226 Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences 



H. Heath, Louis W. Kaufmann, Oscar E. Sperrle, Mrs. Oscar E. Sperrle, 

 Johannes Stenzel, C. S. LePoer Trench, John C. Welsh, Hermann A. 

 Witte, Mrs. Herman A. Witte. 



Harold K. Decker qualified as a life member, and Frederick C. Have- 

 meyer was elected a patron. 



The Board records with regret the death of Theodore R. J. Lins and of 

 Henry A. Tabb. 



In 1916 application was made to the Board of Estimate and Apportion- 

 ment for an appropriation of $9,418.55 for salaries and maintenance in con- 

 nection with the museum during the year 1917. The appropriation granted 

 was $7,389. The position of one museum guard was eliminated and also 

 the position of curator held by Mr. Howard H. Cleaves. Every effort 

 was made to obtain a reconsideration of this action, but without success. 

 The situation was serious, and the necessity of retaining the services of 

 Mr. Cleaves, if certain of the museum activities were to be continued, 

 was brought to the attention of the Association by the secretary at the 

 meeting held on December 16, and the following resolution was adopted : 



Resolved, that the Secretary be and is hereby authorized and requested 

 to communicate with such friends of the Museum as he may deem ad- 

 visable, with the view of raising funds sufficient to pay Mr. Cleaves his 

 present compensation during the year 1917 and thus to assure his retention 

 as curator in the service of the museum. 



As a result of the secretary's efforts, in issuing an appeal for subscrip- 

 tions in accordance with the above resolution, the Board is pleased to 

 announce that almost the entire amount called for has been secured, and 

 that the remainder will probably be forthcoming. Mr. Cleaves's services 

 were thus retained and the season's courses of children's lectures were 

 continued without interruption, under his management. A list of these 

 lectures, with their attendance records, is appended to the report of the 

 director. To those who so promptly and generously responded to this 

 appeal the Board assumes the privilege, on behalf of the Association, of 

 expressing its appreciation of the assistance rendered. The Board also 

 takes advantage of this opportunity to tender its sincere thanks to the 

 several lecturers for their courtesy and kindness in giving their services 

 without compensation and in many instances at more or less personal 

 trouble and inconvenience. 



In October 1916 application was made to the Commissioners of the 

 Sinking Fund for the assignment to the Association of a plot of land 

 owned by the city at the northeast corner of Wall Street and Stuyvesant 

 Place, on which to erect our proposed museum building. The application 

 was granted January 25, 1917, on condition that the building be com- 

 menced within two years from the date of assignment of the land. The 

 committee in charge of the preparation of plans and the raising of funds 

 for the building has made substantial progress in the work it has under- 

 taken to accomplish, as reported from time to time at the meetings of 



