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THE PUBLIC MUSEUM AND EDUCATION. ll 
methods. He argued that as man is an animal and public 
health is one of the most important phases of his natural 
history, the existence of a Public Health Department in a 
Natural History Museum was quite logical. Many other 
interesting details were given of this important work. 
These particulars show the vast field of education work 
covered at the present time by the Department of Education 
of the American Museum of Natural History, especially in 
co-operation with public schools. The possible as well as 
logical pomts of contact between schools and museums are 
so numerous as to surprise even those closely in touch with 
education, and it is claimed by American Museums that there 
is no sphere of educational work in the public schools of their 
cities which the Public Museum cannot elaborate or supplement. 
Vast as this work is, it has grown to its present dimensions in 
New York in a very few years. It was commenced in a 
very modest way, and apparently in imitation of similar efforts 
in Great Britain, by the formation of School Loan Collections. 
But, whereas in America, and especially in New York, it has 
srown and extended, the work here has had little or no expan- 
sion. They have made progress, whereas we have remained 
almost stationary. It may be due in some measure to the school 
system of education in this country, which is being subjected 
at the present time to so much thought. It is, of course, obvious 
that any system of education must, as time progresses, require 
alteration, re-adjustment and amendment to vivify, improve 
and adapt the system according to altered circumstances, 
and I am not without hopes that the excellent example of 
co-operation between Schools and Museums, as seen in New York 
and other American cities, may have important results in the 
coming revision of our school education system. 
But the Public Museum in this country has got to do its 
share also, and in accordance with the progressiveness of the 
times must, while maintaining its stand as an institution of 
