New-York tribune., 1920-05-19
Metropolitan
MuseumHonOrs
Its Founders
Institution Founded Fifty
Years Ago Celebrates An
niversary and Unveils
Tablets to Benefactors
Story of Its Origin Told
President De Forest Sees
Reduction of City Aid
as the Only Storm Cloud

Inc hftleth anniversary of the Metro
poltan Museum was observed yesterday
afternoon with exercises in the lecture
hall of the institution. Tablets COM
memorative of the founders and bene-
factors of the museum were unveiled.
Robert W. deForest, president of the
Metropolitan Museum, presided and in
troduced the speakers. Francis D. Gal
latin, Commissioner of Parks, spoke in
behalf of the city; John II. Finley
president of the University of the
State of New York, represented the
state, and Morris Gray, president of
the Museum Of Fine Arts in Boston.
and Charles l.. Hutchinson. president
of the Art Institute in Chicago, also
made addresses.
Mr. deForest outlined the early
struggles of the founders and benefac
tors. He told Of the first project. that
Pt raising $250,000 by subscription. In
March, 1871, only $106,OOO had been
subscribed. Ten thousand dollars was
the largest subscription in those days.
Iherc were two subscriptions Of Sc, 900
each.
A Vision Fifty Years Ago
FIFTY years ago the Metror olitan
Museum existed only as the vision of
group of publc-pirited persons" !"
SAID Mr.. DEF crest. "Those dreamers had
no building, not even site; no ex-
listing collection as nucleus; no
money But they were practical men.
Ihey set out to make their dream
come true.
To-day the institution has a build
ing extending along four blocks on
ruth Avenue, a site on which there is
still room for expansion; collections
"hlch already rival in extent and sur
pass IN installation those of the great
museums Of Europe, and more than
$16.G59 900.
81 will try to enumerate some of the
chief causes to which l attribute our
present position:
First name the breadth of our
foundation. This we owe not ONLY to
our first president, John Taylor John
son, but TO those who were associated
with MIN at the outset, such as George
F.: Comfort, William T. Blodgett, Rus
sell Sturgis jr., George ?. Putnam and
William c. Prime. 1t would have been
quite IN the spirit Of the time when
our museum was organized to have
fashioned it after most European mu-
seums and to have made it simply
collection of paintings and sculpture
But the purpose was far broader. 1t
was to represent not only the fine arts,
but all tho arts
"We now have, besides the depart
ment Of paintings, the following de-
partments, which are named in the or
der of their establishments: Classical
art, Egyptian art, decorative arts, arms
and armor. Far Eastern art, prints.
"The youngest of these departments,
row only three years old, already has
attained full growth, as is illustrated
by its present exhibition.
Popular in It's Origin
Second, our museum was popular in
its origin. 1t was the project of no
single man. A large group of men
took part in defining its purposes and
laying its foundations. 1t is gratifying
to realize that our public support comes
not only from the citizens of our own
city, but from others. The largest gift
the museum ever received was from a
citizen of New Jersey, Jacob S. Rogers.
True the two next LARGEST came from