Report of the President 93 



Life Members). For the first time receipts from Life Members 

 have been applied to the endowment instead of to current 

 income. The wisdom of this change is apparent, since Life 

 Membership fees during the year totaled $9,100, adding this 

 amount to the endowment. Our endowment was further in- 

 creased by $1,250 through the action of the American Surety 

 Company in declaring an extra dividend of 100 per cent, and 

 paying this in stock. 



If the normal growth of the Museum is to continue, im- 

 mediate steps must be taken to increase the endowment. The 

 plan which is proposed is to invite such of the Trustees as 

 may desire to do so to become Benefactors, by adding to the 

 endowment the difference between the total amounts they 

 have contributed to various purposes and $50,000, the Bene- 

 factors' fee; second, to invite twenty contributors of $50,000 

 each from various Members and friends of the Museum, in 

 order to add $1,000,000 to the Endowment Fund. This will 

 meet the immediate annual demands of our Budget, and en- 

 able the Trustees and Members to devote cheir gifts to special 

 purposes. 



Respectfully submitted, 



Henry Fairfield Osborn 

 February 3, 1913 President 



