104 



The Natdkalist. 



characters in this particular group of mosses. The subject proved to be 

 very interesting to the members, was well discussed, and suggested 

 several new openings for microscopic investigation. — Thos. Rogeks, 

 Hon. Sec. 



Wakefield Naturalists' aistd Philosophical Society. — On DeCc 

 22nd Mr. W. Howgate, of Leeds, delivered a lecture at the rooms of the 

 Exhibition now being held at Wakefield, on " The Formation and Uses 

 of Public Museums." The lecturer, in the course of his opening remarks, 

 said that among the many social problems now engaging the attention of 

 the Government and of several municipalities were the technical educa- 

 tion of the people, and the establishment of museums. Some of the 

 abuses which had previously existed had been ended by the passing of the 

 Compulsory Education and the Free Librarj^ Acts, and the Government 

 were now, by means of a Royal Commission, obtaining a report upon the 

 various systems of technical education both at home and abroad. The 

 subject of the lecture was therefore of importance. He would assume 

 that, from a social as well as from an intellectual i^oint of view, a change 

 for the better was very desirable, and the excellent working committee 

 of that Exhibition evidently thought so too, the objects of the under- 

 taking being to purchase a building for a public museum. There were 

 some who denied the necessity for public museums, and one of their 

 arguments was, that where such museums exist, as in Liverpool, there 

 had been no diminution in crime and drunkenness. But the cause was 

 not far to seek. The distance which in most cases the artisan was 

 compelled to travel to these museums was an insuperable difiiculty, and a 

 large majority of the museums in existence were as yet in a state of 

 transition, while the artisan had not been consulted as to the formation of 

 any department in which he was interested. The social wants of the 

 working man were altogether ignored. He suggested that there should 

 be a large room in connection with each Board School which could be 

 used as a museum during the evening. As to the means at their disposal 

 for the formation of such a museum at Wakefield, he said that he was of 

 opinion that it was the imperative duty of corporate bodies to provide 

 these institutions. But the present movement was a voluntary one, and 

 the question was. how to raise the money. He thought a considerable 

 sum of money could be raised by house-to-house collections, wliich should 

 take place annually, and by public meetings. The museum should 

 consist of a scientific section, with sub-sections which should represent 

 the various branches of science and natural history. These sub-sections 

 should have the entire responsibility of collecting objects for the maseuip, 

 their arrangement and classification, and the preparation and publication 

 of a series of descriptive handbooks, the pro\dsion of lectures, and the 

 formation of classes for the study of the various branches of science. — A 

 hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Howgate at the close of the 

 lecture . 



