St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-10-10
THE FAIRBANKS MUSEUM
Another Useful and Munifcent Gift to
ST. Johnsbury.


Some pleasant information having
recently come to me it is my desire
that all interested should share it.
Our citizen and friend, Col. Frank
lin Fairbanks, has had for many
years desire and plan for work
that should be of permanent interest
and value to st Johnsbury and vicin-
ity. Having special interest himself
in popular science and in collections
that instruct us as to the mode of
living of other races and in other
ages, he has for many years gathered
from various sources specimens that
represent the life of nature and of
man. This labor has been to him a
refreshment in the exacting duties of
a busy life. But the controlling mo-
tive in all, has been something larger
than his own pleasure. He has col
lected material that should have
value for the education and the larg-
er views of life for the whole commu-
nifty 1t has long been his wish that
the village should have another inn
portant and worthy attraction and
another institution for its improve
ment. Having consulted many
prominent educators and men of
practical knowledge he has at last
perfected his plans and is to put them
in immediate execution.
He intends to erect at once
Museum that shall be at the same
time an architectural ornament for
our town and a building adapted
in all its arrangement for popular
scientific instruction. This Museum
is to be erected on Main street be-
tween Prospect and Charles streets.
The dwelling at the corner of Charles
street is to be removed that the
whole lot may be used for this pur
pose Plans have already been made
by Lambert Packard, that give new
proof of his architectural ability.
The structure is to be of granite,
with brown stone decoration. The
main building will extend north and
south from ninety to hundred feet.
Joined to this toward the west will
be another about fifty feet long. By
this is the arcade through which the
entranceis reached by the tower that
stands at the juncture of the two
parts of the building. The main part
will be given both floor and gallery,
tocaSeS and tables for the collections
consist of two rooms, the larger for
classes or lectures, the smaller for a
scientific library and purposes of
study or consultation. Arrange
ments are also made for working
department and a room for the pre-
paration of the specimens. The
whole building is to be so elevated
as to make the architecture appear
as growth out from the ground and
at the same time secure rooms in the
basement that shall be both light
and dry.
Col Fairbanks has already made
important collections for the illustra-
ton of ornithology, mineralogy,
entomology, concholOgy and ethnol-
ogy. These collections are to be in
ere eased that they may become good
working collections for the student
in those sciences. Valuable illustra-
tions of these for which no private
residence has the space will be
brought to this town as soon as a
place is prepared to receive them.
Abundant space is also to be provid-
ed for complete collections of local
science. 1t is expected that before
many years the biologist will be able
to find here a comparatively complete
illustration of the fauna and fora of
our town and county. The natural
history of our country is to be studied
tions. Local museums and societies
are to furnish the observers, who, by
cO-OperatiOn with other societies and
observers will secure the advance in
the knowledge of natural science
Other museums have already prom
ised their active sympathy and as
S1Stance.
But the first object of the founder
of the Museum is not to make
monument of science, dead and use
less excellence, he wishes to present
to the community something that
shall excite interest and study and
train the habit of observation. He
wishes it to be brought close to the
life of the young. He wishes it to be
open to the children in the schools
and to those who have the humblest
desire for knowledge of nature. He
hopes to so arrange it that all shall
have desire to enter it as they now
enter the Library to find out about
things. 1t will be a great good if our
young are excited not to study books
less but nature more. 1t will be an
advantage to us all if we can be
taught to take walks and see some
thing and bring home something.
| The community needs a place that
shall be a center for all the scientific
interest and study of the town and
county; place where, whatever is
found by the student of nature can
be brought and tested; place where
individual owners of collections or
curiosities of which few can get the
advantage, SO long as they are pri-
vate, can deposit them where they
will be safe and useful 1t is a mat
ter of glad interest that we are to