be added not less than two million dollars to meet the current operating costs of the institution without deficiency. During the past two years the deficiency of $113,240.77 has been met by individual contributions of the Trustees, amounting to $55,700.00 in 1919 and 1920, and by the use of accrued interest of the Sage Bequest under the terms of the will to the total amount of $57,540.77 in 1920. To meet the deficiency in 1921, accrued interest, estimated at $40,000.00, on the balance of the Sage Bequest, will be used, but this accrued interest will not be available in the year 1922, when the estimated income from our General Endowment and the Sage Funds will be $134. 541.57, leaving an estimated deficiency of $70,000.c. To prepare for this deficiency it is very important at the present time to use every means possible to increase our General Endowment by adding the sum of two million dollars to it. The Museum shares with every institution in the United States the doubling of costs, which is due ultimately to the doubling of costs of living and to the doubling of wages. The rising costs of maintenance are indicated in the accompanying figures covering the last decade, namely, from 1910 to 1920, inclusive: In the Fifty-first Annual Report, for the year 1919, it was pointed out that a separate educational tax is very desirable. The existing taxpayers of the City constitute only one-tenth of the entire population of the City of New York, on whom rests directly the whole burden of supporting education, as well as the general welfare of the people. In 1919 there were 578,043 taxpayers in the City of New York out of a total population of 6,006,794. The movement towards a wider distribution of the burden of taxation for educational purposes has made distinct progress during the past year. The cost of maintenance is rising despite the strictest economy in office administration, in the custodianship of the building, in heating and lighting, in repairs and construction, which constitute the bulk of our maintenance expenditures. Our Chief Engineer, Mr. Henry J. Langham, has an exceptional record in the heating and lighting department; in 1919 the coal bill for light, heat and power was $11,990.61, including the generation of some four hundred thousand kilowatt illumination and power. In the year 1915 a careful classification of disbursements was instituted in order to keep track of expenditures of every kind. A comparison of the grand totals for the years 1919 and 1920 shows that the increase is due to the rapid mounting in wages and salaries and to the cost of materials. The summary of the detailed division of expenditures is as follows: 1. SCIENTIFIC EXPENDITURES: 1919 1. Additions to collections through pur- ... 151,110.56 3. Library: purchase of books; bookbinding; salaries of librarian and assistants. 4. Preparation of exhibitions; mounting; materials used in mounting specimens and exhibits..... 1920 $ 65,058.76 176,427.81 5. Publication of scientific bulletins, memoirs, monographs, and miscellaneous technical papers..... 6. Publication of Natural History, popular guide books and leaflets.. 7. American Museum Press: salaries; materials and supplies; printing of scientific, popular and miscellaneous work... 8. School educational work; special expenses; salaries.... 9. Office supplies; office and scientific equipment 2. FINANCIAL AND GENERAL ADMINISTRATION: $ 90,713.65 69,583.38 12. Office Supplies 5,824.35 13. General plant supplies... 3,414.77 105,129.33 9,689.36 4,466.57 14. General administrative supplies and service; mechanical and office equipment Carried forward $192,269.08 $258,646.85 18. Salaries, supplies, fuel, gas, etc...... $ 32,774.00 $ 46,021.33 7,045.59 The leading anthropological inquiry undertaken by the Museum-the Jesup North Pacific Expedition, begun in 1897—is nearing completion under the editorship of ProfesNorth sor Franz Boas of Columbia University, and the curatorship of Dr. Clark Wissler. The published reports are as follows: The Jesup Pacific JESUP NORTH PACIFIC EXPEDITION MEMOIRS I. Vol. I, Part Facial Paintings of the Indians of Northern II. The Mythology of the Bella Coola Indians. III. The Archæology of Lytton, British Columbia. IV. The Thompson Indians of British Columbia. V. Basketry Designs of the Salish Indians. Liv ingston Farrand. VI. Archæology of the Thompson River Region. |