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the establishing of a Memorial Hall and "Public 

 Library." Here is a grand foundation, which with pri- 

 vate and civil cooperation, might easily accomplish the 

 result, and meet a great want in our city ; another that, 

 perhaps, might be accomplished at the same time, is 

 the building of a fire-proof room or hall, where the more 

 valuable and unreplaceable portions of the collections 

 might be safely kept ; this would also be the means of 

 enlarging our collections by the great amount of valuable 

 documents and paintings that would at once be given or 

 deposited, if we had the facilities for properly guarding 

 them against fire. However, it is not well to be too 

 aspiring, we must be satisfied with our present condition, 

 and when we think of the entire working income of the 

 society for the past ten years as averaging less than 

 fifteen hundred dollars, and never reaching two thousand, 

 while not many years ago it was mere nothing, the 

 amount that has been accomplished is most surprising, 

 and reflects credit on the head of this society, who has 

 since its formation made a frugal allowance do a great 

 amount of work. 



Mr. President : ^Iu retiring from the position of Sec- 

 retary, I desire to call to mind that a year ago to-day we 

 were regretting the absence of our former Secretary, who 

 had left us during the year for a European tour ; his re- 

 turn a few weeks since is opportune, in giving us just time 

 to replace his name on the ballot, where we see it to-day, 

 a position that I am heartily glad to have him fill again 

 and feel great satisfaction in handing the Secretary's rec- 

 ords over to one whose experience renders him so well 

 fitted to perform the duties of the office. 

 Respectfully submitted. 



JOHN EOBINSON, 



/Sec'y Essex Institute. 



