﻿REPORT 
  OF 
  THE 
  SECRETARY 
  37 
  

  

  surface, 
  with 
  consequent 
  extermination 
  of 
  living 
  things 
  and 
  destruc- 
  

   tion 
  of 
  deposits 
  of 
  all 
  kinds. 
  Opportunities 
  now 
  neglected 
  may 
  never 
  

   offer 
  again. 
  The 
  National 
  Museum 
  of 
  the 
  United 
  States 
  should 
  be 
  

   in 
  proper 
  situation 
  to 
  avail 
  itself 
  fully 
  of 
  all 
  opportunities 
  to 
  acquire 
  

   useful 
  materials. 
  

  

  There 
  is 
  need 
  further 
  for 
  definite 
  addition 
  to 
  the 
  Museum 
  staff. 
  

   At 
  the 
  present 
  time 
  a 
  number 
  of 
  divisions 
  in 
  which 
  there 
  are 
  excel- 
  

   lent 
  collections 
  are 
  without 
  curators. 
  Proper 
  training 
  of 
  assistants 
  to 
  

   handle 
  such 
  collections 
  is 
  a 
  matter 
  that 
  requires 
  years. 
  In 
  a 
  number 
  

   of 
  our 
  offices 
  younger 
  men 
  should 
  be 
  now 
  at 
  work 
  that 
  they 
  may 
  be 
  

   fitted 
  to 
  carry 
  on 
  investigations 
  for 
  the 
  care 
  of 
  the 
  collections 
  when 
  

   those 
  now 
  in 
  charge 
  have 
  gone. 
  Attention 
  may 
  be 
  called 
  also 
  to 
  the 
  

   urgent 
  necessity 
  for 
  additional 
  clerical 
  assistance 
  for 
  routine 
  work 
  

   in 
  various 
  offices 
  in 
  the 
  four 
  departments 
  under 
  which 
  our 
  collections 
  

   are 
  distributed. 
  

  

  The 
  matter 
  of 
  increased 
  compensation 
  for 
  the 
  entire 
  staff, 
  both 
  

   scientific 
  and 
  custodial, 
  has 
  become 
  one 
  of 
  first 
  importance. 
  The 
  

   reclassification 
  act 
  of 
  July 
  1, 
  1924, 
  provided 
  for 
  increased 
  pay 
  at 
  

   definite 
  rates 
  if 
  efficiency 
  in 
  the 
  performance 
  of 
  dut}^ 
  is 
  attained. 
  

   The 
  annual 
  surveys 
  of 
  efficiency 
  required 
  by 
  law 
  have 
  indicated 
  that 
  

   except 
  in 
  a 
  few 
  instances 
  members 
  of 
  the 
  staff 
  have 
  shown 
  such 
  

   attention 
  in 
  the 
  performance 
  of 
  assigned 
  duties 
  as 
  to 
  entitle 
  them 
  to 
  

   increases. 
  With 
  no 
  funds 
  available, 
  it 
  has 
  been 
  impossible 
  to 
  make 
  

   increases 
  on 
  this 
  basis 
  without 
  additions 
  to 
  the 
  appropriations. 
  

  

  To 
  look 
  ahead 
  to 
  a 
  matter 
  not 
  properly 
  included 
  in 
  the 
  present 
  

   report 
  it 
  may 
  be 
  stated 
  that 
  in 
  the 
  appropriation 
  for 
  the 
  year 
  1928 
  

   the 
  Congress 
  allow^ed 
  additional 
  items 
  for 
  one 
  rate 
  increases 
  for 
  

   the 
  majority 
  of 
  the 
  personnel. 
  This 
  step 
  has 
  given 
  a 
  measure 
  of 
  

   relief 
  and 
  has 
  had 
  a 
  most 
  favorable 
  reaction 
  on 
  the 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  

   emplo3'ees. 
  As 
  a 
  result 
  of 
  this 
  readjustment 
  of 
  the 
  salary 
  roll, 
  made 
  

   July 
  1, 
  1927, 
  the 
  majority 
  of 
  the 
  staff 
  in 
  the 
  fiscal 
  year 
  1928 
  are 
  

   receiving 
  one 
  rate 
  more 
  than 
  the 
  entrance 
  salary 
  established 
  by 
  law 
  

   for 
  the 
  respective 
  grades. 
  To 
  continue 
  the 
  intent 
  of 
  the 
  reclassifica- 
  

   tion 
  act, 
  further 
  funds 
  for 
  promotion 
  should 
  be 
  provided 
  until 
  the 
  

   salaries 
  of 
  the 
  various 
  groups 
  attain 
  the 
  average 
  established 
  for 
  

   each' 
  grade. 
  It 
  is 
  earnestly 
  urged 
  that 
  further 
  additions 
  to 
  the 
  

   appropriations 
  be 
  made 
  until 
  this 
  object 
  can 
  be 
  attained. 
  To 
  do 
  this 
  

   will 
  provide 
  onh^ 
  proper 
  reward 
  for 
  the 
  conscientious 
  performance 
  

   of 
  duty, 
  while 
  a 
  better 
  salary 
  status 
  will 
  inevitably 
  react 
  favorably 
  to 
  

   the 
  interests 
  of 
  the 
  Museum. 
  

  

  As 
  a 
  national 
  organization 
  the 
  Museum 
  has 
  tremendous 
  scope 
  in 
  

   its 
  scientific 
  activities, 
  as 
  it 
  is 
  expected 
  and 
  desired 
  that 
  it 
  shall 
  

   maintain 
  collections 
  and 
  be 
  in 
  position 
  to 
  supply 
  information 
  not 
  

  

  7400G— 
  28 
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