PUBLIC EDUCATION 
supplying nearly 400 of the City schools. The collections include birds^ 
insects, moUusks, crabs, starfishes, worms, sponges, corals, minerals, 
and woods. 
Museum messengers deliver the collections in a sequence agreeable 
to the teacher and call for them at the expiration of the loan period. 
In the course of a year, this material reaches from 500,000 to 800,000 
school children. 
Pursuant to a request of the New York City Teachers' Association, 
the Museum in 1904 arranged for a series of informal lectures to school Lectures to 
children, the purpose of which was to supplement the classroom work 
in geography, history, and natural science. These lectures have been 
attended by thousands of pupils and have now become a regular part 
of the Museum's educational work. 
Further privileges have been extended in connection with the 
use of the lantern slides and lecture room. Including the collection of 
lantern slides deposited by Professor Bickmore, the Museum possesses 
a collection of slides numbering 35,000, of which fully 12,000 are 
beautifully colored. Teachers are allowed to select from these slides 
•11- 1 Special 
to illustrate some topic m connection with their work and arrange 
Lectures. 
for special lectures to their pupils. 
The free lectures to the public, under the joint auspices of the Lectures to 
^ ' J r- Public. 
Museum and the Board of Education, were begun in October, 1900. 
The first lecture to the public on holidays was given under the Lectures to 
^ the Public 
State Department of Public Instruction on Thanksgiving Day, 1890. on Holidays. 
They have been continued since 1904 by the Museum. 
The lectures in cooperation with Columbia University were begun u°'j"grsity 
in 1892. Lectures. 
In 1906 the Museum appointed an instructor, whose duty it is to instructor, 
meet classes visiting the Museum and explain to them the exhibits, 
thus enabling them to use their time to the best advantage. A large 
number of the schools are making use of the Museum in this way. 
Another feature of this work is the children's room, which was es- 
tablished in 1908, and which is under the immediate supervision of the 
instructor. 
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