Logo
Prev
Bookmark
Rotate
Print
Next
Contents
All Pages
Related Articles
Browse Issues
Help
Search
Home
'
National Geographic : 1900 Oct
Contents
ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT 405 the Society a special body of members to be known as Fellows, to be selected from the general membership of the Society for their special knowledge of matters relating to geographic science. These Fellows should form a small body of picked persons and should hold meet ings to promote the advancement of geographic knowledge. In spite of our large membership, we are in so poor a condition financially that we have no invested funds to promote the objects of the Society. We live, as it were, from hand to mouth, and have even had difficulty in making both ends meet. This condition of affairs is dangerous and threatens the existence of the Society. In order to give it stability it must have funds, and without a surplus it can not hope to do much toward promoting geographic research. I would urge upon the Board the importance of taking immediate steps to create an invested fund for the Society, and I would propose to utilize our lectures for this purpose. Lecture courses in Washington and other cities could, I am sure be made to yield a profit to the Society. The proceeds could be turned over to a committee for investment to form a fund for the promotion of geographic research, and the income could be applied as directed by the Fellows of the Society. These recommendations, of course, are revolutionary in character, and should not be adopted without full time for mature considera tion and discussion. I bring them forward now in order that the members of the Board may think them over carefully so as to be prepared to carry them into effect at the Annual Meeting of the So ciety in May, 1901, if they think best. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION At the present time active members have the privilege of attending all lectures free of charge, and have also the privilege of bringing a friend. Thus it has happened that our audiences have been com posed in considerable part of persons who are not members of the Society. Such persons, I think, might very properly be asked to pay. I would therefore suggest that during our next lecture season the membership ticket should admit only one person instead of two. In order that there should not be too sudden a change in this re spect, I would suggest that each member of the Society should have the privilege of purchasing a season ticket, admitting one person, for the sum of three dollars (which represents that proportion of the active membership fee which is intended to cover lectures). In the
Links
Archive
1900 Nov
1900 Sep
Navigation
Previous Page
Next Page
