lection of the minerals and rocks of the Statp, and if it would agree 

 to protect the same and give it good exhibition and good use. Several 

 hundred replies have been received from boards of education and high 

 school principals, stating how valuable and greatly appreciated such 

 a collection would be. Probably five hundred such collections, each 

 containing fifty specimens, should be prepared. The cost of prepara- 

 tion of twenty-five thousand such specimens will probably not exceed 

 ten cents a specimen, that is, two thousand five hundred dollars for the 

 whole. A dealer would charge ten thousand dollars for the whole. 

 Such collections will be helping the work of education throughout 

 the State in a practical manner. 



The office of the museum is a bureau of information to which come 

 questions of all sorts on natural history subjects. If the curator is 

 unable to answer them he is able to direct the inquirer to some source 

 of information on the subject. Such an office can be influential in 

 promoting the welfare of the peole. The center of government should 

 in a way be a center of information, inasmuch as it is accessible to peo- 

 ple who otherwise would not know where else to turn. 



To many people even in its present condition the museum is the 

 most attractive and interesting thing in Springfield. This should be 

 much more the case, and if the museum lives up to its opportunities it 

 will attract the people for hundreds of miles around, since there is 

 nothing of its kind in this part of the State. 



Excursions to Springfield are made by public schools, by various 

 societies and individuals, to see the handsome State house, one of the 

 finest buildings in the whole State. They visit the General Assembly 

 while it is in session to gain more concrete knowledge in the workings 

 of our government. They come to see the museum, where they may 

 obtain an idea of the rocks out of which the whole State is made, of the 

 minerals which furnish us our mineral wealth, of the remains of the 

 ancient inhabitants as shown in the archaeological exhibits, and of 

 the animals and plants of the State. It is possible for us to give them 

 such entertainment and instruction as they would otherwise be without 

 for the rest of their lives. This information makes them more reason- 

 onable, saner and less superstitious, more able to adapt themselves to 

 their environment and aids them in the conquest of nature. 



The State is spending millions in caring for the physically and intel- 

 lectually sick among her people. Why not deal as well with healthy 

 people? Why not treat them as generously in the matter of museums 

 as does Great Britain, as Austria and as France? It cannot be be- 

 cause our need of education is not as great nor can it be because we are 

 unable to have as fine institutions. It is simply because the matter has 

 not received sufficient attention by those competent to handle the situ- 

 ation. 



Two things are needed to produce a good museum, a competent staff 

 and financial backing. The present staff is eager to work, the curator 

 has studied the chief museums of England, France and Germany, and 

 last summer he visited a number of the leading museums of Europe 

 and this country for the purpose of seeing the best in arrangement, 

 exhibition and administration of museums. If those whose privilege 



—2 M 



