UNION COMMITTEE REPORTS

Below are given the complete reports of the Membership and Library Committees of the Union, as presented at the annual meeting on Thursday:

Report of Membership Committee

There have been five meetings of the Membership Committee during the year.

The total membership of the Union up to April 1, 1905, was 4188, as compared to 4472 last year and 4455 in 1903. The figures in detail for the past three years are as follows:   1903.  1904.  1905. Active members,  1893  1769  1628 Associate members,  880  867  772 Non-resident,  813  870  756 Graduate life,  853  935  976 Student life,  16  31  56   4455  4472  4188

Active memberships show a decline of 141 from last year. This decrease, however, is in no way alarming as it is nearly proportional to the decline in the number of students in the University since that year. Leaving out of consideration the departments outside of Cambridge, which furnish very few active members, 46 per cent, of the students in the Cambridge departments were members last year and 45 per cent, this year, thus showing an actual loss of only 1 per cent. However, as compared to 1903, there is a loss of 5 per cent., the membership that year being 50 per cent. There was a decline of 95 in associate members from last year and 114 in non-resident memberships. These losses, though at present unimportant, may presage a lack of interest on the part of graduates, which should if possible be alleviated by the undergraduates by making the Union more attractive and popular.

A thorough personal canvass of all the members in the University has been made during the year. The direct results of this canvass were not very apparent, but it is felt that a great deal has been done indirectly in arousing more interest and alleviating the feeling that the Union was becoming unpopular.

The reasons given by most men for not joining were, as last year, largely financial. In some cases it was found that the men had more pressing needs for their money; but as a rule it was due to carelessness or to the immediate inconvenience of paying the necessary $10, and not to any lack of intention.

The Committee feels that the difficulty could be in a large measure obviated if the dues could be put on the term-bills. There would then be no excuse for men not joining early on account of inconvenience, neglect, etc:, and it does not seem rash to say that under such conditions the membership would increase from 45 per cent to 75 per cent., or even more. There should at least be that percentage of undergraduates. The membership by classes and departments is as follows: 1905,  266 1906,  312 1907,  311 1908,  421 Law School,  157 All others,  161   1628

As a rule the department outside of Cambridge have had very few active members. This is in large part due to the privilege granted them by the constitution of becoming associate members. However, according to the constitution, these departments have to be represented by two members on the House Committee and three on the Membership Committee. This representation is far out of proportion to the membership of those departments, and during the past few years it has been difficult to find even a sufficient number of nominees for the committees. It seems unfair that these departments, with barely a dozen members, should have five out of the twenty-five members on the standing committees, and the Membership Committee suggests that a change in the constitution on this point might well be made. W. A. SCHICK, JR., Chairman.

Report of the Library Committee.

Since the financial year of the Union ends with July 31, the reports of committees presented in April are necessarily incomplete for the current year. This report of the Library Committee, therefore, has to cover the complete year from August 1, 1903, to August 1, 1904,--the third year of the Union's existence--and presents only tentative figures for the year now in progress.

For the first two years, up to July 31, 1903, the Committee had at its disposal to spend, the $5000 taken from Mr. Hyde's original gift of $20,000, a number of other gifts received from individuals and societies, and interest on the Hyde fund and the Simes fund to date, amounting altogether to $9,655.02. The Committee spent during the first year $6,912.93 and during the second year $2,246.26, a total of $9,159.19.

Balance, August 1, 1903,  $484.83 During the year 1903-04 there were received, From the class of 1902 (the balance left over from their subscriptions for their gift of a clock),  $53.19 From the Hyde fund,  $583.50 *From the Simes fund,  225.00 Income of funds,  $808.50 An express charge refunded,  2.15 Total available for the purchase of books,  $1,348.67

The Committee spent for books, $1,191.70 and had a balance on hand August 1, 1904, of $156.97.

For the current year the income has been. From the Hyde fund,  $574.76 From the Simes fund,  225.00 Gift of class of '78,  156.75 Total,  $956.51 Available for expenditure,  $1,113.48 Spent up to April 1, 1905,  870.90 Balance which may be spent during the remainder of the year,  $242.58 The annual income which we may ex

pect from our funds in future may be stated as.From the Hyde fund,  $575.00From the Simes fund,  225.00From the class of '78,  135.00  $935.0

Active memberships show a decline of 141 from last year. This decrease, however, is in no way alarming as it is nearly proportional to the decline in the number of students in the University since that year. Leaving out of consideration the departments outside of Cambridge, which furnish very few active members, 46 per cent, of the students in the Cambridge departments were members last year and 45 per cent, this year, thus showing an actual loss of only 1 per cent. However, as compared to 1903, there is a loss of 5 per cent., the membership that year being 50 per cent. There was a decline of 95 in associate members from last year and 114 in non-resident memberships. These losses, though at present unimportant, may presage a lack of interest on the part of graduates, which should if possible be alleviated by the undergraduates by making the Union more attractive and popular.

A thorough personal canvass of all the members in the University has been made during the year. The direct results of this canvass were not very apparent, but it is felt that a great deal has been done indirectly in arousing more interest and alleviating the feeling that the Union was becoming unpopular.

The reasons given by most men for not joining were, as last year, largely financial. In some cases it was found that the men had more pressing needs for their money; but as a rule it was due to carelessness or to the immediate inconvenience of paying the necessary $10, and not to any lack of intention.

The Committee feels that the difficulty could be in a large measure obviated if the dues could be put on the term-bills. There would then be no excuse for men not joining early on account of inconvenience, neglect, etc:, and it does not seem rash to say that under such conditions the membership would increase from 45 per cent to 75 per cent., or even more. There should at least be that percentage of undergraduates. The membership by classes and departments is as follows: 1905,  266 1906,  312 1907,  311 1908,  421 Law School,  157 All others,  161   1628

As a rule the department outside of Cambridge have had very few active members. This is in large part due to the privilege granted them by the constitution of becoming associate members. However, according to the constitution, these departments have to be represented by two members on the House Committee and three on the Membership Committee. This representation is far out of proportion to the membership of those departments, and during the past few years it has been difficult to find even a sufficient number of nominees for the committees. It seems unfair that these departments, with barely a dozen members, should have five out of the twenty-five members on the standing committees, and the Membership Committee suggests that a change in the constitution on this point might well be made. W. A. SCHICK, JR., Chairman.

Report of the Library Committee.

Since the financial year of the Union ends with July 31, the reports of committees presented in April are necessarily incomplete for the current year. This report of the Library Committee, therefore, has to cover the complete year from August 1, 1903, to August 1, 1904,--the third year of the Union's existence--and presents only tentative figures for the year now in progress.

For the first two years, up to July 31, 1903, the Committee had at its disposal to spend, the $5000 taken from Mr. Hyde's original gift of $20,000, a number of other gifts received from individuals and societies, and interest on the Hyde fund and the Simes fund to date, amounting altogether to $9,655.02. The Committee spent during the first year $6,912.93 and during the second year $2,246.26, a total of $9,159.19.

Balance, August 1, 1903,  $484.83 During the year 1903-04 there were received, From the class of 1902 (the balance left over from their subscriptions for their gift of a clock),  $53.19 From the Hyde fund,  $583.50 *From the Simes fund,  225.00 Income of funds,  $808.50 An express charge refunded,  2.15 Total available for the purchase of books,  $1,348.67

The Committee spent for books, $1,191.70 and had a balance on hand August 1, 1904, of $156.97.

For the current year the income has been. From the Hyde fund,  $574.76 From the Simes fund,  225.00 Gift of class of '78,  156.75 Total,  $956.51 Available for expenditure,  $1,113.48 Spent up to April 1, 1905,  870.90 Balance which may be spent during the remainder of the year,  $242.58 The annual income which we may ex

pect from our funds in future may be stated as.From the Hyde fund,  $575.00From the Simes fund,  225.00From the class of '78,  135.00  $935.0

As a rule the department outside of Cambridge have had very few active members. This is in large part due to the privilege granted them by the constitution of becoming associate members. However, according to the constitution, these departments have to be represented by two members on the House Committee and three on the Membership Committee. This representation is far out of proportion to the membership of those departments, and during the past few years it has been difficult to find even a sufficient number of nominees for the committees. It seems unfair that these departments, with barely a dozen members, should have five out of the twenty-five members on the standing committees, and the Membership Committee suggests that a change in the constitution on this point might well be made. W. A. SCHICK, JR., Chairman.

Report of the Library Committee.

Since the financial year of the Union ends with July 31, the reports of committees presented in April are necessarily incomplete for the current year. This report of the Library Committee, therefore, has to cover the complete year from August 1, 1903, to August 1, 1904,--the third year of the Union's existence--and presents only tentative figures for the year now in progress.

For the first two years, up to July 31, 1903, the Committee had at its disposal to spend, the $5000 taken from Mr. Hyde's original gift of $20,000, a number of other gifts received from individuals and societies, and interest on the Hyde fund and the Simes fund to date, amounting altogether to $9,655.02. The Committee spent during the first year $6,912.93 and during the second year $2,246.26, a total of $9,159.19.

Balance, August 1, 1903,  $484.83 During the year 1903-04 there were received, From the class of 1902 (the balance left over from their subscriptions for their gift of a clock),  $53.19 From the Hyde fund,  $583.50 *From the Simes fund,  225.00 Income of funds,  $808.50 An express charge refunded,  2.15 Total available for the purchase of books,  $1,348.67

The Committee spent for books, $1,191.70 and had a balance on hand August 1, 1904, of $156.97.

For the current year the income has been. From the Hyde fund,  $574.76 From the Simes fund,  225.00 Gift of class of '78,  156.75 Total,  $956.51 Available for expenditure,  $1,113.48 Spent up to April 1, 1905,  870.90 Balance which may be spent during the remainder of the year,  $242.58 The annual income which we may ex

pect from our funds in future may be stated as.From the Hyde fund,  $575.00From the Simes fund,  225.00From the class of '78,  135.00  $935.0

The Committee spent for books, $1,191.70 and had a balance on hand August 1, 1904, of $156.97.

For the current year the income has been. From the Hyde fund,  $574.76 From the Simes fund,  225.00 Gift of class of '78,  156.75 Total,  $956.51 Available for expenditure,  $1,113.48 Spent up to April 1, 1905,  870.90 Balance which may be spent during the remainder of the year,  $242.58 The annual income which we may ex

pect from our funds in future may be stated as.From the Hyde fund,  $575.00From the Simes fund,  225.00From the class of '78,  135.00  $935.0

pect from our funds in future may be stated as.From the Hyde fund,  $575.00From the Simes fund,  225.00From the class of '78,  135.00  $935.0