Ohio History Journal

594       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

 

The most important problem now claiming the immediate at-

tention of the Secretary of the Society is the upbuilding of the

Library. A large extension of its newspaper collection, in the very

near future, is in prospect. The present opportunity may not

continue indefinitely. The library is accumulating, gradually, a

creditable collection of county histories of Ohio. This can be

supplemented at any time. After a thorough canvass of the Ohio

newspaper field, an intensive campaign for the collection of every-

thing relating to local source materials may be inaugurated.

Regardless of temporary delays, misunderstandings, and other

trivial hindrances, it is the purpose of the Secretary to push the

work of establishing here a reference library creditable to the

State of Ohio and worthy of its incomparable history.

In conclusion I wish to thank the Board of Trustees and the

officers of the Society for continued support and cooperation,

and the members of the library staff for faithful service and

loyal assistance in carrying forward the work which devolves

upon the Secretary as Librarian. Without presumption, I am sure

that I may also express the gratitude of our entire membership for

the kindly consideration of state officials and the generous financial

aid of the General Assembly of Ohio, which has made 1927 a

bright year in the history of this Society.

C. B. GALBREATH,

Secretary.

REPORT OF DIRECTOR

I take great pleasure in submitting my sixth annual report

as Director of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical

Society Museum. This Museum was established by the Society

by inserting as one of the articles of incorporation that the So-

ciety should establish and maintain a Museum of prehistoric

relics and natural or other curiosities or specimens of art or

nature promotive of the objects of the Association.

Your Director has passed through a year of untold anxiety

on account of a severe illness which was a handicap in every

respect. At no time during the year has the Museum received

the attention that it should have from the Director, but the staff

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Minutes of Forty-second Annual Meeting       595

 

of the Museum and workers in the building have contributed

in every way to assist me in seeing that the work of the various

departments went forward as usual and I am greatly indebted

to them for the interest they have shown in carrying forward

the work at the proper time. The time, whenever I could give

it, was taken up with the various departments in formulating

and carrying out plans for the various exhibits.

Mr. Starling L. Eaton, Superintendent of the Building, has

devoted a good part of his time to painting the rotunda and

adjoining rooms; a number of these rooms were also repaired

by removing the cracked plaster and replacing it with cement.

The system employed by the Superintendent of the Building

and Grounds in having someone present in the building at all

hours has been working to the satisfaction of all.  We now

have a new clock system with keys located at six different points

in the building. The clock is carried by the watchman who,

when he arrives at the station where the key is fastened to the

wall, rings the clock which records the time when he visited this

particular point. In this way each hour of the night the watch-

man is compelled to visit all of these stations and make notation

by ringing the clock, and we find that this system is very good.

The Superintendent has also installed a new scrubber and

the terrazzo floors of the building are constantly cleaned and

kept in condition by this machine. He feels that this is a great

improvement. Mr. Eaton has also had charge of the printing

and during the year has set up 337 forms and printed a little

over 40,000 impressions. During the year he has also made a

number of repairs on the roof, as well as repairs upon toilets

and sweeping devices, all of which service has been very satis-

factory.

The Cabinet-maker has also been very busy during the

year, turning out twenty-two new cases and dividing off several

rooms on the first floor with a railing three feet high. He has

constructed 133 feet of this railing. A number of old cases

have been repaired and put in shape for exhibition purposes.

He has made for the Natural History Department, 154 perches

for birds and also 276 base blocks for birds and animals. He

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596       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

has also repaired a number of chairs, tables, and other things

about the museum.

During the year the Natural History collections have grown

rapidly and we have secured the great collection of birds' eggs

collected by Dr. B. R. Bales, of Circleville, Ohio. In this col-

lection there are more than 10,000 specimens, being almost a

complete collection of eggs from  our Ohio birds.   I take

great pleasure in adding the report of Prof. James S. Hme.

Curator of Natural History, which speaks for itself:

 

REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL HISTORY

Two years ago the Department of Natural History of the

Ohio State Museum was organized. With the aid of friends,

distinct progress has been made. Without help from members

of the Wheaton Club and others, a large part of what has been

done could not have been accomplished.

One of the major tasks finished is the labelling and cata-

loguing, by Charles F. Walker, of 2965 specimens of birds, par-

tially mounted and partially skins, for study. More than 2000

of these specimens were turned to the Museum by the Univer-

sity and much other material now in the Museum is from the

same source.

The so-called Hayden Collection of mounted birds and

nests has been extensively repaired and added to, so that it now

furnishes a display collection which is used extensively by school

pupils and others.

Special effort is being made to collect the animal life of the

state. Many of the more conspicuous mammals and birds es-

pecially, are no longer to be found within our limits so it is the

plan to secure these from outside so that we can have a full

representation of Ohio's fauna as it formerly existed. The pair

of moose procured by James W. Stuber and now in the Mu-

seum, is an example. Others are being considered. A note-

worthy addition to the collection is a pair of the rare gray foxes

secured by H. R. McPherson, of our staff. A notable state

record is the capture of a badger by Samuel C. Coon, in North-

west Township, Williams County, September 1, 1926, and sent

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