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THE NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM ASSOCIATION 



In order to bring into more intimate touch with the State 

 Museum the citizens who are disposed to appreciate its intentions 

 and purposes, the Director has invited a considerable body of repre- 

 sentative men from all parts of the State to participate in the 

 organization of an association, which shall have for its purpose 

 the intelligent support of this organization. The members of this 

 association are entirely voluntary adherents from whom nothing 

 is asked but a reasonable expenditure of public spirit and moral 

 support. The work of the State Museum is very widely known 

 in the scientific world, but in spite of its more than half century 

 of existence, it is not so widely known among the citizens of the 

 State as it ought to be. In consequence it suffers in educational 

 effectiveness and in a general widespread touch with the scientific 

 and intellectual interests of the public. The New York State 

 Museum Association is designed to increase the usefulness of the 

 institution by bringing its work nearer home to the citizens of the 

 State. Invitations to enroll in the membership of this organiza- 

 tion have been extended, not miscellaneously but to members of 

 the community selected on the basis of demonstrated public spirit 

 and civic usefulness in other directions. It is however greatly 

 desired not to exclude from this enrolment the name of anyone to 

 whom the activities of the State Museum make a direct appeal. 

 Such names, even though not reached by the invitations sent out 

 by the Director, will be welcome additions to the enrolment. All 

 have been asked to remember that this museum is the only institu- 

 tion of the kind which the State has undertaken to maintain and 

 should therefore in every respect be made creditable to the com- 

 monwealth and commensurable in influence and interest with simi- 

 lar institutions supported by private beneficence. 



In undertaking this organization the Director invited several 

 men of distinction to act with him and thereby to give the weight 

 of their indorsement to this association. All thus invited cordially 

 assented to act with the Director as a provisional executive com- 

 mittee, composed as follows : 



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