On photographs about $800 have been spent thus far, the
electrotype coins cost something less than $750, and the balance of the
total quoted was made up by such incidentals as the draperies and
upholstering, photograph frames, the designer's commission and petty
expenses.
Turning now for a moment to the other side of the balance-sheet, we
shall try to answer the question, "Does it pay" to undertake a work of
this kind, except in our large and central cities? If to the founder or
founders of such an institution it be sufficient recompense for their
liberality to see their gift used, appreciated and enjoyed by people of
all classes, the brief experience of the Slater Memorial Museum answers
the question with a strong affirmative. The Museum was dedicated on
November 22 of last year. Since then it has been open regularly ten
hours a week, divided among three days, and at other times to students
and visitors from a distance. It is always free. There being no
automatic machine for registering the admissions, Mr. Kent has requested
visitors to write their names in a book provided for the purpose. The
number who do so is naturally considerably less than the total number of
visitors, particularly when the Museum is crowded, yet up to date the
books show more than 10,000 names. The average attendance per week thus
recorded, from the time of opening to July 1, was 283, the best month
being December, in which 2,163 names were entered, the poorest June,
with a total of 483.
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