10 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



work of the Board of Geographic Names, which was estabHshed 

 under an executive law, and it seems a very proper procedure that 

 this work should be formally taken over by the University. 



It may be said that the law relating to the functions of the 

 Museum provides in every way adequately for the highest develop- 

 ment of the museum idea as a part of the education service. To 

 carry out this idea and attain the end actually contemplated in the 

 enactment of this law is the most worthy end which the Depart- 

 ment in its relations to the University and its relations to the people 

 of the State, can hold before it. 



Grants to public museums. The right exists in law to make 

 grants of money to public museums on the same basis as grants of 

 such public moneys are made to the libraries of the State. It is 

 believed that a number of struggling local public museums in the 

 communities of the State would be encouraged to much greater 

 usefulness and activity if such recognition by the State could be 

 assured to them in accordance with the evident intent of the law. 



Traveling scientific collections. The possibility of putting into 

 circulation traveling scientific collections which might serve the 

 schools, school centers and other educational agencies of the State, 

 has been brought forward for consideration and received careful 

 thought. 



The proposition is not a new one, nor is it outside the experience 

 of the State Museum. The situation in New York is somewhat 

 different in this regard than in other states where such movable 

 scientific collections are in use. Here the central museum of the 

 State is distinctively a State Museum and it is not within its scope 

 to enter into competition with what may be called " world muse- 

 ums." 



To be effective, it is evident that the circulation of scientific 

 collections must be among the students of natural science and 

 principally of our schools. Twenty-five years ago the curriculums 

 of the schools allowed opportunity for the study of geology wherein 

 would lie a strong appeal of such scientific collections. Today this 

 science is not taught in the secondary schools. It is probably cor- 

 rect to say that in the adjustment of courses for the lower schools 

 the vast preponderance of the pupils of this generation is deprived 

 of the opportunity to acquire the knowledge that was freely at the 

 command of their fathers and mothers. 



Many years ago when the State Museum was accumulating large 

 quantities of geological specimens for the perfection of the Paleon- 

 tology of New York, it was the wish and order of the Regents 



