New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-08-03
MUSEUMS TO UNITE
FOR IMPROVEMENT
National Union to Be Formed to
Attack Their Problems

New York, Aug. 3.-Jrhe launching
of a national museum movement
which. for the first time, Will enable
the art. history. science, commerce
and industry museums OF the country
to attack Jointly their common prob
lens, has been announced by Lam
renee Vail Coleman. secretary of'fne
American Association of Museums. At
the same time Mr.. Coleman made
public the fact that grant Of $780,
600 has been made to tho association
by one of the big educational foun-
dations on condition that an addition
al $4,000 be raised from museums
and their supporters. ENCOURAGING
progress already has been made to-
ward securing this amount, and the
completion of the fund is in sight,
the secretary said.
The plan of the new museum move
ment is described in the call for the
eighteenth annual meeting OF the as
ISOLATION issued by Frederick Allen
Whiting, director of the Cleveland
Museum of Art and president Of the
association. This meeung will cele-
brate the 150th anniversary of the
founding of Americas first museum
and will be held April I to s at
Charleston, S. C.
1t Is expected that the $4,000 will
furnish the nucleus of support for the
work for three years. but the project
looks far into the future, and plans
are being laid for its continued sup
port and growth. 1t calls for the es-
tablishment Of permanent headuuar-
tiers for the association, probably at
Washington. The Smithsonian Insti-
tuition has offered suite of offices
for the use of the association.
In commenting upon the project
Secretary Coleman says: I'm the past
museums have sprung up largely by
chance and have lived as best they
could, but now the time has come for
concerted action which will enable
museums more effectively to carry on
their work. The public generally
does not appreciate what museums
are doing for education from the kin
dergarten to the university. Already
the demands upon their resources far !
exceed their ability TO deliver, and In |
order to meet this situation the pres
emit organized national effort has been
instituted.
THE first step toward the improve
ment Of this condition, and one which
Is supported most enthusiastically by
the leading museums of the country,
Is the plan for extensive publications
which will broadcast the results of
dozens of special experiments being
carried on under the auspices Of va
ious institutions. The publications
gill report also the general studies
20 be made by the staff of the asso-
station. 4
Another purpose OF this national
movement Is the aim to dissipate the
popular misconception OF museums.
The museum Of the past has left In
The minds of majority Of persons the
notion that museums are storehouses
IF curious dead things interesting
,hief1y to specialists, and having little
-elation to modern life. The associa-
ion plans through the printed word,
notion pictures, and the help of a
,orps of lecturers, to bring home to
he public an appreciation OF the fact
hat the museum of today is truly the
peoples university
Another development which the fu-
ure is expected to effect is the train
ng of a. new generation of museum
executives and workers. In coopera-
ion with universities the association
hopes 10 bring about the study Of
museum administration by graduate
tudents in order by degrees to pre-
bare for the demand for trained per-
onnel which will be necessary to
nan the museums OF the future.