in charge of a custodian, who is ready to assist students and amateurs in their investigations. The location of the society's building is not all that could be desired, owing to its being so far from other educational institutions of the city, and those most interested in its welfare hope that at no distant day some arrangement may be made by which the present building may be disposed of, and another obtained in a more convenient situation.

The Worcester County Musical Association may not be considered as either "literary, scientific or historical," yet it would seem an omission to make no mention of it in an account of Worcester societies, for it certainly has played an important part in the musical education of our city. Organized in 1863 for "the improvement of choirs in the performance of church music; the formation of an elevated musical taste, through the study of music in its higher departments, and a social, genial, harmonious reunion of all lovers of music," it has become one of the widest known of Worcester institutions, and has done much in the past, and bids fair to do still more in the future, to raise the standard of vocal and instrumental music not only in our own city, but in the country at large.

The annual festivals or concerts are very largely attended, lovers of music from distant points as well as our own citizens availing themselves of the opportunity offered to listen to singing from the most eminent vocalists, and music from the best of orchestras. For the last few years there has been marked improvement in the character of the festivals; they have been more classical in their tone and of greater value to real lovers of music.

Charles M. Bent is the President; Daniel Downey, Vice-President; Luther M. Lovell, Secretary, and George R. Bliss, Treasurer.

The Worcester Art Society was organized in 1877, and incorporated in 1887, to promote art culture, and has from its organization taken an active part in the art education of the city.

Lectures are given during the winter by specialists in different branches of the fine arts, to which members of the Art Students' Club and the teachers of the public schools are invited, and they have very generally availed themselves of the privilege.

From time to time loan exhibitions of paintings, engravings and brica-brac have been given under the management of the society, which have been very popular, affording the public an opportunity to see fine works of art owned in Worcester and elsewhere, and thereby creating. and encouraging a taste for the beautiful, and tending to elevate the general tone of the community.

The members of the Art Society have been much interested in the success of the new Art Museum, and made the first contribution to its

collections (a fine cast of the Venus de Melos), and they have also taken a prominent part in the collection and arrangement of the first loan exhibition held in the new building. Since the incorporation of the Art Society, the Presidents have been Nathaniel Paine, Samuel S. Green, Charles S. Hale, Lincoln N. Kinnicutt, and Austin S. Garver, who is now the President; with Charles A. Chase and Fred. S. Pratt, VicePresidents; Charles T. Davis, Clerk, and Z. W. Coombs, Treasurer. The average membership of the society is about 350.

The Art Students' Club was incorporated in 1887, for "the encouragement, promotion and practice of art," its active membership being confined to artists and art students of Worcester, no one being eligible who is not a practical student in some branch of art.

This club is one of the active organizations of the city, and is doing a good work by means of classes with competent instructors and models, the advantages of which the members avail themselves of, as is indicated by the marked improvement shown from year to year in the public exhibitions of their work.

These yearly exhibitions given by the club have come to be looked forward to with great interest by the public, and have proved of substantial benefit to the members.

The active membership of the club is limited to thirty, but there are about sixty honorary or fine members.

Albert F. Simmons is President; George E. Gladwin, Vice-President; Edwin Topanelian, Treasurer, and George W. Child, Secretary.

The Worcester Society of Antiquity was organized in 1875, and incor. porated in February, 1877, its object being "to foster in its members a love and admiration for antiquarian research and archæological science, and to rescue from oblivion such historical matter as would otherwise be lost." Although the objects of the society, as stated above, are quite extensive in their scope, it is undoubtedly true that up to the present time its work has been in the line of historical rather than antiquarian investigations, so that its name does not indicate to the public generally its most successful achievements.

The publication of the early records of Worcester, 1667 to 1848, and a list of births, deaths and marriages from the earliest recorded to 1848, have been of the greatest value to the historical student, and have preserved in permanent form much that was very likely to be lost or destroyed. These with the printing the Records of the Court of General Sessions of the Peace, 1731 to 1737, are deserving of commendation, as they have been prepared with great care from the original manuscripts, and are of special value as books of reference. The annual proceedings of the society have also been printed, making in all fifteen volumes published, which testify most emphatically to the activity and usefulness of the organization. There will be found in the building of the society on Salisbury street, which was erected in 1891, a large and valuable library, and an extensive collection of articles illustrating New England history, with special reference to that of Worcester county. The library and cabinet are open free to the public every week-day afternoon, and a large number avail themselves of the opportunity to visit them.

During the present year a special effort has been made to interest the ladies in the work of the society, resulting in an addition of over 200 in a single month.

The Society of Antiquity is distinctly a local institution, and deserves and should have the active coöperation of our citizens, which can be most practically manifested by their becoming members and taking a part in the good work it has in hand.

A notice of the valuable library belonging to the society will be found in another chapter.

The officers of the society for the present year are: F. L. Hutchins, President; Ellery B. Crane and William H. Sawyer, Vice-Presidents; Walter Davidson, Secretary; Henry F. Stedman, Treasurer, and Thomas A. Dickinson, Librarian.

The St. Wulstan Society, though originally formed for social intercourse among its members, has, by reason of its being made the custodian of the "Helen C. Knowles fund for the advancement of art education in Worcester," become identified with the educational life of the city. The society was incorporated in 1891, for the "purpose of promoting literature, art, historical and social science in Worcester, and holding and administering the Helen C. Knowles legacy for promoting art education in Worcester, and such other funds as may be acquired for the same and kindred objects." This fund now amounts to about $35,000, and from the income thereof the society has given in the last three years to the Worcester Art Society and the Art Students' Club the sum of $1,100 each, thereby contributing largely to the objects those societies have at heart. The present year (1898) the income has been given to the Worcester Art Museum, to be used in the formation of classes for study of art, and for exhibitions of paintings and other works of art. The membership of the St. Wulstan Society is limited by the by-laws to sixteen. Honorable George F. Hoar is the President; Honorable Stephen Salisbury, Vice-President; J. Evarts Greene, Clerk, and Honorable Henry A. Marsh, Treasurer.

The Public School Art League was organized in 1895, the object being to "cultivate in the people, through the influence of the public school pupils, a desire for a finer life by creating among them a love for the beautiful, promoting and strengthening this love among the pupils by a more extended and artistic decorations in the school-rooms, etc." The membership of the league is limited, and it is expected that each one will use his influence in securing more artistic surroundings in the school-rooms, and also secure contributions of money for the purchase of appropriate objects for decoration. Enough has already been accomplished by this organization in the decoration of schoolrooms in different parts of the city to prove its need and the good judgment of its projectors.

That its work has been appreciated by those interested in the welfare of our schools, is shown by their ready response to the call for aid to enable the league to carry out their plans for adding to the attractions of the school rooms, for, beside contributions of money, several ladies and gentlemen have given appropriate engravings, photographs and casts, which have been suitably placed.

The first president of the league was Reverend Austin S. Garver, who originally called the attention of the School Board to the project.