Notes and Comments, 243 



THE museums' association.* 



The excellent results achieved at the Annual Conference of 

 the Museums' Association held at the Town Hall, Manchester, 

 on July Qth, loth and nth are some evidence of the desirability 

 of our Educational Institutions ' carrying on ' in War Time. 

 In view of the difficulty of entertainment, etc., the Conference 

 was curtailed to three days, but as a result of the lengthy 

 sessions each morning and afternoon, and on one evening, 

 probably more actual work was crowded in the three days than 

 during any previous Conference. It was remarkably well 

 attended, there being about 80 Delegates from England, 

 Scotland, Wales and Ireland. To the great regret of the mem- 

 bers, the President, Mr. E. Rimbault Dibdin, was prevented 

 through illness from attending and giving his address. This 

 was particularly unfortunate in view of the recent efforts of the 

 Association to give more prominence to matters connected 

 with the Art side of Museum work, an aspect which has been 

 rather neglected by the Association in years gone by. However, 

 by the efforts of the Local Secretary, Mr. Haward, and the 

 General Secretary, Mr. J. Grant Murray, this aspect of the 

 Association's work was well to the fore. 



LOCAL PAPERS. 



The members had their usual experience of hearing a few 

 papers on elementary Museum matters, mostly by local 

 authors, one result of its propaganda during the last quarter of 

 a century being rather amusing. For years the Museums' Asso- 

 ciation has endeavoured to make the Education Committees 

 interested in the Museums, and has advocated the appoint- 

 ment of special teachers to devote their time entirely to giving 

 lectures to pupils in Museums and Art Galleries. This has 

 at last been accomplished at Manchester, and possibly through 

 being unaware of the Association's efforts, the various teachers 

 concerned gave details of the nature of their work. The value 

 of Museums in War Time was brought prominently forward, 

 and no doubt impressed the various chairmen and members 

 of committees who were present. 



PAPERS READ. 



Bearing more particularly upon the war were papers on : 

 * The Aims and Objects of the Imperial War Museum,' by Lieut. 

 Charles ffoulkes ; and ' Local War Museums,' by Charles 

 Madeley. Dealing with educational aspects of museums were 

 ' The Art Museum and the School,' by J. Ernest Phythian ; 

 ' The Museum in Relation to the School,' by {a) R. Saunsbury ; 

 {b) Mrs. B. Bell ; (c) Miss B. Hindshaw ; the Art side of 

 Museum work being represented by : ' The Preservation, 



* From Nature, July iSth. 

 1918 Aug. 1. 



