Annual Reports 7^ 



The contents of the Annex constitute a serious problem. A large part 

 of this material must necessarily remain in storage and there is no avail- 

 able place for it in the new building except in the basement, which is 

 designed for an auditorium. It may be recalled that last September the 

 stone retaining wall on the property of Mr. F. Ducasse on the west side 

 of the Annex collapsed during a heavy rainstorm and broke through the 

 side wall of the Annex, throwing the shelving with all its contents on the 

 floor. This material consisted in part of the overflow of the MacDonald 

 collection of pottery and in part of the Sanderson Smith library. Much 

 of the pottery was broken, and the books, pamphlets, and papers were 

 buried under dirt and miscellaneous debris. The books, etc., were roughly 

 cleaned and carried up into the loft, where they would have a chance to 

 dry out, and the rubbish was cleared away. Subsequently Mr. Ducasse 

 had the damage repaired; but during the cold snap last winter a service 

 pipe on his premises froze and broke ; the floor of the Annex was flooded, 

 and for weeks there was ice to a depth of several inches covering the 

 floor. When this melted the place was saturated and further destruction 

 resulted. Storage cases were warped and swelled, specimen trays were 

 disintegrated and labels were made indistinguishable. Much of this ma- 

 terial not completely ruined is rendered useless for museum purposes by 

 mixture and loss of labels. Many specimens of undoubted value are of no 

 use for this reason. The services of an expert librarian will be required to 

 sort and catalog the library and render it available for use. The time 

 and assistance necessary to sort this material is not now available, how- 

 ever, and hence it will be necessary to move everything — much of it prob- 

 ably of no value — and trust to means being provided in the future for its 

 proper examination and disposition. 



The American Association of Museums 



During the latter part of May, 1917, the annual convention of the Amer- 

 ican Association of Museums met in New York, and on the afternoon of 

 Saturday the 25th the members of the museum staff enjoyed the privilege 

 of entertaining a delegation of the visiting members at the Museum. The 

 features of the occasion were an informal reception and inspection of the 

 Museum, followed by a trip in automobiles to the Britton Cottage (see 

 Bulletin, June 1917). 



The advisability of our Association joining the American Association of 

 Museums as a sustaining member, in order that we might have a voice 

 and a vote in the museum interests and affairs of the country has been 

 mentioned on several occasions and was specially urged in the director's 

 report to the Board on April 6. It is to be hoped that steps may be taken 

 to assure our membership at the forthcoming convention on May 20-22, 

 at Springfield, Mass. Respectfully submitted, 



Arthur Hollick, ^ 

 Director. 



