BULLETIN OF THE ESSEX INSTITUTE. 



AUDITOR: LIBRARIAN". 



Henry M. Batchelder. Charles S. Osgood. 



COUNCIL . 



George H. Allen, Richard C. Manning, 



William H. Gove, S. Endicott Peabody, 



Ezra D. Hines, David Pingree, 



Thomas F. Hunt, Charles S. Kea, 



Francis H. Lee, George M. Whipple. 



Keport of THE Executive Committee, May 17, 1897. 



Owing to the illness and absence of the Secretary, 

 Henry M. Brooks, the Executive Committee prepared a 

 full report of the work of the Institute during the past 

 year. This report was read by President Rantoul. It 

 showed that the year just closed had been a prosperous 

 one for the Institute, and while the work of the Societ}^ 

 had been hampered by the continued illness of the Secre- 

 tary, the Assistant Librarian and the 2d Assistant Libra- 

 rian, yet the routine work had been carried on and the 

 Institute was in good condition, — its publications had con- 

 tained articles of great merit which must prove of value 

 to the historical and scientific student. The regular lec- 

 tures and the less formal meetings, where papers weie 

 read by members of the Institute, were noted and highly 

 commended. The matter of field meetings was considered 

 and a continuance advised. The pressing need of more 

 room for the many hundreds of volumes received by do- 

 nation during the past year was referred to and a strong 

 appeal for the necessary funds to bring about this much 

 desired result was made. Reference was made to the 

 death of Mr. William J. Foster, who had of late been of 

 great assistance at the rooms during the illness of the Sec- 

 retary. The loss the Institute had sustained in the death 



