The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-06-23
FREE AND POPULAR
LECTURE COURSE
8y Prof. Homes and His
Assistant.
A SPECIAL LECTURE ROOM
IT WILL BE IN THE AGRICUI
TURAL BUILDING.
THE ENTRANCE ON SALISBURY STREET
The Museum Will be Made an Educational Cen
ire as an Industrial lxhib'. Dream Of
the Directors About 10 be
Realized.

The new annex to the Agricultural
building will be designed throughout
for practical museum purposes. 1t will
be a plain brick and mortar struc-
ture. two stories high. No attempts
will be made at external adornment.
1t will cost S17,250 and the contract
calls for its completion by January 10th.
1900
The first floor will be devoted to IL
new chemical laboratory and work
rooms. and to a geological lecture hall.
The lecture hall will seat about 300,
and will be constructed especially for
the purpose of giving scientific illustra-
ted lectures on economic geology. road
building. forestry and kindred subjects.
This hall will have an opening on
Salisbury street and this will be the
only opening to the building from this
street. Popular lectures will he given
in this hall by Prof. J. 4. Holmes.
the State Geologist. and his associates
from the National Survey.
They will he free and will add much
to Intellectual life of the city.
There will probably be. during the
winter months. one lecture week. All
of them will be illustrated. either by
stereGptican views. or by the specimens
in the Museum. These lectures will be
by specialists. carefully prepared. and
have for their object the better educa-
ton of the people of the State as To the
resources and needs of North Carolina
From time to time also. when this
auditorium is completed, there will be
Il special course of lectures and papers
for some particular class of people
such for instance. as the road-builders'
institute. which is to be held at Char
lotte in July.
Altogether the idea is very happy
one and you wonder that IT has never
been thought of before. If the present
plan is carried ont il must result in
great good to the State.
On the second floor. extending through
a large arch from the present geological
and Theological rooms. there will he an
economic geologic room, filled with
specimens. Here il is proposed to
make a practical and ocular demonstra-
ton of valuable and metafiferous ores
and the most approved methods of ex-
tracing their contents. This hall will
he 40 by 60 feet.
The next hall. which will be 2S by 81
feet. will be devoted to the piscatorial
exhibit. including an aquarium in the
centre for live fish. This room will
contain all the present exhibits of fishes.
mollUsca and marine specimens
The next hall. on Salisbury street. will
contain archaeological and astrological
specimens. 1t is also intended to place
in one corner of it medical museum
The collection of specimens for this
will be secured from all the medical
schools in this and other States.
1t has long hen pet project of Prof.
Holmes and Mr.. Bruner that this NIT
scum should become the centre of ali
education in the State. They desire that
its usefulness shall not be confined, as
now. to purely industrial exhibits but
that it may have wider SCOPE including
scientific and educational specimens or
all kinds. The directors now have on
hand, hut not unpacked. several car
loads Of material for this building. i
part of these is here. part at Chapel
Hill and part at other places.
The natural history series Is only
about half completed and it is the pur-
pose of. the directors to make this at
once as complete and full as possible.
The directors of the museum are
State Geologist Holmes. Secretary Bru-
ner and Curator Brimley. They are
charged by the board with the colec-
ton and care of specimens and the ex-
tension of the building.
The museum has been steadily grow
ing in popularity in North Carolina dur
ing the last eight years. when it first
began to receive the attention of the
board. 1t had been in existence for
eighteen years before, but had attract
ed small interest, and then only from
purely scientific investigators. Under the
management of these directors. who
have given so much of their time and
labor to the work committed TO them.
the museum has become an institution
of great popularity and is now the pride
Of the intelligence of the State.
Last year there were no less than
10000 visitors through its rooms and
the attendance thus far this year will
show a material increase over the last