6 



CITY LIBRARY ASSOCIATION. 



City Schools. 



Public — 18 classes, 

 Private — 3 classes, 



228 pupils. 

 26 pupils. 



Out of the City. 



5 classes, 



4-4 pupils. 



Total, 



293 



A number of pupils have been assisted in the study of collections, and 

 aid has been given in the identification of specimens. 



With the completion of the new science building, the museum of 

 natural history should be able to increase its influence and to multiply its 

 activities. Only by so doing can the provision made for its accommo- 

 dation be justified. The various collections will be placed in cases where 

 the specimens can be seen to much better advantage than at present. It 

 is the purpose of the museum officials to select the best of the material 

 now on the shelves and supplementing this with specimens from the Booth 

 and Andrews gifts make up collections of a high grade of excellence. 

 The remaining material will be placed in cases in the basement and 

 used for study and exchange. When the contents of the museum are 

 once decided upon, a card catalog will be prepared for the use of visitors 

 and students. It is also important that a system of cross references to 

 works in the library should be developed and the way thus opened up to 

 the literature on any subject. 



For this purpose, the Catherine Howard Memorial Library will be of 

 great service, since it will place at the disposal of the reader, the best 

 American and foreign publications in the field of natural history. The 

 committee in charge of this fund purpose to make this library a most fit- 

 ting memorial of one whose life was devoted to the intellectual and moral 

 advancement of all whom her influence reached. 



It is also to be hoped that this new building will furnish a home for 

 societies and clubs interested in the different branches of science. The 

 botanical society each year does much work in a quiet way ; the zo(")logical 

 society is planning a most valuable scheme of study ; and the interest in 

 local geology is on the increase. The question may be raised as to whether 

 without interfering with the activities of existing organizations, Spring- 

 field should not have a representative societj^ for the cultivation of science 

 to which these special organizations sliould contribute. The City Library 



Plans for the Future* 



