*The record crowd at the Horological Society of New York's May Lecture. Photo by Atom Moore.*

Eric Wind's recent lecture at the Horological Society of New York (HSNY) was fascinating, amusing and educational. But it was notable for another very important reason: it had the largest attendance at any HSNY lecture in over 50 years! Nearly 200 people packed the landmark General Society Library in Midtown Manhattan to hear Wind speak, even though the winter weather outside was quite cold. Attendance at recent HSNY meetings has continued to increase to the point where free tickets are required to attend to prevent overcrowding. This is a great problem to have and shows the incredible enthusiasm for horological education in New York.

*Panorama of the General Society Library during the Horological Society of New York's May Lecture. Photo by Atom Moore.*

50 years ago, the American watchmaking industry was at its peak and HSNY's monthly meetings attracted huge crowds on a regular basis. Back then, HSNY operated as a 501(c)(6) business league, focusing on the needs of professional watchmakers. Today, HSNY is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, focused on horological education for the public. Looking back in the HSNY archives, we found a page from the May, 1950, Horologist's Loupe (HSNY's monthly newsletter) that shows a wonderful photo of the April, 1950, lecture, with over 500 people in attendance.

HSNY is grateful for the continued support from our members and sponsors, and we look forward to seeing you at a lecture or class soon!