826 KEPOKT OF NATIONAL MMSEIIM, 1903. 



monthly nuioazine, the Children's Museum Bulletin, in which may be 

 found much elementary instruction. Instructive lectures, illusti-ated 

 by objects from the collections, are also given there for young teach- 

 ei's of both sexes. The children's library contains about 3,000 titles. 

 Similarly in the National Museum in Washington. This Museum is 

 under the direction of the celebrated Smithsonian Institution, which 

 was founded in 184(5 '' for the increase and diffusion of knowledge 

 among ujen,"' not alone, like our academies, for the advancement of 

 "science" in its more restricted sense. The Smithsonian Institution 

 is the most renowned scientific institution in the United States. Its 

 director, the noted physicist and astronomer, S. P. Langley, though 

 not specially occupied with museum affairs, took personal charge of 

 the estal)lishment of this children's room in the great Museum and 

 worked out the details with loving care. All labels are worded in such 

 a way as to be readily understood by children. The object was to 

 develop the minds of the children and inspire them with a love for 

 nature, as had been proposed by Agassiz. This, it was thought, could 

 best be accomplished by withholding from them the confused mass of 

 objects to be found in a scientific collection, so that they might be 

 attracted and interested, but not oppressed and repelled. Langley 

 lias admirably expressed himself upon this subject and with the humor 

 characteristic of Americans." 



Prises for school ehildren. — Direct efforts are made to induce pupils 

 of both sexes to visit the museums by offering prizes for essays 

 adapted to the different classes. This custom has been carried on 

 especiall}^ at the Carnegie Museum, Pittsburg, since 1896. The report 

 on the subject for the year 1902 occupies 41 pages. ^ At the last com- 

 petition 47 prizes of from five to twent3^-five dollars were offered. 

 The subjects proposed were (1) bird life, as illustrated in the museum; 

 (2) minerals and gemstones in the museum; (3) why I like the Car- 

 negie Museum. No composition was to exceed 1,200 words in length. 

 The contest lasted four weeks. Even the teachers whose pupils show 

 the best training are suitabl}^ rewarded. Last year 813 children took 

 part in the contest. The award of prizes is always made the occasion 

 for a great popular gathering and resembles a kind of public jubilee. 

 The best two essays on bird life are printed in the above-named 

 report. They were submitted by boys 13 and 17 years of age. That 

 of the younger boy is particularly well done. 



Lectures. — Great influence is exerted by public lectures. Tw« 

 striking examples of this may be given. The American Museum of 



"The Children's Room in the Smithsonian Institution. By A. B. Paine, Smith- 

 sonian Report for 1901, pp. 553-560, pis i-.\.\, Washington, 1902. See also St. Nicho- 

 lax, New York and London, September, 1901, pp. 968-78, with figures. 



'^See The Carnegie Museum, Pittsburg. Prize Essay Contest, 1901. Publications 

 of the Carnegie Museum, Serial Nos. 18 and 19, Pittsburg, 1901 and 1902. 



