Annual Reports 235 



The director has, on occasion, performed the duty of night watchman, 

 and during one period when the janitor was incapacitated by reason of sick- 

 ness the Association had to defray the expense of providing a substitute. 



It was an affair of the greatest importance to the welfare of the museum 

 when the Association, at the regular meeting in December 1916, author- 

 ized the secretary to issue an appeal for money to pay the salary of Mr. 

 Cleaves as curator for the year 1917 and thus to retain his services. Sub- 

 scriptions to the amount of $914 were received in response to the circular 

 letter sent out to about 150 persons, of whom 51 responded. Mr. Cleaves 

 was thus retained as curator. The childrens' lecture course for the months 

 of January to March inclusive were arranged for and delivered, and Mr. 

 Cleaves has expressed his intention of remaining in the service of the 

 museum, even if the remainder of the amount of his salary should not be 

 raised. 



The regular routine work of the museum has continued without serious 

 interruption ; but with greatly increased work and responsibihty for each 

 member of the staff; and the director urges that every effort be made to 

 secure an additional guard, not only in order that the routine work may 

 be more satisfactorily carried on, but also to fill in when emergency 

 requires it and to provide for vacations. 



The director has given considerable time and attention to the Britton 

 Cottage, but is of the opinion that the future management of the activities 

 in connection with it should be arranged on a somewhat different basis 

 than now obtains. 



Future Development 



The director is not in a position to plan definitely for the development 

 of the museum next year, until it is known whether or not the new build- 

 ing will be ready for occupancy. 



Respectfully submitted, 



Arthur Hollick, 



Director. 



APPENDIX 



Dr. Arthur Hollick, Director, 



Public Museum, Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences. 



Sir: I have the honor to submit the following statistical records in con- 

 nection with the museum for the fiscal year 1916-17: 



The range of work covered, outside of the clerical work and cataloging, 

 has been even more varied than visual, from mending the museum flag and 

 repairing bindings of the dictionary and atlas to interviewing city officials 

 who have visited the museum on various occasions. 



Five cases in the arts and archeology room were rearranged, the articles 

 exhibited being selected from museum storage material. A coin exhibit 

 was also installed in our new coin case. Since many of our coins required 



