16 The American Museum of Natural History 



Crawford, Mr. Stewart Culin, Mr. Max Meyer and Miss Jessie 

 Franklin Turner, and the movement had the hearty support and 

 cooperation of thirty-five manufacturing houses and experienced 

 designers. In the plan of the exhibition, the Museum specimen was 

 shown in proximity to the modern design or costume derived from it. 

 This initial step in pointing out the possibilities of cooperation between 

 our museum and the textile industries received much favorable com- 

 ment. 



The managers of several of the New York City department 

 stores have shown much interest in the industrial use of Museum col- 

 lections. They have sent the heads of their departments and other 

 employees to the Museum to study primitive textiles and their orna- 

 mentation. One of the largest firms of the City has arranged to 

 have all the salesgirls that preside at the counters where cloth is sold 

 visit the Museum. They come with the Company's Art Instructor 

 in groups of about twenty. A member of the Museum's staff shows 

 them a primitive loom and explains the way in which it is used. They 

 are told about the technique of the various modern weaves and their 

 decoration. It is believed that a knowledge of the history and 

 methods of textile manufacture will make the daily work of the girls 

 more pleasant and their salesmanship more effective. 



The broad scope of the educational work of the Museum is indi- 

 cated by the action of the Trustees in making special provision for 

 instruction for the blind. This work was begun in 

 education 1909 under the immediate charge of Mrs. Agnes 

 for the Laidlaw Vaughan, who resigned in 1914. From that 



blind time it was directed by Miss Ann E. Thomas until 



she entered her new field of work in 1919. The fur- 

 ther development of this work has been taken up by Miss Ruth E. 

 Crosby, who joined the staff in October, 1919. 



During the first year it was experimental. In 1910, however, 

 its development and extension were made possible through the bequest 

 of Miss Phebe Anna Thorne, and gifts from her estate through her 

 executors, Jonathan and Samuel Thorne. This generous endowment 

 is known as the Jonathan Thorne Memorial Fund, and provides a 

 fixed income that enables the Museum to send loan collections to 

 schools in the vicinity of New York, to give illustrated lectures in 

 the Museum to school children and to adult blind, and to supply 

 transportation for the blind and their guides to and from the Museum. 

 More than 150 blind or partially blind children from the public 

 schools of Manhattan, The Bronx, Newark, and Jersey City come 

 regularly to the Museum for instruction. The visits are made during 

 school hours and are recognized as a part of the school curriculum. 



