Evening star., 1946-12-08
Corcoran Establishes
Memberships in Plan
To Expand Activities

In order to expand and ampllfy
the activities of the institution and
increase its usefulness to the public,
the Corcoran Gallery of Art has
decided to establish memberships
therein. This was learned through
an announcement made yesterday
by Corcoran Thorn, its president.
The idea has been studied and
planned for some months by a spe-
cial committee of the Board of
Trustees, headed by Charles Carroll
Glover, jr., vice president of the gall
lery, and will become reality in
the near future. Details are to be
announced later.
According to Chairman Glover,
the trustees hope by means of these
memberships to encourage greater
public participation in the activities
Of the oldest gallery of art in the
National Capital. He pointed out
that, while the income of the gall
lery from its invested funds is ade-
quate for routine maintenance and
operation, sufficient funds are not
available from this source to pro-
vide for many activities which the
trustees feel are essential for a
live and growing institution.
1t is most important, Mr.. Glover
stated, that the gallery have funds
for the purchase of works of art to
expand its collections, especially in
the field of American art.
Special Activities Needed.
Another real need. the chairman
indicated. is for funds to establish
special activities of interest and
benefit to the public. Such might
include special series of lectures
Esymposiums on painting trends OF
today. recitals intended to correIate
music with other forms of art. film
|showings and organization of special
loan exhibitions.
Still another urgent need Is for
more substantial funds to build up
an educational department. This
could provide adequate facilities for
instruction in art appreciation and
art history for the District public
schools, for adult groups and for the
public at large.
1t is the hope of the special COM
mittee that through individual con-
tributions, the community will en-
able the gallery thus to amplify its
services. 1t is becoming increasing
ly apparent that very real need
exists for such a cultural program
as the institution has in mind.
Gets No Appropriations.
Mr.. Glover emphasized that, un-
like most public museums, the
Corcoran Gallery has received no
support from public sources. Con-
trary to a fairly widespread mis-
conception on the part of the pub
lie, the gallery receives no appro-
priation whatever from either the
local or the Federal Government.
In conclusion, he remarked that
the staff of the gallery has in
formed him that published financial
statements show the following: New
York City allocates more than $780,
900 to- its Metropolitan Museum of
Art; st. Louis allocates more than
$240, 900 to its City Art Museum;
Pennsylvania contributes more than
sec, 900 and Philadelphia more than
$3.50, 900 to the Philadelphia Museum
of Art, while Virginia appropriates
more than 100000 to the Virginia
Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond.
Members of the trustees commit
tee having the new plan in charge
are DR.. John Oliver LaGorce, r. M.
Kaufmann and John H. Hall, jr.
Hermann w. Williams, jr., assistant
director of the gallery, is the secre-
tary.