Report of Librarian.

To the Board of Education,

Gentlemen:-The Librarian of the Newburgh Free Library, respectfully submits the following report for the year ending June 30, 1903:

The year has been, in respect to the business of the Library, in no wise remarkably different from other years, though we would note a generally increased use of the reading room, and of books for consultation from the reference room.

The number of books given out for home use was 82,045 volumes, a daily average of 276 volumes.

The largest number given out in one day was on January 31, 1903, when 601 volumes were taken, and the smallest number was on December 16, 1902, when 110 volumes were taken.

The largest monthly circulation was 8,566 volumes, in January, 1903, and the smallest was 5,364 volumes, in July, 1902.

The number of persons taken out books for home reading is constantly increasing; 663 new names have been added to our register and loan cards have been issued to the same.

The greatest care has been exercised in the selection of books during the year. While endeavoring to accede to the requests of the patrons of the Library in supplying special books, the Library Committee has always kept in view the correct principle of purchasing mainly such works as give a permanent value to the collection, and to keep abreast of the times in furnishing the important works of the day in sufficient quantities to meet the demand, and with satisfactory prompt

ness.

SCHOOL LIBRARIES.

The plan of circulating library books through the public schools has proven so popular that there was urgent demand for its extension.

Accordingly, the number of books for this special purpose was greatly increased during the year.

There are now 3,316 library books in the school libraries. These books are in charge of the principal at each school, and are given out for home reading under very simple regulations. In many instances they are read by other members of the family. In this manner the public schools become branch libraries, from which the books of the library circulate among the families of the immediate neighborhood. No records of their use have hitherto been kept, but at the opening of the school term, some system should be put in operation by which statistics of the use of these books will be preserved.

Aside from the statement of the principals that they are in constant daily use, we have no means of knowing the extent to which they are serving their purpose.

REFERENCE ROOM.

This department grows steadily in usefulness and popularity, the number of readers having largely increased during the past year.

Every effort is made to render available our excellent collection of books, and to assist in every way possible those who frequent it for study and the consultation of works of reference.

In connection with the reference work of the Library, the public should realize that the books on the shelves in the reference room comprise but a small portion of the reference works in the library. There are several hundred additional books which might very properly be placed on those shelves if there were room.

DONATIONS.

There have been 84 volumes donated to the Library by the following persons:

Rev. Francis Washburn, Arthur S. Walcott, The Misses Mackie, Joseph M. Dickey, Rev. R. H. McCready, Thomas W. Lawson, N. Waring Barnes, Miss Maria Hasbrouck, Mrs. Sam'l C. Mills, Mrs. W. A. Roebling, Thomas W. Balch, Coldwell-Wilcox Co.

The gifts were all duly acknowledged with the thanks of the Board of Education. It will be seen that the list of donors is large and that fact is an indication how great has been the interest taken by our citizens in the progress of the Library.

BINDING AND REPAIRING.

As usual in recent years, a large amount of rebinding and repairing has been necessary; 1,611 volumes have been rebound or repaired at the bindery at a cost of $475.55. At the same time the number repaired at the Library was 4,874. Close attention is given to the condition of books when given out, and many volumes are saved by the timely replacement of a loose leaf or the mending of a torn one.

Books will wear out with use, and the bills for rebinding and replacing these much handled books are only additional proof of the growing popularity of the Library.

PERIODICALS.

The number of periodicals received at the reading room is 52; the number received at the Teacher's Library is 19.

The number of volumes in the Library has been increased to 29,

The accumulation of books had crowded the shelves to the limit of their capacity, and it has been found necessary to add additional shelf room. So the gallery on the east side of the main room was extended and nine new stacks with a capacity of about 5,000 volumes was added.

It is probable that the additional shelf room gained in this way will be sufficient for the increase of the Library for the next four or five years.

The Library was opened to the public in its present quarters in 1878, with 10,421 volumes. This number has been steadily increasing until it has reached 29,434 volumes. The yearly circulation has increased from 15,600 to 82,045.

There has been no change in the Library force, which is as follows: Thos. M. Hawthorne, Librarian; Lillie O. Estabrook, Asst. Librarian, and Christina V. A. Oakley, Asst. Librarian.

STATISTICS.

Number of volumes in the Library, July 1, 1902..

28,337

Number of volumes in the Library, July 1, 1903..

29,334

Circulation from July 1, 1902, to June 30, 1903...

82,045

The Library has been open 299 days during the year; during ten months it was open 12 hours daily, and during July and August it was open 11 hours daily, except on Saturdays, when it was open 12 hours.

The Library has been closed nine holidays and five days for cleaning.

I close this report with the conscientious feeling that all who are in the Library employ are endeavoring to perform their various duties to the best of their abilities, keeping in mind the interest of its patrons, and showing a genuine desire so to perform their work, that the Board of Education may feel a satisfaction in the management of the great and important trust which has been placed in their keeping. Respectfully submitted,

THOS. M. HAWTHORNE,

July 15, 1903.

Librarian.

Report of Supervisor of Drawing.

Mr. James M. Crane, Superintendent of Schools,

Sir: A report of the year's work in drawing, includes, first, a mention of the adoption of colored crayons for use in exercises in nature and object study in all the grades below the eighth.

Much of the first half-year work was done in color, the class at the discretion of the teacher using lead pencils in connection with the crayon. The pupils have shown a marked increase of interest in their work. In examining results, I have been mindful of any loss of appreciation of form, size and proportion of objects, owing to the color being made so prominent a feature of the study, and the conclusions arrived at are that the use of color is a valuable aid in the expression of ideas.

Principles have been carefully studied and in technique we are steadily improving.

From the eighth grade to the eleventh, inclusive, water colors are used.

The annual exhibit of the best specimens of pupils' work in all the grades, was made in the Academy Studio and the Assembly Hall, June 18 and 19. The drawings were highly commendable, and the paper bon-bon boxes made in the several grades were well executed.

A simple exercise in applied design in which each pupil of the 10th and 11th grades made an original drawing for the decoration of a pillow or table cover and worked it out on denim in water color painting or in outline embroidery was shown and proved a very attractive feature of the exhibit.

Miss Ruby Moores and Miss Rhea Lovejoy of the class of 1903 won the honors in drawing and each prepared a water-color sketch to leave in the Assembly Hall as a specimen of their skill.

The grade meetings for the seventy-eight teachers of the first to the eighth grades inclusive, were held on Thursdays from 3.30 to 5 p. m., and reached a total of thirty during the year.

From these meetings there were absent from the Washington