FOR the past two years enforced economies within the Museum necessitated the initiation of a charge for docent service to school classes visiting the Museum. This resulted in such a drastic reduction of the numbers of teachers able to bring their classes and so many flattering protests that it was decided to resume the free docent service this winter, as a major part of the Education Department’s activities.
To this end the ground floor of the Sharpe Wing was turned over to the Education Department, giving it room for a new classroom, junior members’ studio, offices, and galleries for special children’s exhibits. The large courtyard in front of the Sharpe Wing has been opened, allowing the school buses to deliver the children directly to the Education Department entrance, and to park there during the children’s visit to the Museum.
The program of talks offered to the schools was revised to correlate more exactly with the schools’ curricula for the various grades, and was approved and endorsed by Dr. Gerson and by the Philadelphia Department of Visual Education.
The results have been almost overwhelming. Every possible hour open for talks has been engaged by the schools into January, and during the first three weeks of October the department has given 91 lessons to 3312 pupils of the city and its environs, many of them now visiting the Museum for the first time.
Experience has proved that through the children we interest the parents, and the department feels confident that the widely increased service to the schools this winter will have a far-reaching effect in interesting the citizens of Philadelphia in the service to the city represented by the work of the University Museum as a whole.
C. H. D.