SECRETARY'S REPORT 181 



The attendance for the general tours, Congressional tours, "Tours 

 for the Week," and "Pictures of the Week," totaled 43,954 while that 

 for the 51 auditorium lectures on Sunday afternoons was approxi- 

 mately 11,488 during the fiscal year 1957. 



Tours, lectures, and conferences were arranged by special appoint- 

 ment for 322 groups and individuals. The total number of people 

 served in this manner was 7,640. This is an increase over last year 

 of 23 groups and 350 persons. These special appointments were made 

 for such groups as representatives from high schools, universities, 

 museums, governmental agencies, and distinguished visitors. 



The program of training volunteer docents was continued during 

 the fiscal year. Fifty-seven ladies were given special instruction un- 

 der the general supervision of the Curator in Charge of Educational 

 Work and under the specific direction of one of the members of the 

 staff. By arrangement with the school systems of the District of 

 Columbia and surrounding counties of Virginia and Maryland, these 

 ladies assisted in giving guided tours for the children from these 

 schools. In all, 751 classes, with a total of 22,561 children, were given 

 the tours during the fiscal year. This represents an increase over last 

 year of 4,046 children in attendance. 



The staff of the Educational Office delivered 20 lectures in the audi- 

 torium on Sunday afternoons. Twenty-four lectures were given by 

 guest speakers, and during April and May Dr. Sigfried Giedion de- 

 livered the Sixth Annual Series of seven A. W. Mellon Lectures in 

 the Fine Arts on the theme "Constancy and Change in Art and 

 Architecture." 



During the past year 205 persons borrowed a total of 6,110 slides 

 from the slide lending collection. 



The office completed in May two new slide strip films on paintings 

 in the National Gallery of Art which will be available for sale about 

 July 1, 1957. These are in addition to two other slide strips (one on 

 sculpture, and one on prints) and one strip film, which have been 

 available. 



The centers throughout the country that distribute the National 

 Gallery of Art film, "Your National Gallery," report approximately 

 72,339 persons viewed the film in 310 showings. 



Members of the staff prepared leaflets on the works of art in in- 

 dividual galleries ; prepared mimeographed material for school tours 

 and to accompany slide loans; and prepared and recorded 33 radio 

 broadcasts for use during intermission periods of the National Gallery 

 concerts. 



The printed Calendar of Events announcing all the Gallery's activ- 

 ities was prepared by the Educational Office and distributed monthly 

 to a mailing list of approximately 4,500 names. 



