44 Report of the President 



In the Report for 1914 the importance of having the 

 exhibition halls attractive in themselves was touched upon, 

 and it is worth mentioning again, as various instances have 

 come to notice during the year of the impression made upon 

 younger visitors by the Hall of Shells, one of the few wherein 

 it has been possible to have some uniformity in the color 

 scheme, in spite of the red mahogany cases. 



Again there has been a gain in the normal attendance dur- 

 ing the year, aside from the increase due to the Flower Show 



. . which attracted a large number of visitors. This 



Attendance . M , s , . . 



is attributable to the steady increase in the num- 

 ber of those actually using the Museum for purposes of study 

 as well as to an increase, as shown by the fall attendance, in 

 the number of out-of-town visitors. The Director does not 

 believe that any healthy, permanent gain can be made by 

 advertising or by temporary exhibitions, feeling that there is 

 always a reaction after the interest of the moment has passed. 

 The only sure and healthy way to increase attendance is 

 through the exhibits, for if these are not attractive in their 

 character, well arranged, and well labeled, they fail to arouse 

 the interest of visitors and these in turn will discourage their 

 friends from coming to the Museum. 



Statistics of Numbers Reached by the Museum and Its 

 Extension Educational System 



1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 J 9i5 



Board of Education 



Lectures 28,402 43,549 40,067 52,855 48,119 52,761 41,970 



Lectures to School 



Children and Classes 



visiting the Museum 



for Study ;•••.••• 36,236 24,894 39,379 49, 8 7 2 56,899 65,785 61,437 



Meetings of Scientific 



Societies and Other 



Meetings and Lec- 

 tures 27,369 i5,7 12 18,649 28,384 33,357 3 2 ,939 22,542 



Total.. 92,007 84,155 9 8 ,°95 13 1 , 111 I 3 8 ,375 i5 r ,4 8 5 125,949 



Attendance in Exhi- 

 bition Halls 747,134 528,997 626,046 715,852 728,288 657,458 794,139 



Total Attendance for 

 all Purposes 839,141 613,152 724,141 846,963 866,663 808,943 920,088 



Numbers reached by 

 Circulating Collec- 

 tions 922,512 839,089 1,253,435 1,275,890 1,378,599 i»273> 8 53 1,238,581 



Grand Total. .. . 1,761,653 1,452,241 1,977,576 2,122,853 2,245,262 2,082,796 2,158,669 



