Part 1 - The Institute Libraries - Institute for Advanced Study

CWTER VIf
TOO MANY GENERALS
The establishment of the three schools in their initial out-
lines was accompanied by events and evidence of trends ia the attitudes
of the Founders and Trustees which now need some explication. It should
be said that when Yr, Bamberger and Mrs. Fufd pledged their financial
support to create a new institution in &erican education, and engaged
Dr. Flexner to organize and direct its first steps, all three m st have
realized tkt little delay could atte~d the lsunehing of the Irstftute
for Advanced Study if they hoped to see the vision realized before they
left: t5e scene. The donors had declined to found and endow a small
w university," and they had impliedfy committed their fortunes to this
Institute, W'ny, then, as has been revealed in outline earliex, did Mr.
Bambergcr with Mrs. Fuldts consent suddenly decide to cease the gifts to
endow-~ent which had compensated for losses in the portfolio due to he-
pression conditions, and added to it to pennit the Institute to expand
according to the orderly pattern set forth by the Director? Admittedly
a man in hfs middle seventies might be excused if he dfsplayed s om
vagaries. But to wi thdxaw continued financial, support ,a£ ter only tvo
years of actual operation -- highly successful years, by public estima-
tion -- in face of the Director's continued planning to balance the
staffs in the three schools, and while the Institute needed buildings
and equipment, was hardly to be expected. So far they had given slightly
less than $7 million to the Institute. 1