The American Museum of Natural History 



information and to acquaint them with the riches of the Museum 

 in order that their teaching might be more effective. 



At this time, the Museum also prepared a teaching collection of 

 rocks of Manhattan Island, dried plants, and many specimens of 

 corals, shells, crustaceans, and insects. This 

 teaching material was installed in suitable cabinets and 



collections deposited in each of the 160 public schools of New 

 York City, so that the teachers would have on 

 hand material to illustrate for their pupils the facts learned at Pro- 

 fessor Bickmore's lectures. 



From this beginning there developed the system of Visual 

 Instruction so closely identified with Professor Bickmore's name. The 

 work received the support of the State from 1884 to 1904, except 

 for two brief intervals in 1890 and 1892, and during this period of 

 twenty years it was under the immediate direction of Professor 

 Bickmore. He was a pioneer in education by the visual method. 

 When he took hold of the work the technique of making lantern slides 

 was in its infancy and simple projection machines had not been 

 developed. Professor Bickmore applied himself to this new field in 

 education with that same enthusiasm and persistence which had 

 enabled him to create The American Museum of Natural History, 

 for it was he more than anyone else who brought together the 

 founders of the Museum and fostered it in its early days. 



At first his audiences were small, the illustrative material meager 

 and of poor quality. Professor Bickmore ransacked the corners of 

 the earth for the best material. There was not a traveler of note 

 who came to New York whom he did not seek out and ask for his 

 negatives. He journeyed to remote lands himself, to obtain first-hand 

 information, and in later years often sent out special photographers 

 in order to obtain the best results possible. Finally his name became 

 national and even international in educational circles, and a "Bick- 

 more slide" stood for the finest photographic product that could be 

 made. Thousands came annually to hear him, and through his 

 efforts hundreds of thousands of school children obtained new 

 concepts of nature. 



Professor Bickmore's unique personal set of slides assembled 

 during his long career in this work was presented to the Museum 

 by himself and Mrs. Bickmore, and forms the nucleus of the extensive 

 series of slides which the Museum now lends to schools. 



In 1904 continued ill health compelled Professor Bickmore to 

 retire from active service. 



