REPORT OF COUNCIL. 
373 
The Ladies’ Association. 
The Ladies’ Association of the Natural History Society are 
happy to report another year of successful work for the Society, 
which practically means for the benefit of the citizens of St. John. 
Our lecture courses of last year were a decided success from 
a literary as well as from a financial standpoint. The lectures 
on “ Folk Lore in Opera” were much appreciated by the audiences, 
and were also a great benefit to those who prepared them. 
The free lectures given in January, February and March 
were not behind the earlier course in value and interest. That 
we were able to introduce some of our younger members as 
lecturers has set an example that we hope will bc followed during 
the coming season. 
The charming afternoon with Robert Louis Stevenson was 
a great pleasure to the children who took part, as well as to those 
who were present as audience and we owe a debt of gratitude 
to the ladies who gave their time and thought to its preparation. 
Last winter also our Junior members assisted by Miss 
Sutherland, made their first effort, in giving us the very pretty 
cantata “The ’Pied Piper.” It was creditably done and we 
hope is only the first of their annual entertainments. 
With the money raised by our autumn course, supplemented 
by these extra entertainments, the Ladies’ Association have 
paid all but $25 on the piano purchased by them in the fall. 
The piano is a good one and cost $250. It has been, and we 
hope will be a great addition to the pleasure and usefulness of 
the gatherings in this hall. 
The Ladies fully appreciate the advantages of the improved 
arrangements made in the museum and building during the 
past summer, and are satisfied that they will ensure an increa.sed 
interest in the work of the Society in all its branches. 
In addition to the annual conversazione or reunion of members 
when the ladies’ gave their help in providing music and 
refreshments which help on the social side of the entertainment, 
there were held last winter three social evenings for the 
purpose of giving the members and their friends an opportu- 
nity of examining the various collections in the museum, under 
