12 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1956 



Ladies Hall. The professional staff of the Smithsonian Institution 

 prepared the scripts used by the docents. All the drudgery of organ- 

 izing the tours, notifying the various elementary school systems in 

 the District and those in the adjoining counties of Maryland and 

 Virginia, and making all tour arrangements with the school teacher 

 and respective docent, was graciously assumed by Mrs. Nelson and 

 Mrs. Chilton. 



On January 25, 1956, the first trial was held in the American Indian 

 Hall, and the first official scheduled tours began February 20. The 

 following Junior Leaguers served as docents in the American Indian 

 Hall: Mrs. George Goodrich, Mrs. William McClure, Mrs. Kobert 

 McCormick, Miss Mary McNeil, Mrs. John Manfuso, Mrs. John Mash- 

 burn, Mrs. Robert Nelson, Mrs. Boiling Powell, Mrs. Walter Slowin- 

 ski, and Mrs. George Wyeth. 



During the final stages of completing the First Ladies Hall, a 

 script was prepared emphasizing in this unique display graphic por- 

 trayals of interesting episodes in our American history. The program 

 for fifth- and sixth-grade pupils was inaugurated on March 29, 1956. 

 The following served as docents in the First Ladies Hall : Mrs. Alex- 

 ander Chilton, Mrs. William Evers, Mrs. Walter Graves, Mrs. Harold 

 Hull, Mrs. John W. Kern, III, Miss Mary L. Krayenbuhl, Mrs. Peter 

 MacDonald, Mrs. Jay B. L. Reeves, and Mrs. John Schoenfeld. 



In reviewing the number of tours and children accommodated in 

 this short period, I am extremely pleased with the response and yet 

 somewhat chagrined that the Institution has not been able in the past 

 to offer more of this kind of service. The numerous requests for 

 it only accentuate the acute need for this type of educational pro- 

 gram. Moreover, it becomes especially desirable as we continue to 

 modernize our exhibition halls. During the 3-month period in the 

 American Indian Hall the Junior League completed 58 tours, escort- 

 ing over 3,000 third- and fourth-grade pupils. During the 2^- 

 month period in the First Ladies of the White House Hall, 44 tours 

 guided over 1,500 elementary school classes. 



One of the most encouraging features resulting from a final con- 

 ference before the summer vacation period began was the manifest 

 enthusiasm on the part of the Junior Leaguers to continue this school 

 guide service in the aforementioned two halls and to extend the pro- 

 gram to other new halls as they are completed and opened to the 

 public. 



In many ways the project has been the culmination of several years 

 of hopes, desires, and plans for assisting school children in under- 

 standing the Smithsonian's new and modernized exhibition halls. 

 I feel confident that the members of the Board of Regents join with 

 me in expressing gratitude to the members of the Junior League 



