166 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1954 



EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM 



The attendance for the general, congressional, and special tours and 

 the "Picture of the Week" totaled 41,906, while the attendance at 38 

 auditorium lectures on Sunday afternoons was approximately 10,600 

 during the fiscal year 1954. 



Tours, lectures, and conferences arranged by appointment were given 

 to 146 groups and individuals. The total number of people served 

 in this manner was 3,456. These special appointments were made for 

 such groups as representatives from leading universities and mu- 

 seums, other governmental departments, high schools, colleges, 

 women's clubs, and a number of foreign visitors. This service also 

 included two training programs, one for the Washington Junior 

 League volunteers who thereafter conducted tours for art students 

 in the Washington high schools, and the other for members of the 

 Arlington branch of the American Association of University Women 

 who conducted tours in the Gallery for all the Arlington public-school 

 children in grades 2 to 6. 



The staff of the Educational Office delivered 13 lectures in the 

 auditorium on Sunday afternoons, while 25 were given by guest 

 speakers. During April and May Sir Herbert Read delivered the 

 Third Annual Series of the six A. W. Mellon Lectures in the Fine Arts 

 on the theme "The Art of Sculpture." 



During the past year 200 persons borrowed 5,457 slides from the 

 lending collection, and 16 copies of the National Gallery of Art fihn 

 have been placed in distribution centers throughout the country. Ar- 

 rangements were made with each center to serve certain States so 

 that every State in the Union has a copy of the film available nearby. 

 The slide lecture "The Christmas Story in Art" was popular again, 

 having been shown to approximately 5,894 people. Members of the 

 Educational Office prepared and gave 28 broadcasts to accompany the 

 Sunday night concerts over Station WGMS. 



The printed Calendar of Events announcing all Gallery activities 

 and publications is distributed monthly to a mailing list of more than 

 4,000 names. 



LIBRARY 



The most important contributions to the Library during the fiscal 

 year 1954 were 8,767 books, pamphlets, periodicals, subscriptions, and 

 photographs purchased from funds made available for tliis purpose. 

 Gifts included 479 books, pamphlets, and periodicals, while 812 books, 

 pamphlets, and bulletins were received from other institutions. 



Although the Library is not open to the public it is possible for 

 students of art and persons with art questions to use the services of 

 the Library. During this fiscal year the Library staff handled 630 



