PROCEEDINGS. THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-EIGHTH MEETING, PRESIDENT ELY in the chair. Others present: Messrs. Arnold, Crane, C. A. Chase, Davidson, Darling, Fowler, Gould, Hill, Hutchins, D. Kent, M. A. Maynard, George Maynard, Paine, G. M. Rice, Sheehan, Williamson, Nutt, Mrs. Dr. Bray, Mrs. Fowler, Mrs. Hildreth, Miss Smith, Mrs. Sheehan, Miss M. A. Waite, Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Harlow, Mr. Hildreth, Mr. McAleer, G. H. Rice and several others. The reported additions to the Society's collections during the past month were: one hundred and six bound volumes, ninety-three pamphlets, thirty-one papers and twelve miscellaneous articles, the latter for the museum. Special mention was made of the generous contributions of Mr. G. Stuart Dickinson, of twenty-five bound volumes and twenty-two pamphlets; also of a very old gun of rare workmanship, presented by Mr. George McAleer of this city. On report of the Committee on Nominations Edwin H. Crandell, Jr., Edgar A. Johnson and Julia V. Midgley Murray were elected to active membership in the Society. On motion of Mr. Crane, the committee chosen October 7 last to consider and present candidates for the office of Librarian were discharged from further service, the office having been filled at the late annual meeting. President Ely then addressed the meeting as follows: Fellow members of the Worcester Society of Antiquity: Thanking you for the very cordial and unanimous election as President of this Society, I will now briefly address you, reviewing the work accomplished by the Society during the past year, and make a few suggestions and recommendations for carrying on the affairs of the Society the ensuing year. The contributions to the library the past year have been unusually large: 1,092 bound volumes, 1,495 pamphlets, 313 papers; and for the museum, 100 miscellaneous articles. Many of the books received are of special value, furnishing complete sets of standard works on various subjects, including family history, biography, town history, Revolutionary, Civil and Spanish wars. The rapid growth of the library the past few years and the continually increasing use of the same by members and their friends, clearly necessitates a more comprehensive system of cataloguing and classification in order that best results may be obtained. It certainly will be a great advantage to those visiting the library to be informed whether the books wanted are in the library and where they can be found. The library now contains 18,492 bound volumes, 32,500 pamphlets and in the museum about 6,000 articles on exhibition. The cases in the museum are inadequate to properly display many very valuable and interesting articles which have been contributed and packed away awaiting proper cases. I trust that this deficiency may be speedily remedied, as a proper display of articles contributed will naturally induce other contributions. About two thousand visitors have been entertained during the past year; nearly one-half of the number were pupils from schools within the city and neighboring towns. The department of Local History and Genealogy has |