ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT APPLETON. 9 



Incorporation was signed by the Governor on the 12th of June. 

 When its members, assembled in the "Society's Room," which 

 was termed convenient and spacious, over the counting-room of 

 the " New England Farmer," at 52 jSTorth ^Market street, little did 

 they dream that, sixty-seven years later, the same Society would 

 be established here, as complete owner of this valuable location, 

 which is almost surrounded by daylight. Nor did they suppose 

 that this Society would exist to see the day when it had out- 

 grown the arrangements which were made for it by their 

 successors upon this site only thirty years ago. 



We are probably all alive to our present deficiencies, but 

 wisdom and good judgment have led your chosen officers to be 

 cautious in studying our needs, and in advising plans for 

 action. 



When your officers are prepared to present plans to you for 

 improvements in our Society's home that in their judgment will 

 make the administration of the Society's chartered work easier 

 and more effective, I bespeak for them your favorable consid- 

 eration. 



This city has made remarkable advances since this building 

 was erected in 1865. The district devoted to business and trade 

 has been greatly extended, and the centres of literary and social 

 activity have greatly changed. The increase of population and 

 valuation, the construction of our park systems, our improved 

 methods of land transportation, and the spreading out of the 

 people to whom Boston is their source of income, over an 

 extended metropolitan area, make the conditions under which 

 this Society is called on to do its work bear a changed and 

 important proportion to the wonderful development of Boston. 



From the Town of the days of the founders of this Society, 

 with its cows pastured on the Common, and only two malls then 

 constructed there, what advances have been made are evidenced 

 by the beautiful trees that are growing upon that Common 

 today, and the fact that our Common and its neiglibor, the 

 Public Garden, together, offer a problem to the landscape 

 architect and engineer, upon the wise solution of which may 

 depend the preservation of its beauty and usefulness to fut- 

 ure generations. As an open-air space for the refreshment 

 and promotion of the health of our citizens it must forever 

 remain. 



