Historic Nantucket, October 1978, Vol. 26 No. 2

President—Administrator's Report to the Annual Meeting July 18, 1978 AS AN ASSOCIATION, our mission is to collect, preserve, and exhibit memorabilia of Nantucket. To do this effectively, we must also sponsor a research and educational program.

During the past year we have made substantial additions to our collections. A few items were purchased; others, some of very great value, were given to us. I have a tremendous urge to boast about the worth of these but security people insist that we must never mention a price. These accessions were listed in the July issue of Historic Nantucket.

I think we have also done a fair job in preservation. We have held the line against our great enemy — deterioration — in all the buildings, and spent nearly $10,000 in restoration at the Mill. Ten paintings have been restored by Morton Bradley,an expert in this field,and our Curators havel been very diligent in having items cleaned and repaired. Temperature and humidity in the vault is constantly monitored. Perhaps the most important preservation of all is the work being done in the Peter Foulger Library in conjunction with the research there. Protective jackets and acid free folders have been provided. We have not been completely successful in eliminating wood borers in some of the furniture. This will have top priority this year.

All of our Curators are very conscious of the need to do a good job presenting their exhibits to the public. Mr. Chace at the Whaling Museum and Mrs. Macgregor at the 1800 House have been exceptional, and Mrs. Swain, Mrs. Baldwin, Mr. Egan, Mrs. Baird, Mr. Stackpole, Mr. Gilbert, and Mr. Richmond have donated no end of time and talent to improving their exhibits. I hope you all have inspected the results. If not please do so soon.

We deeply regret the resignation of Miss Gardner as Registrar. She has been one of our most conscientious workers over a number of years.

The Garden Club have rebuilt and are caring for the attractive garden behind the Hadwen House-Satler Memorial. They are working on plans to make this even more beautiful. Other friends have arranged and cared for the lovely garden behind the Macy House and Mrs. Macgregor has set out a most interesting herb garden at the 1800 House.

We have accepted the responsibility of furnishing the International Marine Archives with quarters at the Old Town Building that they may continue to accumulate and make available their large microfilm library of marine logs, manuscripts and journals. We have sponsored 3 out-