DRAFT OF A CLASSIFICATION FOR THE WORLD's FAIR. 653 



been simply to show the relation of the ideas which underlie the main 

 classitication. 



The minor headings may l)e made the basis of an alternative arrange- 

 ment, which is quite practicable, if the commission should prefer to 

 adopt a plan with a larger nuDiber of main departments. A rearrange- 

 ment of the details would be simply an affair of paste and scissors. 



Your attention is invited to the proposed adoption of the decimal 

 si/stem in the numeration of the classes. 



Each number used in the classitication will indicate in itself, in the 

 simplest and clearest manner possible, the class, division, and depart- 

 ment to which the object designated l)elongs. There are ten divisions 

 in each group or dtixirfninif, and ten classes in each division, making 

 one thousand cl<(sses in all. 



At first sight this system may seem artificial and not practical. Its 

 advantages are, however, many and ])ositive, especially when in use by 

 persons untrained in exhibition administration. It is not by any means 

 a new idea. A somewhat similar system of class numeration was used 

 with excellent results in the Philadeli»hia Exhibition of 1876. A simple 

 illustration of the plan is found in the customary way of numbering the 

 rooms and floors in large hotels, the numbering of the rooms on the first 

 floor beginning with 1, those on the second floor 2, and so on. 



The use of the decimal system is not, however, an essential feature 

 of the plan and another method of designating the classes may readily 

 be substituted. 



This plan is purposely more minute and elaborate than that used by 

 any previous exhibition, in order to call out material that otherwise 

 might not be sent. If the classification were intended simply for the 

 installation of material on the floors of the Chicago buildings, this one 

 is surely fuller than it need be. If, however, the most important func- 

 tion of a plan of classification is to serve as a. stimulant and a guide to 

 exhibitors and to show them n'h<(t lind of objects theif can and ought to 

 send to the Exposition, it is scarcely possible to have it too comprehen- 

 sive. 



It will be noticed that some classes are nuich more minutely subdi- 

 vided than others. This is usually intentional. Where the details of 

 a subject are to be found in the cyclo])edias and common treatises, they 

 are not included here. For instance, the breeds of poultry are not cata- 

 logued, because it is unnecessary. Sometimes, on the other liand, the 

 omission is unavoidable, because the author of the classification is 

 ignorant of the subject and has not as yet been able to find the proper 

 IJersons to supply the needed information. So far as necessary, addi- 

 tions and alterations can be made in the next edition of the plan. 



Let me say, however, that the classification is intended to be suggestive 

 rather than exhaustive. 



This plan calls for much material and information — historical, statis- 

 tical, scientific, and educational — which no previous exhibition has 

 obtained or asked for, I do not believe that private exhibitors will 



