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Also on December 6, 1917, Article IX of the Constitution was amended so as to provide for Life Members of the Institution; contributions of $250 in money or acceptable gifts of collections or specimens being the necessary qualification for election to said Class.
At the annual meeting on May 15, 1917, George G. Heye was elected Chairman; Harmon W. Hendricks, Vice-Chairman, and Frederic K. Seward, Member of the Executive Committee, to serve until the Annual Meeting in May, 1920.
At various meetings throughout the year the following were elected to the class of membership set opposite their respective names below:
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NAMES | CLASSES OF MEMBERSHIP
George G. Heye | Founder
F. Kingsbury Curtis | Founder
James B. Ford | Founder
Harmon W. Hendricks | Founder
Archer M. Huntington | Founder
Minor C. Keith | Founder
Mrs. Thea Heye | Benefactor
Clarence B. Moore | Benefactor
Mrs. Russell Sage | Patron
Mrs. George P. Rowell | Patron
Mrs. Minor C. Keith | Patron
Miss Edith Hendricks | Patron
Samuel Riker, Jr. | Patron
Frederic K. Seward | Fellow
J. Amory Haskell | Fellow
Reginald Pelham Bolton | Life Member
William L. Calver | Life Member
Herman Schweitzer | Life Member
Sig. Hart | Life Member
James G. Price | Annual Fellow
Robert C. Beatty | Annual Member
J. Newton Gunn | Annual Member  [[/two columns]]

THE BUILDING.

The headquarters of the Institution were moved into the Museum Building offices on August 26, 1917, although the building was not yet completed.  With the exception of a few minor details the building itself was completed about November 1st, at which time the Museum material and collections were moved thereto.  The cabinets and cases for the first floor have been set up and the work of installing the specimens for exhibition purposes therein has been practically completed.  The Museum has
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not been opened to the public in view of the fact that in the judgement of your Board it seemed wiser to defer such opening until a more propitious time when it would be fitting to make the opening of the Museum to the public concurrent with the undertaking of a membership campaign.  The Board deemed it desirable in the meantime to proceed with the outfitting of the exhibition rooms on the second floor and the preparation of the material for exhibit in order that at the time of the public opening a representative exhibit of archaeology and ethnology might be made.
In conformity with this policy, the contract for the cabinets and cases for the second floor has been awarded in the sum of $38,883, to which should be added the consulting engineer's fee of two per cent, bringing the cost to approximately $40,000.
Subscriptions totalling $30,000 towards the cost have been received as follows:
James B. Ford ....................$15,000
Harmon W. Hendricks ..............  5,000
F. Kingsbury Curtis ..............  5,000
George G. Heye ...................  5,000
The cost of laying the sidewalk was $2,808.  Through the generosity of Mr. James B. Ford, who subscribed $2,308 for this purpose, and of Mr. John Clark Udall, who subscribed the balance, $500, the necessary funds for this purpose were provided.
Mr. James B. Ford subscribed $964, which paid all the expense of planting and protecting with iron guards the trees planted along the curb line.

REAL ESTATE ACQUISITIONS.

On May 29, 1917, through the generosity of Mr. Archer M. Huntington and Mr. George G. Heye, the Museum became the owner of the building and land at the junction of St. Nicholas Avenue, St. Nicholas Place and 150th Street, which gift was intended to provide additional space for storage, laboratory and educational purposes in connection with the Museum's activities.
Mr. James B. Ford generously provided funds totaling $34,774.69, which permitted the Institution to purchase the four remaining houses and lots on the said triangular block bounded by St. Nicholas Avenue, St. Nicholas Place, 150th and 151st Streets.  The four additional houses and lots so purchased are subject to mortgages totaling $35,000, which have been placed at five per cent.  Three of the four houses so purchased have been rented at rentals aggregating approximately $3,600 annually.  Taxes on the real estate for the current year amount to $1,133.80; interest amounts to $1,750.  Leaving a reasonable allowance for maintenance,