CHAPTER XV 
ROOSEVELT AFRICAN HALL—A RECORD FOR THE 
FUTURE 
HAVE dreamt many dreams. Some of them 
have been forgotten. Others have taken con- 
crete shape and become pleasing or hateful to me 
in varying degree. But one especially has dwelt with 
me through the years, gradually shaping itself into a 
commanding plan. It has become the inspiration and 
the unifying purpose of my work; all my efforts during 
recent years have bent toward the accomplishment 
of this single objective—the creation of a great African 
Hall which shall be called Roosevelt African Hall. 
I have always been convinced that the new meth- 
ods of taxidermy are not being used to the full; that, 
although the taxidermic process has been raised to an 
artistic plane, a great opportunity still remains for 
its more significant and comprehensive use in the 
creation of a great masterpiece of museum exhibition. 
Then, too, I have been constantly aware of the rapid 
and disconcerting disappearance of African wild 
life. And I suppose that those two considerations 
gave rise to the vision of the culmination of my work 
in a great museum exhibit, artistically conceived, 
which should perpetuate the animal life, the native 
customs, and the scenic beauties of Africa. 
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