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Some Notes on the Society's Annual Meeting 
by VERA SHAW, BETTY GROTH and PETER PETERSEN 
The 71st Annual Meeting of the Illinois Audubon Society was held May 3, 
4 and 5 in the Hotel Orlando, Decatur—hosted by the Decatur Audubon 
Society, one of our outstanding affiliates. 
On Friday evening Harry Bierma, chairman of IAS Clean Stream Com- 
mittee, spoke on the billion dollar air and water bond issue which is at 
stake at the polls this November. This bill makes no mention of saving 
natural areas; further, it may provide funds for projects hostile to wildlife, 
but it is felt that support for this bond issue is a test crisis in conservation. 
The official annual meeting took place Saturday morning, with annual 
reports called for by the President Raymond Mostek from the four vice 
presidents. Charles Lappen presented his report on finance and called to 
the platform his committee members for auxiliary reports and well deserved 
commendation. Betty Groth gave her report as vice president for conserva- 
tion, pointing out the dangers that beset us at the local, state, and national 
levels, and commending progress made. She asked all in the audience 
who work on conservation to rise for recognition for their fine service. 
Mrs. Kenneth Fiske gave an outstanding report on extension, of which 
she is vice president, and presented the chapter charter to the Ridgway 
Bird Club of Olney, accepted by Mrs. Howard Shaw. Mrs. Fiske reported 
on achievements to date and suggested plans for the future, in which she 
feels all of us should play a part. Outgoing vice president for education, 
Preston Davies, in charge of arranging the five annual Audubon Wildlife 
Films at the Field Museum, Chicago, resigned in order to become president 
of the Lake-Cook Audubon Society. 
In the morning session Saturday, Kelso Towle, president of the Decatur 
Chamber of Commerce, gave a welcome, and President Raymond Mostek 
gave the response. O. T. Banton of Decatur had charge of local orientation. 
He described the terrain around Decatur. An account of the plans for 
Macon County by the County Conservation District was also given by 
Mr. Banton. 
Other highlights included: 
Presentation by Dr. John Swigman, Southern Illinois University, of 
Slides of the Lusk Creek Canyon flora and fauna. The proposed Lusk Creek 
dam would destroy this unique portion of our heritage and the rare flora 
species native to our state. 
Dr. Lawrence Bliss, department of botany, University of Illinois, talked 
on the value of Allerton Park to scientists as a research area. Scientific 
projects now in progress would be greatly altered or terminated should 
the bottomland habitat be destroyed. 
