1806
JOURNAL OF CEEMICAL EDUCATION
Ocross~,1932
By inclusion of mineralogical and geological exhibits within the survey, emphasis has been laid upon the debt which these two sciences owe to chemistry as demonstrated by special exhibits, grouping, and labeling. Moreover, since chemistry forms an essential part of so many industrial processes, special exhibits of chemical phases of an industry might appropriately accompany each and every exhibit, rather than to have all chemistry exhibits segregated. Since many exhibits are furnished free of cost by manufacturers, demands may reach enormous proportions. A very recent report by J. H. McCracken gives the number of private and state-controlled colleges as 657, of junior colleges as 481, or a total of 1138. Add to these the much larger number of high and preparatory schools, church and special schools, and of ambitious individuals, and the total becomes appalling. The logical place to put exhibits on location for the greatest good to the greatest number is in a museum. A museum may serve as a place of assemblage for material too scarce, too valuable, or too bulky for transport and can also function as a loan center for smaller exhibits suitable for schools, colleges, societies, and other civic purposes. Finally, the character of museum exhibits is vastly changing. There is action, light, color, and life where formerly rows of bottles or other articles, as dead as the shelves upon which they rested, were totally lacking in power to attract and instruct the type of observer or student with which we now have to deal. A few museums in the United States now have the better sort of chemistry exhibits and it is certain that others will speedily follow, in a country which is reported to he setting the pace in the use of the museum as a radiating center for general scientific education, not the least part of which is chemistry.
RECENT PROGRESS AND CONDITION OR MUSEUMS IN TRE UNITED STATES Chapter XXII of the Biennial Survey of Education in the United States, 1928-30, issued by the Officeof Education of the U. S. Department of the Interior (Bulletin, 1931, No. 20). is entitled "Recent Progress and Condition of Museums." It is for sale by Lhe Su~erintendentof Documents. Washineon. D. C. The table of contents is herewith printed: I . Statiiticr of oul>licmu\cums: field-, income.
