APPENDIX 1. 



REPORT ON THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Sir : I have the honor to submit the following report on the opera- 

 tions of the United States National Museum during the fiscal year 

 ending June 30, 1920. 



The year witnessed very little change in the organization of the 

 United States National Museum. The congressional appropriations 

 for the maintenance of the Museum remaining practically stationary 

 for many years has not only prevented the Museum from engaging 

 in new lines of Avork offering exceptional opportunities at this time 

 but has allowed it to carry forward existing work only by the u^ 

 of the strictest economy. The Museum has been unable to add even 

 a few of the experts needed to assist in the classification of specimens 

 in the recently organized department of arts and industries as well 

 as in the long-established natural history departments, nor has it been 

 able to make any general advancement of salaries though greatly 

 needed. The insufficiency of funds precludes separate staff officers 

 for the various sections or divisions of the work, these various activi- 

 ties having of necessity to be placed under those curators in other 

 lines best qualified to also handle the subjects. Thus, for instance, for 

 administrative purposes only, the division of medicine and the sec- 

 tion of wood technology are under the general supervision of Mr. 

 F. L. Lewton, who is the curator of textiles, and Dr. Walter Hough, 

 curator of ethnology, has general oversight of various other collec- 

 tions where there is no paid staff, especially the art textiles, ceramics, 

 musical instruments, and the period costume collections. This ar- 

 rangement is far from ideal, but it holds collections together until 

 means are available for the needed additional experts. The item for 

 preservation of collections, from which the scientific and clerical 

 staffs, the watch and cleaning force, freight and cartage, and pre- 

 servatives are paid, was last increased 10 years ago, just as the Museum 

 was taking possession of the Natural History Building. Since then 

 approximately 3,000,000 specimens have been added to the Museum. 



After the death of Mr. S. C. Brown the position of registrar of 

 the Museum was abolished and a reorganization of the work made. 

 The records relating to accessions, material for examination and 

 report, and to distribution of specimens were transferred to the office 



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