least so far ASP the matter came 10
their notice. 1t was therefore decided
that a plan that had been tried AMI
festival, And again. the artistic re-