A REVIEW OF 1954 By Do•rALt) H. PowERs Read by PAtrL G.I. LatrFFER Just ^ ¾E^R ago at the Medal Award dinner your 1954 officers were installed and a platform for the coming year was set up. Today a report of progress seems in order. I. The growth of your SOCIETY continues, and the Secretary tells me it has reached a new high. The membership standards are still so high that we have a number we cannot accept as failing to meet our standards. Per- haps we should lower these standards. II. The May Meeting proved to be an excellent one, held under the program guidance of Gabriel Barnett. III. The selection of Mrs. Eunice T. Miner of the New York Academy of Sciences for Honorary Membership was a particularly happy choice and her acceptance speech will long be remembered for its charm and wit. IV. Your SocieTY suffered a severe and irreparable loss in the sudden and unexpected death of Moody Crowder. V. Fortunately, his colleague and a past-president, Walter A. Taylor, agreed to take over his post for the balance of the year. He continues to keep our finances in the black. VI. A new experiment was tried in your two-day September Seminar. Held at the New York Academy of Sciences, the attendance was restricted to 125, and we turned down more than twenty-five. All reports indicate that it was a great success--perhaps for the unusually clear and frank dis- cussions-perhaps for careful selection of three important areas of cosmetic study: emulsions, animal and human testing, and hair structure and waving--perhaps for trips to neighboring cosmetic plants which many had never visited--perhaps for the delicious meals in good company--perhaps for a blending of theoretical and practical ideas. In any event, those who attended enjoyed it, and I am sure have plans for bigger and better ones. VII. Another new project was set up under the Special Award Com- mittee with James H. Baker as chairman. His Committee with a great deal of study and consideration has raised money from more than twenty cosmetic manufacturers and suppliers for a $1000 award to the outstanding research during the past year, contributing to better cosmetics. Mr. Baker's Committee has first set up an outstanding group of experts to

2 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS select the best paper. Then the experts under Paul G. I. Lauffer will report their selection next spring, and your incoming President will make the first award sometime during the year 1955--our tenth year. This award is set up to be given annually if suitable research is published. We sincerely hope it will encourage the publication of better and more adaptable and funda- mental research in this field. VIII. We suggested last year the possibility of a new section on the west coast and have just been very much involved in the formation of a New York City section. They have had four meetings and have submitted a charter to the Board of Directors for approval and acceptance. H.R. Shepherd of Connecticut Chemical Research Corporation was the speaker at their latest dinner and nearly sixty attended. We hear that there is re- newed interest in a Hollywood section. IX. We had our first President's Night at the Chicago section in Novem- ber and installed their new officers for 1955. William Colburn has been an excellent section chairman, and Sylvia Kramer has been a tireless secretary. The programs for their eight monthly meetings have been excellent, and their selection of Henrici's in the Merchandise Mart for dinners, a happy one. May we have many more sections like this one. X. Your Society's library continues to grow. A number of important books were acquired during the year, and they were on display at the September Seminar. A series of bookcases have been acquired to house these volumes and arrangements made to loan and have open for inspection all of the books. XI. Your SocIET¾'s employment service has been handled confiden- tially by William R. Giese at the New York Academy of Sciences. I do not know how many men acquired jobs through this agency, but there is made available a list of cosmetic chemists seeking a change to any management executive seeking men. XII. I hope you were as pleasantly surprised as I was at the new ballots sent out last month describing the candidates for next year's offices. The Nominating Committee under Edward Morrish deserves a great deal of credit for its prompt handling of nominations and the printing by William Giese of the ballots complete with pictures. No one need apply for office in the future unless he takes a lovely picture. Incidentally, did you notice what a handsome group of candidates were listed? You will learn the re- sults of your ballots in a few minutes. XIII. This year the Medal Award Committee was set up to consist of past Medalists. Certainly this group would maintain or possibly raise the high standard of the Sociv. T¾'s Medalists. Under the able chairmanship of Everett McDonough, they have selected an outstanding addition to the Medalist list from England, and you will learn more about and from him tonight.