President-Administrator's Report at Annual Meeting

P re si d e n t — A d m in istr a to r 's R e p o rt t o t h e A n n u a l M ee tin g

J u ly 1 7 , 1 9 7 9

PRESIDENTS' REPORTS TEND to be boring and administrators' even more so.You are to get both together, so prepare for the worst.

We have had an exceptionally good year. Twelve months ago we established an income goal of a quarter of a million dollars. We went well over this figure. Unfortunately, our expenses were also the biggest ever, although less than the income.

I hope income will continue to increase because I can positively guarantee that expenses will be greater. We will need two thousand more visitors to pay for the increased cost of heating oil alone, and repairs which cost a lot last year will never be as cheap again.

The Hadwen House-Satler Memorial received the greatest attention this past year—new kitchen tile was put down; seven chairs were reupholstered in silk fabric; the dining room, hall, stairway, and children's rooms were painted, as was the front and back of the outside of the House and the entire fence.Painting the fence alone cost more than painting an ordinary house and it must be done every few years.

We rebuilt the big chimney at the Oldest House; painted the inside of the Quaker Meeting House, and made many less noticeable repairs which, compared to the big jobs were small, but cost several thousand dollars. We made another major repair at the Old Mill and Mr. Dougan, the assistant miller, painted the outside trim.

Peter MacGlashan, with a crew from CETA, checked over all of our artifacts with our file cards and master files and numbered them with a waterproof substance; thousands of them in all.

We continued the restoration of paintings, prints, and textiles by professional restorers, had a number of pictures reframed, and purchased several new display cases.

We lost a number of members, mostly because they no longer live or visit here, but our new member program has generated enrollment to make it up. Our membership still hovers around 2500; perhaps we are the largest Historical Association in any town our size. "Historic Nantucket" is a great help in holding members and we are fortunate to

have Mr.Stackpole to edit it, but this too, has felt the hand of inflation. Printing now costs twice what it did a few years ago.

We received a small grant for preservation and two for research. We have received a great deal of help from CETA and have thereby accomplished much which otherwise could not have been done.

Our docents do a good job and since our survey last year we have been improving our presentation. Next year we will try even harder. It is not enough to tell our visitors who built the house; we must make them conscious of the people and times that created our great heritage.

We have reached a crossroad at the Peter Foulger Library. Inquiries and the necessity of assistance for classes and individuals doing research in history and genealogy have constantly increased to the point where our small staff can hardly cope with the demand. With encouragement, this will greatly increase. It is non-revenue producing. Shall we aim toward a larger staff and more room, or discourage this increase? A study and decision will have to be made this year.

Mr. Chace did a wonderful job in improving the displays at the Whaling Museum, though at times it becomes too crowded, especially in Sanderson Hall during the "talks". We should either take Sankaty Light out of there and put it in an adjoining tower or produce some other plan for expanding the floor space.

We have spent considerable money on the 1800 House and need to spend more. Mrs. Macgregor has worked hard and has made this a very attractive exhibit but it is not popular, nor do I believe it can be so as a period house or the home of the High Sheriff. I propose having a committee study the feasibility of converting this house to a display of early island industries: needlework, rugmaking, weaving, etc.

As you know, security is one of our major problems. Forty-two thousand articles were stolen from museums last year, a large percent by professionals and employees. I constantly worry and talk with our people about this problem, but I know we are always vulnerable.

We are pleased with our arrangement with the Garden Club for the development and care of the Hadwen House garden. Within a few years it will be the most beautiful spot in Nantucket.The Macy House garden has also become a thing of beauty through the efforts of Mary Armstrong and the tender loving care of people who were friends of Mrs.Christian.Did you know that a flower from this garden won first place in the Green Thumb Show? I think we made a mistake in changing the name of this house and wish we would again call it the Christian House.

We are now operating the Fair Street Museum in conjunction with the Nantucket Arts Council through a committee composed of Albert F. Egan, Jr., Reginald Levine and Robert D. Congdon. Rotating exhibits are being presented with special emphasis on marine and early paintings by nationally known artists.The Quaker Meeting House is being used for Sunday service by the local Friends Society.

This year, Elizabeth Gilbert, with the help of a few hard working volunteers, has mounted an extremely fine needlework exhibit here at the Peter Foulger Museum. I will ask her to speak on this and urge all of you to see it today if you have not already done so.

Issuing plaques for houses built before 1812 has been a worthwhile program and we are still having applications. We miss Jean Merriman doing the research on these but Blue Balliett has done a commendable job.

Among our non-revenue producing services are free admission to four of our buildings, the Archaelology Department, quarters with light and heat for the International Marine Archives, a very impressive display in the State Capitol put on by Renny Stackpole; free admissions for Nantucket school classes to all of our buildings; a number of lectures and courses by Mr.Stackpole; and many things I have forgotten to mention.

I want to thank again those people who have given us large donations of money and artifacts worth thousands of dollars, so essential to a growing Association. Thanks also to volunteers, staff, officers, and especially to the curators, unpaid, but devoted to constantly improving our exhibits. It is the combined effort of all these people that makes possible the fulfillment of our museum to collect, preserve and present Nantucket history and tradition.

Leroy H. True