Report of the President 



Within the period covered by this report, the new galleries on the 

 first floor of the Art Museum have been opened by Mr. George Walter 

 Vincent Smith, containing rich treasures displayed with all his unique 

 skill in arrangement. In the entrance hall Mr. Smith has also installed 

 two large cases containing trays, paper weights, and pedestals made 

 of marbles, such as are no longer procurable, from the ruins of ancient 

 Rome; and in the Hall of Sculpture, he has placed two large cases of 

 Greek pottery. The reputation of our museums is shown by the choice 

 of a city of this size for the annual convention of the American Associa- 

 tion of Museums, at which gathering much admiration was expressed 

 for the beautiful objects and the excellent arrangement of the George 

 Walter Vincent Smith collections. Indeed, the coming of the conven- 

 tion was a personal comphment to Mr. Smith. 



The Museum of Natural History has continued its useful work, and 

 feels that more definiteness of result has been obtained than ever before. 

 Among many generous gifts is the notable anthropological collection 

 presented by Mr. Jacob T. Bowne, which relates especially to the 

 North American Indian type, and more particularly to the Indian of 

 the Connecticut Valley within twenty miles of Springfield. Containing 

 the remains of aboriginal handiwork in stone, bone, shell, and pottery, 

 gathered from ancient camp sites and burial places in this vicinity, it 

 forms an extensive and admirably organized collection of great historic 

 and scientific interest. 



The year has been an exceptionally busy one for the library and 

 branches, with an increased patronage of almost 10%; and it is gratify- 

 ing to note what important service they are rendering in these critical 

 times. Not only has the work of the main library on State Street in- 

 creased, but the branch libraries have grown phenomenally. To relieve 

 crowded conditions at Memorial Square, the large basement has been 

 finished and made a very attractive room for children, thus releasing 

 the whole of the main floor for the use of older people. The war activi- 

 ties of the hbrary are described in the reports which follow, but decidedly 

 worthy of note is the splendid work which the libraries of the country 

 have done, through the American Library Association, in suppljdng a 

 library system for all the great camps and in sending books broadcast 

 to the smaller posts, to the transports, and to the men overseas. To- 

 wards this work, Springfield contributed more than its quota in money; 

 and the spring campaign for books yielded the astonishing number of 

 34,000 volumes, placing Springfield, considering its size, well towards 

 the head of the list of contributing cities. 



