TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT 99 
purchase of supplies. Without this provision, a deficit could not 
have been avoided. 
Audit of Accounts.—The usual audit of accounts was ex- 
tended to include the petty cash accounts of the Director and 
the Secretary. 
Arrangements were made by which the auditors carried on 
their work at convenient periods throughout the year, both in 
the privilege account and the Society’s funds, permitting the 
completion of the audit very promptly after the first of the 
year. The Audit Company’s certificate appears elsewhere in the 
ANNUAL REPORT, in connection with the Treasurer’s statements. 
New accounts were created during the year for the Gallery of 
Oil Paintings, Publication fund and Heads and Horns building 
fund. 
For convenience in bookkeeping, authorization was granted 
for the carrying of a number of funds in one column in the cash 
book, under the heading, Special Funds, and a number of trust 
funds in a column headed, Special Trust Funds. 
The changes made on the first of January, 1916, in the 
methods of approval and payment of bills have proved very 
satisfactory. 
Privileges.—We are sorry to have to report a rather unsat- 
isfactory year in privileges in point of profits. While the result 
was due to some extent to general business conditions prevailing 
throughout the year, it was largely due to reduced attendance in 
the best months of the season from the following causes: Unfav- 
orable weather in May and June, infantile paralysis in July and 
August, and trolley strikes in August and September. From 
July 1, to the end of the season, the attendance of children was 
almost entirely cut off because of the paralysis epidemic. 
There was a total net decrease in Privilege Department re- 
ceipts for the year of 4'4 per cent. as compared with a decreased 
attendance of 7% per cent., showing that the gross receipts did 
not suffer from adverse conditions as greatly as the attendance. 
Although the greatest possible economy was practiced in 
fixed charges and operating costs, it was impossible to overcome 
the conditions referred to above. 
Net profits in all privilege accounts increased 5 per cent. 
