The number of visitors is steadily increasing, and numbered 14,637 in the month of February, 1910; just about one-third of this number, or 4,925, made use of the library during the month. A new building is therefore urgently needed, and it is ardently hoped that a new fireproof building which is adequate for the purpose may soon be provided, to relieve the great stress now so apparent in many parts of the building, as well as to preserve its interesting collections and valuable library.
It seems evident that an institution which stands primarily for earnest endeavor to awaken an interest in Nature, is really necessary, especially in cities where many children live so closely crowded together that they hardly know what wild flowers are, and whose familiarity with birds is confined principally to the English sparrow.
Moreover, the nature study of the public school course, though good as far as it goes, is too often perfunctory, either from lack of interest or enthusiasm on the part of teachers, it being an added subject to an already crowded curriculum. Another seeming drawback is that the nature work is attempted during the first few years only, and then is dropped entirely for the remainder of the elementary course. A comparatively small number of children continue their studies in high schools; and even so, the study of botany and zoology is made so largely systematic and structural that any desire of becoming acquainted with the birds and flowers and trees is frequently eliminated.
Although entirely independent of the Board of Education it is along just such lines that the Children's Museum is able to make a place for itself in supplementing the work of the school. Its aims have been defined by the curator to be as follows:
1. To employ objects attractive and interesting to children,
and at the same time helpful to teachers, in every
branch of nature study. 2. To secure an arrangement at
once pleasing to the eye and expressive of a
fundamental truth. 3. To avoid confusion from the use of too
many specimens and the consequent crowding in cases.
4. To label with brief descriptions expressed in simple
language and printed in clear, readable type.
In addition to the common species of birds, insects, and animals, there are many groups that have special attraction for children. For instance, among the "Birds we read about" are the flamingo, cassowary, condor, and quetzal; the eagle owl is contrasted with the pygmy owl, and the peacock, lyre bird, albatross, swan, and pelican are displayed.
In the Insect room the child's attention is naturally drawn to the brilliantly-colored butterflies and moths, the curious beetles from tropical countries, and the "Strange insects, centipedes and scorpions." There is an extremely interesting silk-worm exhibit, and the children who visited the museum two or three summers ago had the pleasure of watching some of the identical silkworms while spinning their cocoons. Young collectors are shown exactly "How to collect and preserve insects" by examining the object lesson which was especially designed for their help.
Among the realistic "Animal homes" which appeal especially to the child's mind are the hen and chickens, the downy eider ducks, the family of red foxes, and the home of the muskrat. "Color in nature" is effectively illustrated by grouping together certain tropical fishes, minerals, shells, insects, and birds in such a manner as to bring out vivid red, yellow, blue, and green colors. Here and elsewhere in the museum are placed appropriate quotations from poets and prose writers.
In almost every room there are attractive little aquaria or vivaria containing living animals and plants. There is always a pleasure in watching the gold fish, or the salamanders, chameleons, mud-puppies, alligators, horned toads, tree toads, and snails. For three or four years an observation hive of bees has been fixed in a window overlooking the park, and children have watched the work of the "busy bees" with great delight.
The uses of minerals and rocks are shown by means of pictures of quarries, and of buildings and monuments, and lead pencils are seen in the various stages of manufacture. A small collection of "Gems" was recently donated, and the legends connected with the various birthstones are given in rhyme.