42 Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences 



istrative and most of the miscellaneous clerical work should be transacted 

 by others than the curators, who should be free to devote their time 

 entirely to the care and development of the museum collections and its 

 educational activities. Under existing conditions, however, this is recog- 

 nized as not feasible; but the facts should be recognized and clearly under- 

 stood in order that answer may be made to any criticism of our methods 

 of procedure or of results accomplished. For the information of the 

 Board a record of the clerical work performed during the year by Miss 

 Pollard is appended. 



House and Grounds 



The marked deterioration of the Museum Building during the past year 

 and its more or less discreditable appearance, can not fail to attract unfa- 

 vorable attention and give rise to disagreeable comment. The entire 

 building needs repainting, but this would be of little practicable value 

 unless preceded by numerous repairs. The woodwork has decayed and 

 fallen away in many places; seven panes of glass are cracked; one window 

 sash is broken ; leaders require to be renewed or repaired ; missing slates 

 of the roof replaced; front gate and adjacent part of the garden wall 

 repaired ; cover of cistern in yard renewed and made safe, etc. These are 

 matters which the owner of the property is required to attend to and I 

 again urgently suggest that he be approached at once in regard to the 

 possibility of a renewal of the lease, in order that we may know whether 

 or not to insist on these and other repairs being made. In any event, 

 however, certain of the items mentioned above require immediate attention, 

 and action in regard to them should not be delayed. 



In the interior of the building there are several places where the plaster 

 is cracked and in danger of falling, and the furnace and chimney flues 

 evidently require a radical overhauling. Whatever expenses may be in- 

 curred in connection with these items would have to be borne, for the 

 most part, by the Association, inasmuch as only $40.00 of our city appro- 

 priation for contract or open order service is available for this purpose, 

 the remainder being divided between the two items of $100.00 for light, 

 heat, and power, and $48.00 for telephone; but these are matters which 

 involve the health and safety of all who occupy or enter the Museum, 

 and immediate action upon them is of vital importance. 



From a consideration of these facts and the contingencies that are 

 imminent in connection with them it may be easily appreciated that every 

 effort should be made to definitely provide, before the end of next year, 

 for the future housing of the museum, as otherwise the packing, storage, 

 and disposal of museum specimens not required for exhibition purposes 

 should be at once begun and be prosecuted whenever time might happen 

 to be available. 



