30 Report of the President 



establishing of a grade known as floor sergeants who are 

 under the direction of a captain. Each sergeant is in charge 

 of a floor and is held responsible for the condition of the 

 exhibition halls, as well as for the conduct of the attendants 

 under his supervision. Under this arrangement the men take 

 a greater interest in their halls and the results are practical. 

 At our request the United States Post Ofiice Department 

 has placed a mail box in the vestibule of the building and col- 

 lections are made hourly from nine till four. 



II. PUBLIC EDUCATION 



Museum Extension to the Schools and Libraries. — 

 The Museum extension to the schools and libraries is in charge 

 of the Department of Public Instruction, which in future will 

 be known as the Department of Public Education. 



This department cooperates with the City Board of Edu- 

 cation and expends a large sum annually without receiving 

 any special appropriation therefor. 



The usual requests for the Nature Study Collections have 

 been received and filled promptly. The routine work of dis- 

 tributing and transferring the collections occupies the time of 

 two messengers. During the year 435 cabinets have been in 

 circulation and the schools supplied number 419. Data sup- 

 plied by the teachers show that the number of pupils studying' 

 these collections during the year was 922,512, which is a 

 greater number than has been recorded in any previous year, 

 and is an indication of their value as a teaching adjunct. 



Some of the suburban schools also have been supplied 

 with these collections at a nominal rental. 



The method of sending special loan collections to the 

 public libraries, which was begun last year, has been contin- 

 ued during the present year. The collections have been pre- 

 pared at the request, and with the assistance, of Misses Moore 

 and Tyler of the Public Library staff, and include material 

 illustrating life in the Arctic, and the habits and costumes 

 of the Indians, the Chinese, the Filipinos, etc. 



Lectures to School Children. — Two courses of lectures, 

 supplementing class-room work in geography and history, 



