MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 5 



talks to classes. The high school of commerce particularly finds 

 this department useful, and as in past years has conducted a con- 

 siderable part of regular class work at the museum. During the 

 year, 1,243 pupils from various schools have come with teachers 

 to the museum for assigned exercises, and after school sessions the 

 permanent and temporary exhibits rarely lack the attention of 

 many small voluntary investigators. 



The increasing demand for specimens illustrating various in- 

 dustries points to the need of a greater number and variety of such 

 series. Two new cases which have just been installed will for a 

 time at least furnish means to display exhibits of this nature, 

 several of which can be made by a contemplated rearrangement 

 of the whole department of woods, vegetable fibers, seeds and by- 

 products. 



School Garden Exhibits 



Two school garden exhibits were held in September in the 

 basement of the building which still serves very well for such dis- 

 plays, and the pride with which the boys and girls under sixteen 

 years entered their fine vegetables and flowers, and the yield per 

 acre, testified that much well-directed hard work had been done 

 by the young people in the school garden contest. 



The evident bent or fitness for a particular kind of work 

 which was shown by these chilrden, and their success in pursuing 

 it when given an opportunity, would seem to be one more indica- 

 tion of the importance of systematic vocational guidance. 



The Psychological Laboratory 



For three years Dr. George E. Dawson has been engaged 

 in the scientific study of school children for the Springfield school 

 department. His work while primarily concerned with various 

 causes that operate to produce failure in school work, also involves 

 the larger problem of the natural endowments of children, the 

 choice of suitable courses of instruction, and ultimately the kind 

 of vocation or career for which the child is adapted. During the 

 winter. Dr. Dawson gave, under the auspices of the museum, five 

 lectures relating to his subject. These lectures keenly interested 

 hundreds of people. In this work which is steadily broadening. 



