﻿6 
  NEW 
  YORK 
  STATE 
  MUSEUM 
  

  

  VI 
  Report 
  of 
  the 
  State 
  Entomologist 
  

  

  VII 
  Report 
  on 
  the 
  Zoology 
  Section 
  

  

  VIII 
  Report 
  on 
  the 
  Archeology 
  Section 
  

  

  IX 
  Publications 
  of 
  the 
  year 
  

  

  X 
  Staff 
  of 
  the 
  Science 
  Division 
  and 
  State 
  Museum 
  

  

  XI 
  Accessions 
  to 
  the 
  Collections 
  

  

  XII 
  Appendixes 
  (to 
  be 
  continued 
  in 
  subsequent 
  volumes) 
  

  

  All 
  the 
  scientific 
  publications 
  of 
  the 
  year. 
  

  

  THE 
  STATE 
  MUSEUM 
  LAW 
  

   The 
  present 
  attitude 
  of 
  the 
  State 
  of 
  New 
  York 
  toward 
  its 
  museum 
  

   is 
  defined 
  in 
  the 
  statute 
  enacted 
  in 
  1889 
  and 
  incorporated 
  without 
  

   change 
  in 
  the 
  codified 
  Education 
  Law 
  of 
  1910: 
  

  

  All 
  scientific 
  specimens 
  and 
  collections, 
  works 
  of 
  art, 
  objects 
  of 
  historic 
  

   interest 
  and 
  similar 
  property 
  appropriate 
  to 
  a 
  general 
  museum, 
  if 
  owned 
  by 
  

   the 
  State 
  and 
  not 
  placed 
  in 
  other 
  custody 
  by 
  a 
  special 
  law, 
  shall 
  constitute 
  

   the 
  State 
  Museum. 
  

  

  This 
  provision 
  for 
  the 
  existence 
  of 
  a 
  State 
  Museum 
  is 
  brief 
  and 
  

   precise, 
  but 
  the 
  conception 
  which 
  lies 
  behind 
  it 
  is 
  broad, 
  enlightened 
  

   and 
  efficient. 
  Provision 
  is 
  made, 
  not 
  alone 
  for 
  a 
  museum 
  of 
  science, 
  

   even 
  though 
  to 
  the 
  present 
  day 
  the 
  science 
  museum 
  only 
  has 
  received 
  

   recognition 
  and 
  support 
  by 
  actual 
  allotments 
  from 
  the 
  Legislature. 
  

   The 
  law 
  is 
  broader 
  than 
  the 
  present 
  exercise 
  of 
  that 
  law 
  and 
  the 
  

   genius 
  of 
  the 
  brief 
  enactment 
  cited 
  rises 
  above 
  the 
  actual 
  condition 
  

   attained 
  by 
  virtue 
  of 
  it. 
  

  

  THE 
  STATUTORY 
  CONCEPTION 
  OF 
  A 
  " 
  STATE 
  MUSEUM 
  " 
  , 
  

   The 
  letter 
  and 
  evident 
  spirit 
  of 
  the 
  law 
  provide 
  not 
  only 
  for 
  the 
  

   museum 
  that 
  now 
  exists, 
  but 
  for 
  any 
  public 
  museum 
  which 
  the 
  

   people 
  of 
  the 
  State 
  may 
  choose 
  to 
  bring 
  into 
  existence, 
  whether 
  it 
  

   be 
  a 
  museum 
  of 
  history, 
  of 
  art, 
  of 
  industry, 
  or 
  of 
  education; 
  and 
  

   all 
  such 
  museums 
  and 
  their 
  materials 
  shall 
  constitute 
  the 
  State 
  

   Museum. 
  The 
  statute 
  clearly 
  opens 
  the 
  way 
  for 
  the 
  institution, 
  

   at 
  the 
  will 
  of 
  the 
  people, 
  of 
  a 
  series 
  of 
  museums 
  or 
  departments 
  

   of 
  a 
  State 
  Museum, 
  as 
  many 
  in 
  number 
  and 
  nature 
  as 
  the 
  reason- 
  

   able 
  demands 
  of 
  a 
  populous, 
  wealthy 
  and 
  intellectual 
  state 
  may 
  

   regard 
  essential 
  to 
  the 
  instruction 
  of 
  its 
  people. 
  No 
  law 
  for 
  the 
  

   establishment 
  of 
  public 
  museums 
  could 
  be 
  broader 
  in 
  import 
  or 
  

   susceptible 
  of 
  a 
  more 
  generous 
  interpretation 
  in 
  strict 
  accord 
  with 
  

   the 
  expressed 
  wishes 
  of 
  the 
  people. 
  It 
  is 
  the 
  deliberate 
  expression 
  

  

  