434 Field Columbian Museum — Reports, Vol. i. 



the Museum, was accepted during the month of July, and Miss Elsie 

 Lippincott was appointed as his successor. Mr. E. N. Guiret was 

 appointed as Osteologist early in the spring, that post having been 

 vacant over a year. No other changes occurred in the staff of the 

 Museum. 



Income and Maintenance. — The budget authorized by the Execu- 

 tive Committee provided for the sum of $102,000 for the maintenance 

 of the Museum for the year ending September 30, 1900. The amount 

 expended was $94,938, showing a balance of $7,062 within the antici- 

 pated expenses. In addition to this amount $25,924 was expended by 

 the authority of the Executive Committee for collections, expeditions, 

 etc., bringing the total expenditure for the year to #120,862. Com- 

 paring the cost of maintenance with the sums used for like purposes 

 in previous years, it is noticed there is quite an increase in the amount 

 expended for general repairs of the building, including the tedious 

 and expensive labor now in progress of strengthening the main floor. 

 It is especially gratifying that, notwithstanding the unusual cost of 

 repairs and improvements to the building, the funds have been found 

 within the limits of the budget for maintenance, and there remains 

 several thousand dollars of this fund yet to its credit for the year. 



The Memberships. — The number of annual members still decreases; 

 twenty-nine resignations having been accepted during the year. This 

 annual decrease in these memberships may, of course, be expected so 

 long as no effort is made to maintain the integrity of the list, which 

 effort would not be likely to give entire satisfaction for the reason 

 that the Museum is so generous in the privileges extended to the pub- 

 lic that there remains very little inducement for the payment of an 

 annual subscription. 



Lecture Courses — Two courses were given as usual in the 

 autumn and spring, bringing the number of courses given by the 

 Museum up to thirteen. The participation of Messrs. Harlan I. 

 Smith, Stewart Culin and James Mooney in the last course was a 

 gratifying feature, importantly connected as they are with kindred 

 institutions in the east. The attendance upon these lectures has been 

 steadily good, and in some instances the large number of students 

 and teachers has been observed with much satisfaction. The will- 

 ingness with which well-known instructors and lecturers participate, 

 without compensation, in these courses is an evidence of their per- 

 sonal sympathy with the work as well as an indication of a growing 

 confidence in the general good that is being accomplished in this 

 community. 



