Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-08-09
MUSEUM
PLAN IN NEWARK
MAKING HEADWAY
Encouraging Progress Expected
to Be Shown in Forthcoming
Report of Association.

Will be puDlSneQ the report VI thS
Newark Museum Association for 1912
1918. Having heard of this l called
a day or two ago on ]. I. 1sidor at
II st. Francis street. his place of
business. Mr.. Isidor, who received
me with great courtesy, is known as
one of the residents of Newark most
active in furthering the interests of
art in this city, and especially for his
sincere devotion to the cause of
American art.
st am informed. Mr.. Isidor," I
said. that you have been instrument
tai in adding largely to the mem
bership of the Museum Association.
Is 1t true?"
FulalIed His Pledge.
We'll" he said, you must know
that when 1 told Mr.. John Cotton
Dana that | would get fifty men to
agree to join the association, pledg-
ing their support and their money.
he laughed at me, intimating that
Newark people had no love of art or
public spirit in awakening the city to
sense of its value as an influence
in general education
"And did you obtain the names of
the fifty mem"
Il did, indeed, and many more: but
there is a spirit of provincialism to
be overcome here that is astonishing
and discouraging"
Mr. Isidor, who is a well-known
club member of Newark and a mem
Der of the Lotus and Salmagundi
clubs of New York city, when in
formed that to him was given the
credit of being the one most energetic
In. - Il,l,
scum here modestly disclaimed such
credit, but those knowing most about
the progress of the project to estab-
fish museum worthy of Newark are
aware of what he has done and Is
doing.
What Does He Get Out OF It9
He gives a valuable art prize of
gold for a certain object, and to IL
lustrate the unappreciative sentiment
of some of the people of Newark he
told me that he had been asked, in
spirit half of humor and half seri-
ously what he himself got out of 1T.
Then he referred me to John Cotton
Dana as one best qualified to speak
on the subject of the museum.
But before / visited the library to
call upon Mr.. Dana / interviewed a
very prominent Newark resident,
equally interested in the museum. He
told me that the association was
making rapid progress, and that the
report would show this.
This gentleman also referred with
gentle disapprobation to the lethargic
state of public opinion which delayed
the project.
Interest of Woman.
From the house of this gentleman
l went to the public library. Mr..
Dana was not there, but / succeeded
in interesting one of the secretaries
of the Museum Association, a young
lady of intelligence, of soft, soothing
voice and gracious ways, a qualifica-
ton possessed by all of the many
young women and girls employed as
assistants in the library. This was
Miss Kendall.
One of the points which | gathered
from her conversation was that great
er publicity was needed to. interest
the people of Newark If a new and
important museum were to be estab-
lished She said that many people.
hearing of loan collections or exhibit
lions, such as that of the bronzes re-
Gently given, came to view them, but
after the exhibition had
closed.
The museum, now housed on the
fourth floor of the library, was first
started in a room less in size than
that in which Miss Kendall kindly re-
ceived me- From that time 1t has
grown through the generosity of
Newark people until a floor of the
beautiful building is far too small in
space to allow all the treasures in the
care of Mr.. Dana to be shown. When
1t Is remembered that the first exhi-
1t In
Japanese collection, it will be appa-
rent that the growth of the museum
has been astonishing.
Tribute OF Paris Editor.
friend, former editor of Paris
and the author or many
books, recently inspected
the collections in the library. He told
me that he was amazed at the display
and the scientific arrangement in the
little space at the command OF Mr..
Dana, but. he added:
Mr.. Dana, / know, Is one of that
class of men who, If they cannot
have, or obtain what Is necessary,
will work marvels with small means
One of the really remarkable col
lections in the museum is the Edward
N. Crane memorial exhibit of articles
from Thibet. Though there are only
one hundred and fifty objects in the
collection, it is doubtful IL anything
SO valuable can be found save in the
treasures brought from Mongolia and
Thibet by the Due d'Orleans.
Another remarkable exhibit is that
of German Applied Arts. Nearly
eight thousand persons have viewed
this collection. With the other ex-
hibits in this circumscribed, but no
table museum, the Newark public
are familiar. 1t is certain that the
people of the city, generally, viii
be pleased to know that the next
report of the association, so soon to
be issued, will contain evidence of
substantial progress.
Charm of the Museum.
AS / have said before, in dealing
with another department of the New
ark library in The Evening Star,
the charm that the institution pos
sesses for the public lies in its COM
plete abandonment 10 the people
whose property 1t is. Nothing is
hidden, nothing is sacred from the
touch or scrutiny of the humblest
visitor. Complainant. obliging wom-
en- or dainty girls are ready to an
swer every question and the citizen
of Newark is made to feel distinctly
at home.
Among the residents of the city
most earnestly devoted to the growth
of the greater museum plan are the
president, former Governor Franklin
Murphy, who has recently offered
wonderful collection of woods to the
DR.. william S. Disbrow,
Miss Alice Hayes, James S. Higbie,
Joseph T. Isidor Richard c. Jenkin-
son, Frederick j. Keer. DIR. Archibald
Mercer, Judge Frederick F. Guild.
Vice Chancellor James Il. Howell and
Judge Thomas l.. Raymond.
Y. NJ. @. A. MEMS MEETING
Ernest G.. Randall will speak on
Doing the Impossible" at the Sun