tutioii untr;iiiiiii('lcil Ky courses iind re(|iiii-ciiH'iils, (»r rutlicr it liiis all courses 

 elective so that the cliild may seek out that subject in uliirli lie is most 

 interested to lay iiiiconseiously the foundations of a life work or recreation. 

 For feelinf,' and intellect act together in the child and the more spontaneous 

 the interest the more deep-rooted and lastin^j; the impression. Thus it 

 is gratifying to see in the letters from the schools fretjuent reference to the 

 liking that children have for the collections and the trips to the Museum. 



It is good also to find many allusions to the fact that children carry home 

 the news of their experiences and luring their j)arents "to see the Museum" 

 too. This unites the younger and the older generations by a tie of common 

 knowledge and interest. 



Two features of the institution's educational work are peculiar to a 

 museum and due to its organization: first, that it furnishes i)leasurable 

 instruction which is non-compulsory as to time and sul)ject, heing moreover 

 important as knowledge toward better li\'ing; and second, tliat it furnishes 

 such education to young and old iiHjvthcr, thus forming one small bond for 

 united family life under city conditions where there is great need of such 

 influence. 



The Museum has Justified all it Cost by what it does for Children of 



Elementary Schools 



Public School No. 50, Manhattan 



I have not seen equalled in any European country the hospitality with which the Museum 

 has opened its doors to the cliildren, providing guides to escort them through the building. 

 The children have been intelUgent and eager listeners to the lectures, and have always re- 

 turned to school the following day enthusiastic over their experience, which provided an 

 outing for many whose Uves are not often gladdened, while affording instruction as well as 

 rare pleasure. 



It has been the good fortune of Public School No. .50 to have lecturers like Mr. Sherwood 

 and Mrs. Roesler come to the children in their own school and showtliem. from six'cimens 

 sent l:)y the Museum, the characteristics of many birds whose notes they reproduced to the 

 great pleasure of the children. It is a "red-letter day" in Public School No. .50 when a 

 new case of specimens arrives and is exhibited to the children. 



We feel that the Museum would have justified all that it has cost if it were only for 

 what it does for the children of the elementary schools. 



.\ SiNfiLE Cherry Flower 



I'nIiUc School Xo. oil. lirookhjtt. drodc 3B 



The flowers and twigs distributed by the American Museum of Natural History last 

 spring were of great interest to the children. A bud on one of the cherry twigs opened in 

 my classroom, and the children, who had never seen a clicrry blossom, were delighted to see 

 and smell the little white flower. 



The Hird Collections a Real E.n.ioyment 



Public School No. 113, MoiihoKon 



I do not know how we ever had any bird study down in this section of the city before 

 the Museum began to lend us the collections of birds. Now we have not only the study of 

 the birds but the cliildren draw them in color, thus doubling the enjoyment. I keep the 

 birds near my office door and no child passes without giving a good long look in their direction. 

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