Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1923-01-06

ords of the races which were living in the western
| world when Columbus reached these shores The
great problems to which 1t is dedicated include the
unwilling of the mystery of the origin of the So
called Red men themselves. 1t is within the range
of possibility, in the opinion of George G. Heye,
the founder and tie director of the museum that
this goal may be reached.
The investigation which the institution is car
rying Is based not on mere theorizing, but on
patient analysis of all the facts and factors. For
this reason students and scholars and enthusiasts
everywhere are invited to study the many thou
sands of objects for only by careful comparisons
and the tracing of condolences any progress
be made. The relatively small staff of the museum
Is colating its stores of information in the inter-
ests of all those of inquirng minds The public
is welcomed to view the collections as a means
OF recreation and education, while at the same
time the quest for the secret of origins proceeds
The building of the Museum of the American In
! dian is situated in Broadway at One Hundred
and Fifty-fifth street, in close proximity to the
museums of the Hispanic society and of the Amer
lean Numsmatc society and the quarters of the
American Geographic society. The rearing of the
whole important group was due primarily to the
zeal of Archer NJ. Huntington who gave the site
for the Museum of the American Indian and as
one of its trustees gave literally TO its building
fund.
In appearance. the structure is like that of the
others of the group-a dignified and massive Ionic
is the style Of architecture The material is In
dian limestone and the construction is absolutely
freproof. The museum Is four stories high and
occupies a site 65 by 125 feet. AS there is light
from three Sides and the windows are especially
large the collections In ordinary weather can be
examined without the aid Of artificial illumination
The specimens are shown three floors and
at the top Of the building is a commodious work
room given to the cleaning and preparation Of the
collections for display. The Office of the director
Is to the right on the first floor, are also the
quarters Of the scientific staff. To the left are
administrative offices of various kinds
Although this museum Is devoted to deyfng into
the past. 1t is In every way conducted in accord.
ance with the principles Of modern business eff.
cheney. The installations In the latest types
| of cases, and many Of the old time theories of
museum arrangement have been abandoned II IL
manifestly impossible to show any great number
OF the objects ut once for already the storage
vaults In the basement are filed and many of the
bulky specimens which cannot be shown at nres
ent. are housed in another building in ST. Nicholas
avenue which Is almost large as the museum
| itself.
Some opponents OF visual education have .u,
gested that all specimens should be SO placeA tho,
they may be actually handled by the visitors This
is manfestly impossible In dealing with specimens
which are all valuable evidences OF the origins NJ
races. but In the Museum of the American Indian
there is novel system Of installation. introduced
for the first time in the United States through
which the public can what Is not In view ana
that without asking for IL.
/ Under many cases. there are drawers which RI.
| visitors may pull out and look through the glass
tops Of these containers at objects which nre ar
ranged according to the general scheme followed
In the visible installations The students aud ,be
research Investigators also have access to the COL
lections In storage, all Of which have been svs,e
maticay cataogued by the director himself. There
Is not bit OF bone or potsherd In the whole In.
N he ircfo pt1v
poses of comparison and research SO efticientIv
has the museum been arranged. for the purpose OF
making its treasures available for the use of the
seekers after truth.
II, for example. some one should come In with
fanciful theory that the Australian buslmen and
the american indians had some relationships be-
cause beth used boomerangs he would see that