MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 



5 



Lectures and Class Work, 



The success which attended the free lectures offered to the public, 

 ill connection with the museum last year, has warranted the extension of 

 this side of the work. Last fall, three lectures were given with an aggre- 

 gate attendance of 005, an average for each lecture of 202. The largest 

 audience was that at Miss JNI. A. Booth's illustrated talk on "Around 

 the doorstep," when 300 people were present. A special exhibition of 

 minerals from the Samuel C. Booth collection, during the last two weeks 

 in October, attracted many visitors. A class in mineralogy was con- 

 ducted on Saturday mornings during the winter months by Grace L. Pet- 

 tis, the assistant curator. Twelve lessons were given on the properties 

 and tests of minerals. The class numbered forty. Membei-s of the class 

 have expressed a wish to continue the work and it is possible that an 

 advanced course will be offered next year. 



The courses for this spring, of which an outline has been issued, pro- 

 vide for three lectures on subjects connected with nature study : May 10, 

 Dr. George Dimmock, on " Spring in the insect world " ; May 24, Charles G. 

 Whiting, on " The unscientific observer " ; May 31, George S. Lewds, Jr., 

 on "Among the trees." These lectures are free to the public and it 

 is hoped that there will be a large attendance. 



A field class has been organized for the study of local geology and a 

 series of six excursions will be taken during the spring months. This 

 class promises to arouse much interest in the rocks and structure of this 

 vicinity. The zoological club conducts under the auspices of the museum 

 a series of weekly trips for the study of the fauna of this region. These 

 classes are doing much to increase the interest in science in this commu- 

 nity, and thus co-operate with the museum in its educational work. 



Attendance, 



The following figures for attendance show that the museum is main- 

 taining its hold on the general public : — 

 Number of days open, 312. 

 Number of visitors, 28,640. 



Largest number on anyone day, 353, Memorial day, 1897. 

 Smallest number on any one day, 42, April 2, 1898. 

 Daily average for year, 95. 

 During the year classes have studied the collections as follows : — 



