Page:The museum, (Jackson, Marget Talbot, 1917).djvu/299

Rh NOTES The custom of beginning the fiscal and business year on October first, which comes about from the fact that the school year begins at that time, is often impracticable. Whatever the date chosen, some branch of a large work will be inconvenienced thereby, but the beginning of the calendar year is usually preferable to any other time, on account of the system of numbering accessions which is in use in most museums.

Memberships should begin whenever the money is paid and expire at the end of the period paid for, otherwise a member who might join March 1st will wait till November and the Society will lose six months' use of the money.

Where an accessions committee is given absolute power, as here, the director is saved much responsibility and odium in accepting or rejecting works of art. At the same time, if the director is a competent person, the committee may vote him sums of money to be spent at his discretion whenever occasion arises, as on a trip to Europe or New York.