Lectures for Pupils 13 



taken by their teachers to the library, where they examine the Mexi- 

 can material loaned by the Museum and read books describing that 

 country; children who are studying The Song of Hiawatha visit 

 the library to see the Indian collections, and boys and girls who are 

 learning the principles of design go with their notebooks to copy the 

 decorations on Indian basketry and pottery. 



The field is an unlimited one. The exhibits give to children 

 and adults who have not the necessary car fare to come to the 

 Museum an opportunity to examine natural history objects of broad 

 educational value, and to do this in a library where they are sur- 

 rounded by well chosen books of information. Oftentimes, moreover, 

 these exhibits awaken the spirit of research; they lead the student 

 to understand the correlation possible between a library and a 

 museum; they bring him to the Museum to see the extensive collec- 

 tions here, and then send him back to the library for further reading. 



Through personal acquaintance with the teachers, brought about 

 by the establishment of the circulating nature study collections, we 



learned that there was a widespread desire for 

 lectures illustrated lectures for children, which would supple- 

 for pupils ment the classroom work in geography, history, and 



natural science. The question of special lectures for 

 school children was brought to a focus when in February, 1904, the 

 Committee on Children's Interests of the New York City Teachers' 

 Association (through its Chairman, Miss Alida S. Williams) 

 requested the Museum to give a series of lectures for children, illus- 

 trative of the studies pursued in the public schools, and offered to 

 submit for approval a plan of lectures adapted to the various grades 

 of the school course of study. This request was acted upon favor- 

 ably by the Museum authorities, and, in cooperation with the Commit- 

 tee on Children's Interests, a course of twelve lectures was prepared 

 and delivered in the fall of 1904. Each of these lectures was 

 given three times in the course. The lectures were in the nature 

 of informal talks and were fully illustrated with lantern slides. The 

 subjects were chosen with special reference to the courses of study, 

 particularly in history, geography, and nature study, and were 

 designed to supplement the classroom work of the teachers. The 

 lectures were given by members of the Scientific Staff on Monday, 

 Wednesday, and Friday afternoons at four o'clock, and attendance 

 on the part of teachers and pupils was voluntary. Their success 

 was instant. The children came to the Museum literally by thou- 

 sands and the teachers were enthusiastic in their praise of the work. 

 Similar courses have been given each spring and fall, with two 

 exceptions, since that date. Under the direction of Dr. G. Clyde 

 Fisher, who joined the staff in 1913, the scope of the lectures has 



