The present Worcester County Musical Association was organized at a meeting hld in Mechanics Hall October 2, 1863, with Samuel E. STAPLES as president and a board of directors selected from various towns in the county. The object of the association is stated in its by-laws, " the improvement of choirs in the performance of church music; the formaton of an elevated musical taste, through the study of music in its highest departments; and a social, genial, harmonious reunion of all lovers of music." The name under which it was originally known was the Worcester County Musical Convention. (A successful convention under the direction of Edward HAMILTON and B.F. BAKER, in 1858, was held under the name of the Musical Institute.) and this name was retained til the adoption of the present one in 1871, at which time it was also voted to call the annual gatherings, Musical Festivals. Since 1865 annual sessions of the Association have been held, at which oratorios of Handel, Hadyn and Mendelssohn, also the best prductions of Rossini, Gounod, Verdi and others have been given. The annual festivals of the association have been constantly growing more popular and it now has prestige and a prosperity not equaled by any similar one in the country. The number in attendence increases yearly, ad its patrons are not only from Worcester County, but lovers of music from both the New England and Middle States. Soloist from all parts of Eurpe, as well as of our country are procured with the best available orchestral accompaniment, and a local chorus which has won well deserved commendation from the musical critics the Board of Government for 1888 was Edward L. DAVIS president; William SUMNER vice president; A.C. MONROE secretary; J.E. BENCHLEY treasurer and 8 directors- B.D. ALLEN, C.M. BENT, Charles I. RICE, J.Q. ADAMS, Daniel DOWNEY, L.M. LOVELL, C.C. STERNS of Worcester and B.L.M. SMITH of Whitinsville. If space would permit, it wold be of interest to speak in detail of other musical societies that have existed in Worcester, but mention can be made only of the HAMILTON Club, named in honor of Edward HAMILTON for many years the leading singer of Worcester; the SCHUMANN Club organized in 1877; the singing society FROHSINN organized in 1858, with G.A. PATZ musical director and Benjamin ZAEDER as secretary, William LICHTENFELS is now the presdent and Heinrich BAYERLE is secretary; the Gounod Club organized in 1886, the president is Henry F. HARRIS, secretary is Josiah A. RICE and musical director is E.N. ANDERSON.