Evening star., 1936-08-12
REVIEWS HISTORY
OF SMITHSONIAN
80 Years Growth Sketched
by Dr.. Wetm0re in Radio
Address.

How the Smithsonian Institution
was established 80 years ago was de-
scribed in a radio address over WMAL
last night by DR.. Alexander Wetmore,
acting secretary of the Institution.
His address follows:
The Smithsonian Institution had
its beginning in a bequeSt of money
from James Smithson, an Englishman,
who died in Genoa in the year 1929.
In his will Smithson left his estate to
the United States of America to found
at Washington, under the name of
the Smithsonian Institution, an estab-
lishment for the increase and diffusion
Of knowledge among men.
There followed considerable debate
In Congress as to whether this Gov
ernment should accept such a trust
and if accepted the manner in which
1t should be used. Finally on August
10, 1846, 80 years ago yesterday, the
act to establish the Smithsonian In
stitution became law.
This act provides that the President
and the members of his cabinet shall
constitute the Smithsonian establish
ment, that the business of the organ
ization shall be in the hands of
Board of Regents composed of the
Vice President, the Chief Justice, three
Senators, three Representatives, and
six citizens of the United States at
large who are appointed by Congress-
The executive officer is the secretary
Of the Smithsonian, who is chosen
by the Board of Regents.
Selection Of Secretary.
Joseph Henry of Princeton Univer-
sity, was Immediately selected as
secretary, and with his wide guild
ance the plans under which the
Institution has developed were care
fully laid. Under authority of Con-
gress the Smithsonian was given title
to a section of land in the Mall
area between Ninth street and Twelfth
street, and on May l, 1847, with Ma
sonic ceremonies, the corner stone of
the Smithsonian building was laid in
the presence of President Polk, his
cabinet, and large assembly.
The building was constructed of a
reddish brown sandstone from the
quarries at the mouth of Seneca Greek
on the Potomac River a short distance
above Washington.
The east wing of the building was
ready for occupancy in the Spring
Of 1849 and the building was COM
pleted in 1855. In that early day the
ntay- I,nL 11fr
rooms of the east wing, students in
science were allowed living quarters
in the various towers, and there was
q guest room for distinguished scien-
tiflc visitors who came to visit and to
work at the institution.
Achievements Are Told.
Prof. Henrys first report to the
Board of Regents, presented on De-
cember 8, l847. contains a paper on
the meteorology of the United States.
The first extended scientific publica-
tion of the institution came in 1848
in the form of large, illustrated vol
ume on the ancient Indian mounds
Of the Mississippi Valley.
The act Of foundation of the Smith
museum for objects of natural his
tory, plants, geological mineralogical
and other specimens belonging to the
Government.
The United States National Museum.
today is confused in the minds Of
many with the institution itself The
relationship of the two is readily un-
derstood when it is remembered that
the Smithsonian is the parent organi-
Eation and the museum is one among
number of agencies that the Smith
Eonian has developed.
The museum was originally main
tained in the old Patent Office and
came later to the great central hall
of the Smithsonian Building. In 1881
separate building usually known as
the Old Museum was provided for it
to house the great increases in its
collections that came from the Gen.
tennial Exposition of 1876. In 1911
there was further expansion in the
great Natural History Building, while
following the World War there was
provision for collections dealing with
aviation in temporary building south
of the Smithsonian.
One of Worlds Greatest.
From small beginnings the museum
has grown until it is one of the great
est in the world Its collections now
comprise about 100000 catalog en-
tries and are valued at more than
$3.50, 100000.
In addition to these public displays
there are even more valuable study
collections arranged properly for ref
erence in the museum laboratories
studies Of many kinds.
In close connection with the
museum there is the National Gallery
OF Art. whose general collections are
housed at present in limited quarters
in the Natural History Building and
which should eventually have an ex-
tensive building of their own.
The Freer Gallery of Art, gift of
the late Charles L. Freer, a unit of
the National Gallery, is contained in
D separate building. The Freer COL
lection and library devoted to Oriental
art are among the most notable of
their kind.
Among the less popularity known
scientific activities of the Smithsonian
Is the Astrophysical Observatory,
which carries on studies of the heat
and light coming from the sun, mat
ters of importance everywhere on
earth. For this work daily observa-
tions of the sun are necessary, so that
while headquarters are in Washing
ton, most of the observations are
made on remote desert mountains,
where there are few clouds to hide the