MUSEUM N 



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Members' Night 



Members' Night, 1961, saw 1,725 per- 

 sons stream through the Museum's doors 

 for an evening of intellectual stimulation 

 and enjoyment. They talked with the 

 Museum's scientists, learned something 

 of their research, and glimpsed the var- 

 ied behind-the-scenes operations that are 

 such an important part of the Museum's 

 functioning. Carrying articles purchased 

 in the Mexican market place, our guests 

 lingered before the demonstrations and 

 exhibits prepared for them on the third 

 and fourth floors of the Museum, and 

 examined the treasures now on perman- 

 ent display in the new Hall of Polynesian 

 and Micronesian Cultures. 



Many visitors wrote to express their 

 pleasure in the evening. As one couple 

 put it: "It is difficult to say what one 

 subject was the most enjoyable, or gave 

 the greatest pleasure. Having seen the 

 film showing what goes on behind the 

 scenes at the Museum and what efforts 

 are made to produce a leaf which is 

 authentic, it will be with great humility 

 and deeper appreciation that we shall 

 view the exhibits in the future." An- 

 other member wrote : "The staff of the 

 Museum should be congratulated for the 

 exciting program. It was the first Mem- 

 bers' Night my children and I have 

 attended. We want to come back every 

 year as well as in between." One happy 

 youngster addressed his note to Dr. Fritz 

 Haas, Curator Emeritus of Lower In- 

 vertebrates and a member of the Mu- 

 seum's staff for 23 years: 



Pagek 



ABOVE (Zool- 

 ogy): Members' 

 Xighl visitors ex- 

 amine some "facts 

 and fables about 

 abominable snow- 

 men." 



"Dear Dr. Haas, 



Thank you for giving me those 

 very wonderful shells you gave me 

 last night. All together my shells 

 weigh two pounds. ... I was 7 

 December 30th. I like to go to 

 Members' Night. I hope to see 

 you next year." 



For these and the many other expres- 

 sions of appreciation received, the Mu- 

 seum's staff is deeply grateful. In reply, 

 Dr. Haas has summed up the feelings 

 of all of us in his own apt comment: 

 "All the work, the trouble, the prepara- 

 tions that are a staff member's lot before 

 Members' Night were highly rewarded !" 



Lapidary Exhibit 



Approximately 100 outstanding exam- 

 ples of amateur gem and jewelry crafts- 

 manship will be displayed at the Museum 

 from June 10 through July 4 in the Elev- 

 enth Annual Amateur Handcrafted Gem 

 and Jewelry Competitive Exhibition. 



The exhibition, sponsored by the Chi- 

 cago Lapidary Club, will include prize- 

 winning cabochoned and faceted gems, 

 gem collections, individual pieces of 

 jewelry and jewelry sets, polished stone 



and slab collections, and enameled 

 stone work. The exhibitors are amateur 

 "Iapidarists" residing in the Chicago 

 metropolitan area. 



Television Program 



WTTYV's new "Festival" program 

 series on Channel 11 will feature Dr. 

 Roland Force, Curator of Oceanic Ar- 

 chaeology and Ethnology, on Friday, 

 June 29 at 9:30 p.m. The program will 

 highlight the Museum's newest exhibi- 

 tion hall, "Cultures of Polynesia and 

 Micronesia," devoted to the art and cus- 

 toms of the peoples living in those areas 

 of the South Pacific. Through the use 

 of photographs, paintings, music, and 

 the display of outstanding objects from 

 the Museum's collections, Dr. Force will 

 recreate the life and culture of Polynesia 

 and Micronesia. Dr. Force has lived in 

 the South Pacific, and has done anthro- 

 pological research there. "Festival" is 

 a weekly series on Chicago's educa- 

 tional television station, designed to call 

 attention to the cultural life of the city 

 by focussing on outstanding personali- 

 ties and events promoting culture and 

 the arts in Chicago. 



