Page:The museum, (Jackson, Marget Talbot, 1917).djvu/233

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OFFICIAL QUESTIONS
203

or an old man too feeble to hold a better position can be had. It is conceivable that were the boy taken on young enough and given to understand that he might have some hope of advancement in salary and in work there might be a better chance of getting permanent help, sufficiently interested in the welfare of the institution to be honest and reliable. A certain European museum director once said in regard to cloak rooms that to his way of thinking there should be no charge for obligatory checking, but on the other hand there most assuredly should be a charge for voluntary checking. That is, umbrellas, packages and the like which the rules of the museum do not permit to be carried, should be checked free, but for the checking of overcoats, hats, furs, etc., which the visitor may carry in if he wishes, there should be a small and definite charge. Such a system with a placard clearly printed stating these conditions would obviate any difficulties arising from an attempt to get a small fee on the part of the attendant.

We have, then, our Director, Assistant Director, Bursar, Membership Clerk, Stenographer, Cloak-room boy and Catalogue seller. In addition we need some one to attend to the telephone and a librarian. In any museum there are hectic weeks when every member of the staff rushes madly