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SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE RECORDING 
SECRETARY 
(Presented to the Society May 31, 1895) 
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, 
1515 H Street N. W., 
Wasuineaton, D. C., May 31, 1895. 
The season ending today has been one of the most successful 
in the annals of the Society, not only as regards increase of mem- 
bership, but by reason of the great interest shown in the meetings, 
the large attendance of members and guests, and the character 
and number of the papers read. 
The present membership is 1,178,.consisting of 895 active, 274 
corresponding, and 11 honorary members. Of this total number 
423 have been elected since January 1, 1894, and 3865 since June 
1, 1894, numbers largely in excess of those elected during a 
similar period at any former time in our history. 
To illustrate graphically the number of members elected each 
month since the Society was organized (in January, 1888), the 
length of time each member has remained in the Society, and 
the present membership, the accompanying membership dia- 
gram has been prepared. <A glance at this diagram indicates 
very clearly the fact that our membership has increased very 
rapidly, and that a comparatively small proportion of those 
elected discontinue their membership. (See Plate 15.) 
The change in the Society’s fiscal year from the calendar year 
to that of the year from June 1 to May 31, now in effect, has of 
course been attended with some little embarrassment in connec- 
tion with the publication of the Magazine, the dues of members, 
etc, but the great advantages of the change more than outweigh 
such temporary difficulties. By far the greater part of the en- 
ergy of the Society is expended during the winter season, and it 
is therefore very desirable that its management should be con- 
tinuous from summer to summer, rather than that there should 
be a periodic change, or at least liability to change, of its Board 
of Managers in the midst of the season of its greatest activity. 
(xxl) 
