Report of the Art Museum 



Although this has been a year when the interests and activities of 

 the community have been centered on the war, with the exception of 

 the months when things were practically at a standstill, on account of 

 the influenza, the attendance at the Art Museum has increased. Es- 

 pecially is this true of those who visit the museum for a purpose. 



We have enlarged our activities during the year, a series of thirteen 

 story hours for the children has been given by one of the assistants. 

 Miss Cordelia C. Sargent, in the museum hall on Saturday afternoons. 



The first talk was devoted to Christmas stories and was followed by 

 Demeter and Persephone, the story of a Mother's love; Orpheus and 

 Eurydice; Cupid and Psyche; Mercury, the Divine Messenger; A 

 Japanese Home; The Life of a Japanese Girl; The Boy's Festival; 

 Japanese Landscapes and Gardens; Japanese Shops; Dolls represent- 

 ing different classes of Society in Japan; The Story of Bertrand the 

 Brave, a Boy of the Middle Ages; and Joan of Arc, the Little Maid of 

 France. These were illustrated by photographs and lantern slides. 

 After the talks the children were given an opportunity to visit the Art 

 Museum where their attention was called to objects in the collection 

 which had a direct bearing on the stories. Twelve hundred and five 

 children were entertained at these talks and many more were turned 

 away for lack of room. 



On April 26th the Joan of Arc story was repeated at the Indian Or- 

 chard Branch Library to 80 children. Not only the children but the 

 mothers seemed to appreciate these talks. One mother who came with 

 her small boys expressed her gratitude that her children could come, 

 see pictures and learn something, instead of going to the "movies" 

 where so many objectionable pictures are shown. 



During the past season several children have availed themselves of 

 the privilege of coming to the museum to sketch from different objects 

 in the collection with very gratifying results. The drawing teachers of 

 the city schools becoming interested in the work done by these children 

 have very generously given of their own time and alternated in coming 

 to the museum on Saturday afternoons since the first of March, thus 

 giving the children the benefit of criticism and instruction. If the School 

 Board could see their way to cooperate with us and furnish a teacher 

 who could come regularly every Saturday afternoon for the coming year 

 I feel sure the results would well repay the outlay. The children have 

 been allowed to select their own subjects and work either in the Museum 

 of Natural History or the Art Museum. 



Forty-one classes and clubs have been received at the museum and 

 docent service given when desired. 



To the collections Mr. Smith has added a Philippine exhibit arranged 

 in a case in the lower hall. Among these are examples of hand- 



