Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-19

those of a private nature the attempt
is made to keep the file as strong as
possible.
THE prints are another valuable and
fascinating adjunct to the vertical file.
There are between 300 and 400 prints
in the collection, photographs, wood
cuts and half-tones. These illustrations
are placed with their subject; the print
collection being strongest on such sub
jects as biography, Capitol. description,
historic houses, inauguration, memorials
and monuments and the White House.
During its first year in its own home
the washington division has prepared
four large exhibits drawn almost en-
tirely from the vertical file and con-
sisting in large part of these prints.
THE arrangement of the vertical file
is by subject with many subdivisions.
There are no entries in the catalogue for
the WaShingtoniana subjects. This
would be impossible from the character
of the collection. Phrases and historical
illusions must be used in classifying a
collection like Washingtoniana, as catch
words grow often to be the designated
name of locality. A case in point is
the word Triangle which is used al
together to designate the land which
the U. S. Government Is developing. A
similar case, many years ago, occurred
when the present Center Market was
laid out. The space on the north of
Pennsylvania avenue between Seventh
end Ninth streets was referred to gen.
orally as Market Space and so it Is
to this day among the older Washing
tonians. The Market Space stores in
the sos and eos were among the most
prominent in the city.
Index Of All Magazines.
1.-THE file is strengthened in various
ways. A card index is kept of all mag
azine articles about Washington, ap-
pearing in the indexes from Poole to
date In cases where the magazine is
not available for clipping note Is made
on the pocket referring to the card in
dex Call numbers Of books in the col
lection and outside are placed on the
pockets when there is a shortage of
good popular matter about 1t. AS soon
as one phase of a subject separates it
self from the main thing under discus
sion In the papers, pocket Is made for
1t. and 1t assumes the proportions OF
separate subdivision. The extension OF
the Capitol grounds, for instance. has
assumed such proportions that 1t has
bacon,e the Plaza with cross reference
from Capitol.
1.-The subdivisions are many and tina
arrangement varies according to the
subject. Diplomats are arranged by
countries. historic houses by locality. as,
in the old days. locality had more
significance than a house: S0litics and
government, under the different forms
of government with the dates during
which each lasted: the White House.
under many, there being 80 subdivisions
under the name Of this historic build
ing. .,,..,.. .o,,.o
ton increased in size and value, II was
decided to try our hand at some form
Of scrapbook which would preserve the
clippings and also put into book form
much Of the loose material which never
seems to be of much value to the or
binary reader. Our first attempt, about
1910, was a volume of historic houses,
followed soon after by one on the
White House. These books were bound
in close binding and made dignif1ed
appearance as well as being exceed
ingly useful as books Of reference. This
work went steadily on as fast as 1t
could be sandwiched in with other
duties. During the war years little
could be done other than holding our
own and keeping the vertical file up-to-
date on the record of those full years.
Later, in 1920, when we were able to
sit up once more and take stock Of
things; we found that, in spite Of all
the drawbacks, we had eight scrapbooks
to our credit.
ScrapboOks Permanent.
During this period many changes
were worked out. AS 1t was seen that
the scrapbooks were to be permanent
and useful feature of the work, it was
decided to have them of uniform size