KErORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 121) 



tribe, language, and iiidiistiy into tln' same liiu- of cotniiaiatixc study tlirougli serie,s 

 of objerts. 



The following is a concise descri]>tioii of the exhibits. Tlie ])lan was to svt apart 

 :i definite space or alcove for each linguistic family or stock, to place in the center 

 of each a group of lay figures of men and women or children, dressed in proper cos- 

 tume and engaged in typical occupations. About this gronj), in wall cases and 

 screens, would be assembled as many examples of the handiwork of that people as 

 possible. Especial attention was given to selecting such arts as were <iuite charac- 

 teristic and distinctive in each case. 



It is much to be regretted that the contracted space allowed in tlie Government 

 building at Chicago prevented the curator from giving to the idea its fullest expan- 

 sion. Enough was disi>laycd. however, to bring into prominence the statement that 

 the eartli, witli its climate and natural resources, has much to say about the material 

 and the form of human industries. Blood and language and social life anil religion 

 have their say also in tlie arts of lile, but their influence is superacUled, and not fun- 

 damental. 



lu the development of this i'olleetion,iu aceordanee with tiiese phtiis, 

 Prof. Mason was engaged for nearly three years, and a large amount 

 of ett'ort, which under other eircnmstances would have appeared in the 

 form of contribution.s to the literature of ethnology, was devoted to the 

 preparation of the descriptive labels and the educational material to be 

 exhibited. In this work most etfective assistance was rendered by 

 various members of the lUireau of Ethnology and the ^Museum staff. 

 Mr. James Moouey spent several months among the Moqui Indians of 

 Arizona, and Kiowas of Indian Territory, and while in the held was 

 also instrumental in obtaining the Voth collection from the Cheyenne 

 and Arapahoes. The collections sent in embraced over one thousand 

 objects. Dr. W. J. Henshaw also collected among the Crow Indians, and 

 obtained among other things some very beautiful costumes, especially 

 the dress and outtit of a Crow warrior. Mr. ITenshaw while in Cali- 

 fornia obtained an im])ortant collection of basketry and other objects 

 of the Californian tribes. 



Another interesting and important outgrowth of tlu^ work of this 

 department was the result of the curator's esi)ecial interest in the work 

 of woman in savagery, or woman's share in i)riniitive industry. This 

 subject was discussed by him in the lecture entitled •• Woman's Share in 

 Primitive Culture/' delivered by him in the National ^Inscum Satur- 

 day lecture course in 1888. The attention of many intelligent women 

 was thus attracted to the subject, and at the special invitation of the 

 Board of Lady Managers, and in accordance with the special resolu- 

 tion of Congress, an exhibit of woman's industries was prepared aiul 

 installed in theWoman's building. The idea Avhicli this collection was 

 intended to illustrate is described as follows: 



The motive of this exhibit was to show woman's work in savagery, or woman's 

 share in primitive industries. Reviewing Mr. Spencer's division of tlie course of 

 history into an age of militancy and an age of industrialism, it occurred to tlie 

 curator that this should rather be a sexual classification. This would give a sex 

 of militancy, which is masculine, and a sex of industrialism, which is feminine. 

 This is very clearly proveil by this exhibit. The highest classific concept would be 

 H. Mis. 184, pt. 2 9 



