THE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. 7 



the past season have been well attended. Papers have 

 been read by the following persons : 



Miss Mary Ropes on "John Horn or Orne." 

 Miss Rosamond Symonds on " Salem Common," ''Win- 

 ter Island " and " The Neck." 



Gardner M. Jones on "Public Libraries." 

 Miss Annie L. Warner on "Birds of Winter." 

 Gilbert L. Streeter, two papers on " Salem before the 

 Revolution." 



J. H. Choate, J. H, Sears, Harry R. Peach and John 

 Robinson exhibited specimens under the microscope one 

 evening, but owing to a severe storm, but few persons 

 were jiresent. The papers read were discussed by some of 

 the members interested, and valuable facts brought out. 

 We have had a larger numl)er of visitors during the past 

 year than at any former period. The officers and assist- 

 ants had al)out as much as they could do the last summer 

 and fall to attend to callers : various large organizations, 

 such as the Society of Christian Endeavor, the Universa- 

 list Christian Union, and the Masonic Society of Knights 

 Temjilars, — each of these numbering thousands. Then 

 there were the Auburndale Review Club, the Dorchester 

 Woman's Club, the Randolph Literar}' Club, the New York 

 Literary Ckib, besides several schools and classes. This 

 will account for the great increase in the numlier of those 

 who have visited the old first meeting house, — nearly 

 is, 000, double the number who have ever visited it in the 

 same time before. It is a curious fact that many people 

 call for the key to this church, who have not time to 

 examine our collections. They have to go to ISIarblehead 

 or the Willows. Some of the schools and classes, before 

 mentioned, have been addressed by Vice Presidents Morse 

 or Rantoul, in Academy Hall, and other members of the 

 Institute have conducted the strangers to places of his- 

 torical interest about the city. 



