Report of the President 47 



and special lectures under the auspices of the New York 



Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies. 



Through the Jonathan Thorne Memorial Fund the work 



for the blind has been carried on throughout the year. Twice 



■ . a month blind classes in the public schools 



Education for .._«,, 



_. . visit the Museum for a discussion and exami- 



the Blind . , . _ „ , , 



nation of specimens. Mrs. vaughan, who 



has this branch of the work in charge, has shown these 

 pupils mammals, birds and Indian objects. A class from 

 Newark, N. J., and one from the Catholic Institute in the 

 Bronx, have also availed themselves of these privileges. These 

 visits are made during school hours, and are reported as very 

 valuable to the children. 



A. directory of about 2,000 names and addresses of the 

 blind of New York City and vicinity was secured through the 

 courtesy of the New York Association for the Blind. A letter 

 was sent by the Museum to each of these addresses, and we 

 are using all available means of making our census of the blind 

 complete and accurate. 



On December 18, a lecture on the Discovery of the North 

 Pole was given by Rear Admiral Peary. The attendance was 

 709, of which number about 300 were blind. With the kind 

 assistance of Lorillard Spencer, Jr.. Scout Commissioner of 

 Manhattan, and W. B. Holcombe, Scout Commissioner of 

 Brooklyn, arrangements were made with the Boy Scouts from 

 New York, Brooklyn, Staten Island and Jersey City, to act as 

 guides. All the Scouts who volunteered for this service dis- 

 charged their duties with great credit to themselves, and we 

 desire especially to acknowledge their assistance. The sledge 

 that reached the North Pole, with dog team and Eskimo 

 driver; a kayak; and some of the animals of the Far North, 

 including the Peary Caribou, were placed in Memorial Hall, 

 as a special exhibit, to be examined by the blind guests. 



Many teachers have availed themselves of the opportunity 



of securing the services of an instructor from this department, 



when studying the exhibits with classes. In- 

 Instructors , ■„ , <• , , 



structors are also provided for Members of the 



Museum and their friends when desired. 



