JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



Vol. XIX APRIL, 1921 No. 4 



The Society is not responsible, as a body, for the facts and opinions advanced 

 in the papers published by it. 



HAS THE AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION LOST ITS- 



FORMER USEFULNESS? u^^ 



REFLECTIOXS OF A LIFE DIRECTOR «^ """K 



By H. H. Chapman ^*'^'<i^t« 



PART III — THE SECRETARY AXD THE FINANCES 



No organization can hold pul^lic confidence unless its financial policy 

 is open and its statements available to the members, much less, when 

 this policy is taken out of the hands of the directors themselves. 



In the initial stage of reorganization in 1911 and 1912, a monthly 

 financial report was sent, to each director. The new Secretary, Mr. 

 Percival Sheldon Ridsdale, a newspaper man from Wilkes-Barre, Pa., 

 recommended by Editor LaGorce of the National Geographic Magazine, 

 proved to be a man of considerable capacity in managing the details 

 'of the business, publishing the magazine, and soliciting for new mem- 

 bers. As a spur to his industry he was given a contract, renewable 

 annually by which he was to receive a certain per cent of the net profit 

 shown on operating expenses for the year. Under this contract he 

 worked during 1912-1914, within which period the Association dis- 

 charged a net debt of $478. .56 and accumulated a capital which on 

 January 1, 191-5, amounted to $9,107.28 which was increased to 

 S14,107.28 by a bequest of $5,000 from Jane Smith. On January 1, 

 1916, this had been further increased from operating profits to 

 $17,705.80. During this period practically no contributions had been 



,— received except the regular income from memberships and advertising. 



SI The Association, through its Secretary, had raised itself by its own 



'"boot straps from insolvency to the position of a solvent concern, with 



l_,a membership of 8,039. 



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