The house committee are greatly indebted to Miss Julia McBlair, for the gracious manner in which she served the board as hostess during the period of the exposition.
The work of the house committee is so closely allied to that of the committee on ceremonies that it is somewhat difficult to draw a line between the duties of the two or to set forth in a formal report the differences.
For details of the work of house committee preliminary to entertainments, reference is made to report of entertainment and ceremonies committees, and for details of house furnishings reference is made to house furnishing committee.
Without wishing to discriminate in the least, thanks are especially due to Weil's band, of St. Louis, Mo., for their never-failing courtesy in supplying music for the entertainments of the board whenever it was possible for their engagements to permit, and to the leader, Mr. William Weil, for his personal interest.
To the commissioner from Ceylon, Mr. Stanley Bois, the board would especially express their thanks for the tea from his commission, which was used and enjoyed by the members of the board and their guests, and also to the representatives of the Japanese commission, who presented the chests of tea from which, together with that sent by the commissioner from Ceylon, all afternoon teas and receptions and luncheons of the board were supplied, to the great pleasure and enjoyment of their tea-drinking friends. Department of Horticulture for their gifts of choice fruit, and the California commission for beautiful basket of fruit on "California Day." To the agent who, through Messrs. Nicholson & Co., of St. Louis, presented two cases of champagne; and Colorado horticulture for baskets of fruit.
The house committee particularly appreciated the courtesy extended to the board of lady managers by Lieutenant-Colonel Kingsbury and Lieutenant-Colonel Fountain and officers of the Jefferson Guards for constantly providing a guard for their building.
SALENA V. ERNEST,
Chairman.
Immediately upon the adjournment of the board the president began to collect material for the report, and pursuant to the power given her by the resolution at the last session, held in St. Louis, a special meeting was called on June 9, 1905, at the Murray Hill Hotel, New York, to pass upon the final report.
There were present: Mrs. Daniel Manning, president, presiding, and Mrs.
Buchwalter; Mrs. Hanger, acting secretary; Mrs. Knott, Mrs. Daly, Mrs.
Holcombe, Mrs. Ernest, Mrs. Coleman, Miss Dawes, Mrs. Hunsicker, Mrs.
Moores, and Miss Egan.
The report was to be transmitted to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission, whose final meeting was called at Portland, Oreg., for June 15. It was, therefore, necessary that the report of the board should be in the hands of the Commission by that time, and it was most fortunate that immediate action could be taken upon the copy and forwarded to the Commission.