22 The American Museum of Natural History 



Although the City did not financially support our plan to open 

 the local Lecture Centers, in connection with the proposed extension 

 in 1914, the need of this kind of educational work was so apparent 

 that the Trustees authorized the Curator of Public 

 local Education to arrange for courses of lectures in two 



lecture of the public schools, as a practical demonstration 



centers f the effectiveness of this method of instruction. 



These were given in the Washington Irving High 

 School, in cooperation with Miss Rosemary F. Mullen, and in Public 

 School No. 64, in cooperation with Mr. William F. Grady. The 

 Washington Irving High School fulfils most completely our ideal of 

 a Local Lecture Center because of its relations with the Elementary 

 Schools. On the appointed days, classes from several of the neigh- 

 boring elementary schools gather in the auditorium of the High 

 School to listen to the lecture. 



For three years we have been giving lectures in these two centers. 

 The annual attendance is close to 40,000 pupils. Our experience in 

 these schools and the many appeals from other teachers to have the 

 lectures given in their schools, convince us that the most effective 

 expansion of the Museum's educational work would be the establish- 

 ment of other local lecture centers. Such expansion cannot be under- 

 taken without a larger staff and further appropriations. 



III. STATUS OF EDUCATIONAL WORK IN 1917 



Report of the Curator 



The extent of the Museum's practical educational work can be 

 most effectively shown by citing the statistical summary of the work 

 of the Department of Public Education for the year 1917. 



The Circulating Nature Study Collections, 712 in all, have been 

 in use in 446 Schools, in which 1,075,076 children have had an op- 

 portunity to study them. 

 general statistical The lending of lantern slides, which 



summary was undertaken through special arrange- 



ment with the Board of Education, has 

 had an astonishing development. The number of loans to public 

 schools has increased from 491 to 935, while the number of slides 

 circulated has risen from 38,912 in 1916 to 63,111 in 1917. 



To pupils of the public schools, 103 lectures have been given by 

 members of the staff, at which a total of 79,323 children were present. 

 Of this number, 40,798 came to the Museum, while in the case of the 

 remaining 38,525, the lectures were taken to them in the schools. 



