REPOUT OF TPIE SECRETARY 37 



June, 1942 (6,384), more than doubled that recorded for July, 1941 

 (2,882). 



A basic part of the Gallery's educational program has been the 

 gallery tours of the collection, conducted twice daily, except on 

 Saturday and Sunday, which have attracted 18,935 visitors. In ad- 

 dition to these tours there has been a series of special lectures: a 

 special program of 34 lectures, beginning in October and contin- 

 uing through April, presented a special lecture each Saturday after- 

 noon in the lecture hall, which 7,292 persons attended, and the in- 

 timate "gallery talks" and other lectures presented in the auditorium, 

 dealing with a specific school or works of art, attracted a combined 

 total of 17,752. 



The educational department feeling the need for a short noontime 

 feature, in view of the increased number of visitors from nearby 

 Government buildings during this time, inaugurated on January 2, 

 1942, the "Picture of the Week," a 15-minute talk given twice each 

 day and once on Sunday, which in turn attracted 7,947 people, in- 

 dicating that this educational feature of the program was one of 

 the most popular. 



In addition, members of the educational department staff have 

 conducted private and group conferences, totaling 3,065 individuals, 

 of which 700 w^ere members of the armed forces for whom special 

 tours were arranged on Saturday afternoon, beginning in December 

 1941. 



LIBRARY 



A total of 242 books and 1,087 pamphlets and periodicals were 

 presented to the Gallery; 862 books and catalogs were acquired 

 through exchange; 37 books and catalogs were purchased; and 20 

 books were received on indefinite loan. 



PHOTOGRAPHIC DEPARTMENT 



Prints totaling 6,094, 1,187 black and white slides, and 709 color 

 slides have been made by the XDhotographic laboratory. The prints 

 have been placed on file in the Library where they are for sale and 

 for the use of the Gallery staff. The slides, together with an addi- 

 tional 420 which were purchased during the year, have been made 

 available for the staff in connection with the public lectures given at 

 the Gallery, and have likewise been lent to lecturers outside the 

 National Gallery and to other galleries. 



THE GALLERY BUILDING 



During the fiscal year, certain alterations and improvements have 

 been made in the building upon the recommendation of the com- 

 mittee on the building, among which may be mentioned the construe- 



