St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1910-12-28
WORK AT THE MUSEUM.
A Review of What Has Been Done
During the Past Year.

The trustees of The Fairbanks
Museum authorize the printing of
the following excerpts from the an
nual report of the director, believing
that the readers of the Caledonian
will be interested in a resume of the
work accomplished by the institu-
ton during the past year.
Activities of the Year-The Histori-
cal Collection.
The past year has been signalized
by two important lines of work. The
first of these has been that of en-
larging the historical collection.
When the Museum was first opened
to the public, it contained some his
torical articles, few in number, but
very well chosen for Illustrating the
life of the early colonists of New
England. In the past 20 years the
collection has increased but slowly
since the keen interest in natural
history has been the prominent fact
or which has shaped the work OF the
Museum Within the past two years
however, there has been pronOunc-
ed tendency on the part of visitors to
Hnger in the colonial room. The
opening of this room stimulated
the interest in an historical depart
ment to such an extent that articles
are constantly being given and loan
ed to us. The accession list, sent
with this report, shows how large a
number of this years additions have
gone to the colonial room, and 1t Is
the hope of the director that the
future may sometime see a complete
collection which shall illustrate the
life of tine NeW England 1~a91onisfs,
forming a department Of the Fair
banks Museum.
Fo.p,.s,n 0ov.auf of Cases
The second special phase of work
undertaken this year has been the
reinstalIing of all exhibits on the
east side of the building. This
change was deemed wise because:
first, the humming birds we're in the
highest place in the whole building
and were being harmed by this ex-
posure: second, the minerals Occu-
pied cases having an especially good
light, and owing to the nature of the
exhibits the space in the upper half
of these cases was useless; and third,
the chronological objects, which are
of far greater interest to the visitors
than are the minerals, occupied
places which we're too dark for them
to be seen to the best advantage.
In the change now being made, the
humming birds are put in corner
of the Museum where the light is
subdued, where there is no danger
of their fading, and where their
beautiful cOlOrs show to excellent
advantage; the minerals are put in
a less conspicuous position, but one
in which they are readily accessible
for any students who wish to study
them, or for removal into the class
room on lecture weeks; while the
chronological objects being placed up
stairs, occupy all of the larger cases,
have excellent light and being ar
ranged in geographical order, form
a most valuable exhibit.
In order to so arrange this cOllec-
ton it was necessary to divide these
cases by a board partition which has
been covered with burlap. Against
this background, which tones we'll
in color with the oak woodwork, the
articles are seen to good advantage.
1t is planned to have the labels for
all of this series printed in dark
brown on buff cards. 1t may be in
teresting in this connection to state
that the idea of arranging exhibits
with a view to harmony of color and
surroundings has had but little place
in the scheme of natural history
officials up to the present time. A
few museums are now arranging
their exhibits in a manner similar to
that outlined above, and the idea is
Obtaining y
as is evidenced by the favorable re-
ports and discussions of directors at
the Museums Association sessions.
This change has been wholly planned
and one-half of the work is now &C
complished. The director wishes to
pay tribute to the admirable me-
chanicaI ability of the curator,
without whose help it would have
been impossible to carry out many
of the ideas involved in this change.
General Work of the Museum
Labels.
In the relabelling which is so con-
slant a feature of the years work
an attempt has been made to secure
sronger and heavier cards and those
quality which will not fade. The
bject of making labels which shall
comparatively permanent, is one
hich is much discussed by~museums
ople, and the director has prohted
all the advice which she could get
the subject. The results now
ling obtained are much more salts
Glory than those which we could
tocure a few years ago.
In labelling the historical exhibit,
he curator has endeavOred to give
Information as full as possible in
regard to the age of the objects, the
manner of their use, or their special
historical, value. The labels will
thus have an important educational
character; and while, lengthier than
those attached to natural history OBJ
jects, are in. excellent keeping with
the nature of the exhibit. This in
formation seems especially necessary
for all objects of local interest, and
the result would appear to justify
the amount of time and labor which
is frequently expended in learning
and verifying the facts.
Flower Table.
The flower table has been as usual
the most popular exhibit during the
summer The immaculateness of
the vases on the table, the pleasing
arrangement of the flowers, and the
extreme daintiness of the whole eX-