6 BUFFALO SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCES 



dance at these talks was entirely optional with the classes, the 

 Department of Education simply recommending that as many 

 schools as possible take advantage of them. 



As a part of the work, it was expected that the classes which 

 came to the talks would take the opportunity of visiting all the 

 rooms of the museum, and in this way become acquainted with 

 the fact that there were here displayed for their benefit many in- 

 teresting and valuable specimens illustrating topics which would 

 be an important part of their later studies along scientific lines. 

 As a further inducement to the schools to come to our museum, 

 the large lecture room was equipped with a suitable apparatus for 

 the projection of slides, and this was announced as being available 

 for any school or class that cared to come and bring slides to 

 illustrate a talk by the principal or teacher. For some months 

 this room was in nearly constant use by the schools, the teachers 

 coming with the classes and making whatever explanation was 

 necessary as the pictures were thrown on the screen by the op- 

 erator. In one series given to the third and fourth grades, on 

 geography, over 14000 children attended. Shortly, however, after 

 this plan had been inaugurated, the Department of Education con- 

 sidered it advisable to equip nearly all the schools with lanterns, 

 and therefore at this time only a few schools are under the neces- 

 sity of coming to our rooms when they wish to display slides to 

 their classes. 



In the spring of 1905, through the efforts of Hon. T. Guilford 

 Smith, the President of the Society, a plan was arranged with the 

 Department of Education by which our Museum became an im- 

 portant factor in the work as required from the pupils of the 

 grammar grades. A suitable collection to illustrate the weapons 

 and utensils of the colonial days, used by Indians and whites, was 

 arranged, and notice was sent to all classes studying American 

 History that these things were on exhibit for the schools, and 

 could be seen by applying at the Museum for a suitable hour to be 

 assigned. It was expected that the teachers would bring their 

 classes and explain the utensils and other interesting specimens to 

 the classes from the cases. This plan did not meet with great 

 enthusiasm. The teachers, already having as much special work 

 as they could be reasonably expected to carry, preferred having 

 some one else give the talks, and Dr. Carlos E. Cummings, the Secre- 

 tary of the Society, was asked to take this matter in charge. This 

 being done, the visits of the schools took the nature of regular 



