THE CALEDONIAN SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 3328, 20 October 1873, Page 2

THE CALEDONIAN SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of the members of this body was held on Friday evening, Eamsay occupying the chair. The following report by the directors was brought up ami adopted : In presenting their report for the year ending October, 1873, your Directors can safely note the continued success of the Society, the number of members having during the year increased from eighty-seven to upwards of 120. The Directors for same years past have been endeavoring to have the Society incorporated, and they are now sanguine that their efforts to that end will be crowned with success. Debentures.—The second original _issue of debentures represented the sum of L 355. This amount your directors are now glad to state has been reduced to Li2lo ; debentures repre seating L 145 having been bought in during the past year. Donations.—During the year the sum of L 27 was specially voted for charitable donations. Of this amount LlO was voted _ to the Benevolent Institution, the remaining Ll7 being applied to relieve special cases of destitution. Your Directors may state that, hi every case where application was made, relief was granted. Evening Classes,- The evening classes were opened the first week in August. The number of pupils who presented themselves for enrolment was far in advance of what w r as anticipated by the Directors. Since the classes were opened, the number of pupils enrolled exceeds 180, The classes were opened at first under the charge of Messrs M ‘Gregor ami Stables. It was soon found necessary to engage additional help, and Messrs Neish and Fleming were employed. The latter, having been appointed to a school in the country, has been obliged to give up his connection with the classes. It was also found necessary to find accommodation more suitable than that afforded at the Athenmum, and the Deacons’ Court of the First Church kindly agreed to allow the use of the hall below the Church for three nights each week, where the classes have been conducted since. The subjects taught have been arithmetic, book-keeping and English grammar. The average attendance each evening has ranged from 60 to 90. The teachers have to report that, on the whole, the pupils have applied themselves with great zeal to their tasks, and have conducted themselves with great circumspection. It is intended by the teachers to carry on the classes till the first or second week in December. Notwithstanding the drawbacks arising from want of room, difficulty of classification, and the scarcity of some necessary books, the progress of the classes has been such as to be highly satisfactory to the Directors as a first attempt. Your Directors, on the ISth April last, appointed a Committee far the purpose of ascertaining the terms upon which the Society could pui'chase a piece of ground suitable for holding the annual gatherings and other sports of the Society, whose report your Directors unanimously adopted. Ultimately your Directors approved of the course which had been taken by the Committee, and authorised the conveyance of the land to be made out in favor of trustees for and on behalf of the Society. In conclusion, your Directors hope that their successors in office will do their utmost to foi - ward the interests of the Society. It was stated by the Chairman, that the Society’s new ground had been purchased for L2,0(J0, or L2lO an acre. The election of officerbearera resulted as follows President, Mr Keith Kamsay ; Vice Presidents, Messrs Jno. Cargill and Jas. Marshallhou, Treasurer, Mr W. C. Kirkcaldy j lion Secretary, Mr A. Findlater; Mr Douglas, who has he'd the last office for some years, haying intimated that his business engagements prevented him from unr dertaking the duties.