The Portland daily press., 1899-12-21
Ma TURAL HISTORY SOCIETY
Annual Meeting and Election of
Officers.

The annual meeting of the Portland
Society OF Natural History was held yes
terdsy afternoon vt Its building on Kim
street. The ate adancs was not large.
TIE following officers were chose for
she ensuing year:
President-Joseph p. Thompson.
Woe presidsnt-Prof. Leslie A. Lee.
Recording Sscrs tary-John NJ. Gould.
Corrg spending Sscretary-Prentiss q.
Manning.
Treasnrer-Frapkiln II. Barrett.
Associate Managers-- Woodbury. 5.
Dana, Alexander W. Longfello~, Albert
l.. burbank, Charles h. Boyd, William
X. Wood, George y. Morse, Thomas +.
Lamb.
The annual reports of ths vioe-presi.
dent aud treasurer were read. The society
10 in fairly good financial condition,
but the lcssss which 1t has met with
during the past few years In the death
OF mem beers has weakened the society
not little.
One of the active ma nbers of this as
ISOLATION In speaking OF thu society and
its work yesterday, said:
"Ihe income of the society lie not
large enough to enable 1t to keep its
rooms cpen every afternoon and even
ing Of the week, and only on two half
days are the fine collections open to pub.
Ito Inspection. The public does not seem
to take as much interest in this sort of
thing as 1t once did. There are too
many outside attractions for them now
and the number who visit the rooms,
outsIdo OF teachers, school children and
members of the society are not as large
as they onue were. There was u time.
not many years age, when tie boys OF
Portland were Interested in the collection
of birds eggs, minerals, woods and other
toings of this sort, fine collections of
which are to be found here. But now the
average by spends his time astraddle
of a bicycle endea,oring to make rec
and devotes little time to the study
Of natural history.
although these rooms are open to the
public tgo afternoons week l very
much doubt ii any people In the city are
aware of this fact. Here IL to be found,
as you know, a natural history collection
which Is extremely valuable and interest
ing. 1t is OF esp,olal value to the school
teachers and p1pils of the public schools
Of Portland. Many classes are brought
here during tee year by teachers In the
public schools TO view these collections
and to study them. This Is the very
work the society Is interes ed In carry
ing on, but 1t receives no aid from the
city or state In this, being supported en-
L. hu har hi faap hot Gifts
have been made TO 1t by friends of the
work, 1t does not seem TO me that IL
would bs asking too much Of the city of
the size Of Portland to appropriate few
hundred dollars n year in order to enable
Us TO keep this collection on view every
day in the week. l do not know how
this proposition would be regarded by
other meip befs of the society, but 1t
seems TO me that as long as the oollec-
tion is considered valuable to the public
educators of this city 1t would to no
more than fair that the city should aid
us In our work TO limited extent.
The collection of the society IL rapidly
growing In size and value.
The late DIR. William Wood, VINO was
president Of the society for many years,
bequeathed to the society many valuable
books pertaining to natural history from
his library. The lats Capt. Ben Willard
also gave to the society fine collection
which he had accumulated during his
long life.
Hours of pleasure and profit may be
spent by anyone in the building Of the
Ma tural History society which Is open on
Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.