St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1907-11-13
FAIRBANKS MUSEUM.
Extracts from the Annual Report.

By vote of the trustees of the Museum
the following extract from the annual
report for 1907 is made public in order
N that the townspeople may become more
acquainted with the activities of the
institution, and the work which it is
doing.
The results achieved by the Museum
during the past year are due in part to
the fact that out-ofdoor life and an
interest in nature are widely cultivated
at the present time, and in part to the
modern conception of museum as a
place for the study of life in its various
manifestations, rather than a storehouse
for mass of unrelated objects. The
Fairbanks Museum has always been in
sympathy with this modern idea and
during the last year special emphasis has
been placed upon it.
EDUCATIONAL WORK WITH SCHOOLS.
Glasses of school children have visited
the museum for the regular lessons each
month. One hundred and thirty three
of these class talks were given by the
director, the following being among the
subjects treated: Relation of Plants
and Insects, y "Caterpillars, Moths and
Butterflies" "Goldenrods and Asters, :"
Fruits" seed Distribution" ''Squir-
rels," Defensive Organs of Plants"
Christmas Fern" Minerals and
Metals, termination, Bird Studies"
and Spring Flowers"
Anexperiment in regard to these classes
was tried last June and proved to be
most successful. The large and valuable
loan exhibit of articles from the East
was made the subject of series of lee
lures on China and Japan. These lee
lures were given to grades three to nine,
inclusive, and treated of the life, manners,
customs and dress of the people in those
countries. Much interest was added to
these lectures by the presence of two
young girls, who wore beautiful Chinese
and Japanese costumes loaned for the
occasion by Miss Mary E. Ide.
The bird walks were conducted last
spring as usual, four or five walks being
taken each week during May and June.
The numbers in attendance were larger
than last year, and it is now possible to
take at least fifteen pupils and have a
successful walk, as most of the children
have learned to move quietly and observe
closely.
The Junior Audubon societies met in
two divisions at the Museum once a
month from January to June. Interest
in these meetings was very keen and the
Horton prize contest made fitting close
to them. One hundred and twenty-one
children competed for the prizes. An
interesting incident of this contest
developed from the ties which resulted in
the two highest divisions The prizes
were finally won by Ruth and Russell
Adams, and these young people feeling it |
to be unfair that both prizes should go
in one family voluntarily divided the
money with the pupils who had first
been tied with them, Misses Edith l..
Stone and Freda Gilfllan.
A series of teachers meetings is now
being conducted by the director. 1t is
planned to hold four meetings for each |
grade between October and February. |
Besides a general talk on the nature
work for the month careful outlines of |
study are given to the teachers, and help
full books and magazines are consulted
or loaned to them. One result of these
meetings is already apparent in the
quickened interest which is taken in the
regular Museum lessons.
GENERAL EDUCATIONAL WORK.
For five years the flower table has been
a feature. of the Museum work, and the
display Of the past season has been
larger than that of any previous year
One day 125 specimens were shown, and
generally at least fifty vases have been
filled. Four hundred and twenty-nine
kinds of flowers have been displayed dur
ing the season. The flower table has
elected more expressions Of pleasure and
appreciation from visitors than has any
other exhibit in the building. ,
Caterpillar cages have been we'll filled,
and at the present time, 81 chysalids
and cocoons, in which repose II varieties
of moths and butterflies, are awaiting
the return of next springs warmth and
sunshine. The caterpillars were all
brought in by children, and have been
ted and cared for largely by those who
secured them, In addition, many of the
pupils have caterpillars which they are
studying, either at home or in school.
GENERAL WORK OF THE MUSEUM.
During the past year, the library has
oeencompletely classified and catalogued.
It now numbers SIT volumes, and it's
use by students of various ages increases
very year. The scientific magazines
aiken by the Museum are bound an (
lually, and catalogue of the articles in
hem is now being made. This will be of
special service to the office staff, and in I
he preparation of lessons papers and t
ectures. t
The room over the office and class.
Dom has been converted into an annex
% the exhibition hall, and now contains
articles from China, Japan and the |
loaned by Mrs. E. D. Eaton, ,
Mrs. Bourke Cochran the Misses Mary i
md Marjorie Ide, and others. These
articles illustrate the life and dress of +
people in the countries mentioned, and
aiken together, form remarkably l
collection. y
For some time, it has been apparent t
hat the moose and buffalo were being I
Harmed from exposure to dust and
hanging wea .her conditions. They 4
ave, therefore, been enclosed in glass {
md the moose moved to the extreme
outh end of the hail. where he seems
ute at home, surrounded by the moss,
vergreen and birch trees which are
atural to bog such as he frequents v
much of the year. c
In order to make this change. the n