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sox Einstein is thus a distinct addition to our combfned resources. I trust that further develownts of the same character may be possible. If this can be accmplished and the students in the two institutions can cfrculate freely, Prf neeton will become a mathemsti cal center greater than either a£ the institutions which will exist on its soAl, and the same will be true of other schools ss they are added to the 1nstitute.59 But even as Flexner wrote this statement, which s e a fn thc first parsgraph to beg the issue, Professor Veblen spoke directly to Dr. James W. Alexander, Professor of Mathematics at the University, then lecturing part-time, ~sking him if he would come to the Institute, Al- exhnder was a brilliant tapologist, author a£ the Alexander ~ualltp Theorem, a former graduate student of Veblenkand sometime collaborator with hLm in mathamtics, They were close persons1 friends; their xap- port extended to their political views, acsdenic and ideological. Both herbored feelings of great discontent with the University and its admin- istration. No secret was mde of Veblen's action, and, in the words of an outside observer, "the air of intrigue hung thickly over Fine Dr. Lefschetz, for whose appointment to Princeton Veblen always proudly took credit, also aspired t o the appofntment. The situation was so tense that tbe decfsion as between the two men was left to Dean Eisen- hart, and that turned on which man he would prefer to have in the Pine professorship. 60 The Exacutive Comnittee met on the 7th of December to author- ize a £ om1 appointment to Dr. Weyl, and to consider and approve a =- quest by Dr. Flexner for permission to negotiate ~ 5th Dr, Alexander, /la'% submit the tern to the Cornittee or the Board for apprmal. Whether it was decided at this meeting that the lfberal terms of past I
appointments were not to be repeated is not clear. But: the decision was made at some tfme in these dzys, and the probability is that Dr. Flexner entered his negotiations with some limitations. For the Cornittee could hardly have approved without question taking a.second man f rom Prfnceton. According to the minutes, the rr~eting Lasted an hour and three quarters, and since the terms of Weylrs appointment were already decided earlier 2nd sirply repeated at this meeting, the likelihood is that the policy was discussed. Bowewer, no trace of that mdt its way into the minutes then -- or ever. Skortly afterward, Flexner arrznged with Veblen to come to Princeton, presmably to meet him and the two zspirants for the appointment. But on the 13th of December, the dcy befare the tryst, he wrote: Unforeseen conditions interfered with rry trip to Princeton today. As I thought things over at intervals, I became more and rcore reluctant to show myself on the Princeton campus before Eisenhart had threshed the matter out w ith Mr. hf- field, the rathematfeal group, and any other bodies con- ckkned. Perhaps 1 ampmctilious to the point of squeamish- ness, but just bemuse our relations with Princeton vill be so intfmate, I wish to give no one the slightest ground for criticism. I am not reluctant to act -- quite the contrary. I want to act, but I would not for the world have anyone associated with Princeton feel that we had been inconsider- ate or unmindful of the great kindness end courtesy which Princeton has shm us.61 Dean Eisenhart decided he would prefer to retain Professor Lefschetz far the Fine chair, and the University Trustees made the a p pofntarent the next day, Dr. Flexneros relief was so great that he wrote with more emberanee than wf sdom or insight .to VebLen: Please mke Lefschetz, as well as other members of the Prince- ton staff, understand that functionally the 'two groups belung to one another and that we shall all pull toge&qT in thr same boat, with you as coxmain. I--. \ - < . .
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A HISTORY OF TEE INSTITUTE POR ADVA
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TmLE OF CONTESTS INTRODUCTION . . .
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1 \ -c. --- ft 5s safe to 52)- that
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ot;-tervise would have b ~en lackin
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medical school. Such a school, he s
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them to abandon their intention to
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in the "plans already in effect.* N
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2. B. Grznting only the Doctor's an
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men of the nost distinguished stand
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Frank Aydelotte of Swarthmore Colle
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to purckse, retaining the right to
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Board of Directors approved the pur
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man whose warm hwn qualities, wisdo
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Th9 third phase began with the Rode
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dominant classical tradition of the
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the United States and Canada. He ac
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expenditure of sorething like $500
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in dominating spirit znd interest t
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for college graduates, reseerch ins
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quality to hirrself. ft was a susta
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ment," without explanation. Dr. Fle
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November, 1930, creating enew the s
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easonable certainties they have lea
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third-year college stu&nt in thls c
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John C. French, A History of the Un
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men vith which he charged a few Eas
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tions in the hope that better days
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What could be expected, if a modern
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He wrote: I am sending you kere-uft
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worthy of your beneficent idealism.
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sible for the eonduct of the businm
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the intent to train and guide stude
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emitted as trustees give promise...
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criticize freely in whole or in par
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Mr. Roughton was an elder statesran
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even in America. Fs pledged hinelf
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the number to the fifteen provided
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Mr. Barnbergex's proposal gave the
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Vice-himn was provided for, The Boa
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CHAPTER fX - NOTES 1. Goodspeed, op
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Re shall, after conference with t k
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CHAfTER I11 PLAPriING TEE ESTITUTE
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in research, whereas, la projecting
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a delay in action. The Board could
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I have finished the second draft of
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Universities, being prirrarily inte
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\ . science; the school of economic
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merh~rs of the Institute, and perso
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applied science, and progress in ph
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it right be decided that schools in
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had all too ilttle of it. He had be
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as a location; the mjority advised
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Meanwhile, in Jznuary 1932, the Dir
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Page 112 and 113: and the natural sciences. 26 Suqris
Page 114 and 115: + this cen chosen were drzwn togeth
Page 116 and 117: and laborious in a university, 35 D
Page 118 and 119: Director on a par with the Institut
Page 120 and 121: , furter, though still agreeing uit
Page 122 and 123: I am firmly convinced that the absu
Page 124 and 125: of the University had it held itsel
Page 126 and 127: Foundation for Scientific Research,
Page 128 and 129: 18. Minutes, Trusteesr meeting, 1/1
Page 130 and 131: CHAmm IT TEE SCHOOL OF HAIkXWTfCS T
Page 132 and 133: fields of rwtherratics and its eppl
Page 134 and 135: \\ \ based on the lot of the young
Page 136 and 137: one man was only a "nu~leus,~ vhile
Page 138 and 139: they would meet zt Oxford Universit
Page 140 and 141: Cruel indecision now assailed Birkh
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Page 144 and 145: California Institute of Technology'
Page 146 and 147: wbtsoever. As for himelf, he looked
Page 148 and 149: confidentially ex2ressed misgivings
Page 150 and 151: hononed him, Dr. Einstein first vis
Page 152 and 153: of the story, and photographs of Ei
Page 154 and 155: My point was not that you were raki
Page 156 and 157: uri tteri: The first problen! of co
Page 158 and 159: sam thing to Dr. Weyl, plagued as h
Page 162 and 163: Unfortunately, Veblen used Flexnerl
Page 164 and 165: over the "transferm of the three me
Page 166 and 167: feared Veblents diqleasure should h
Page 168 and 169: Professor Veblen bore in the Founde
Page 170 and 171: either a full and permanent member
Page 172 and 173: deciding who should be admitted, su
Page 174 and 175: This was written when Veblen though
Page 176 and 177: protect the Institute in deciding n
Page 178 and 179: Then came the French Consul to offe
Page 180 and 181: ideological extremes in Germany had
Page 182 and 183: pointed on a rainy Manhattan dock w
Page 184 and 185: in routing the correspondence. He c
Page 186 and 187: Professor Veblen was one who had be
Page 188 and 189: young n-mnber f xom Prague. He noti
Page 190 and 191: -- '\ Ih you how why Einstein said
Page 192 and 193: Oxford, he should seek to reopen ne
Page 194 and 195: Alexander bve talked to re about Ho
Page 196 and 197: enthusiasm, ability, and nm.bers fa
Page 198 and 199: mar, of the joirit cnmittee of trrr
Page 200 and 201: He estimated it would cost $3,000 t
Page 202 and 203: 61. Flexner to Veblen, 12/9/32; 12/
Page 204 and 205: 97. Plewser to bass, 2/19/34. Jesse
Page 206 and 207: CHAPTER V TEZE SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS
Page 208 and 209: those of the Vice-president beceae
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about durq educaticnal directors. T
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While Stewart mistrusted apoliticia
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wanted, it was of the economist, an
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ecause of his liberal policies, a d
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was goins to London to become '.onm
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were to be asserted in a series of
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No, I don't expect to be wholly a d
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friend of the Director since 1928.
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that neither he nor the Trustees wo
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and discontent among scholars. Vain
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as a member of the Board. 36 Hr. Fr
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and the luxury of agreeing with him
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onic point of view but from an hist
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When Mr. Maass received the minutes
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attitude on the acceptability of Ma
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consider itself as a location but r
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Dr. Flexner "quoted scripturem to e
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Unfortunately, this was a cmitment
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Dr. Flemer had kept President Dodds
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&re at last vas the kind of program
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He may have been hoping to secure f
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eceived, and of one "unethusiastic"
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ultiaately a budget of $100,000 a y
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But the beginning of September was
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economists could visit to talk abou
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of discontent for Flexner, though t
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egarded work of his career before h
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CHAPTER V - NOTES 1. Interview with
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37. Simon Flexner to Bernard Flexne
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71. Riefler to Flexner, 3/13/36. Ay
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country for classical hwnistic stud
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notions formed on the basis of defe
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mising.> His great vzlue to Fleer w
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lish nev objectives, say, in kerica
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In its tone this was less an outlin
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\ '. -\ would be imnaterial, provid
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Princeton: - The cooperation.. .fie
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eplied that he saw little llklihood
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and the burranities was clear. As h
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and unhealthful. He wanted to retur
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term of the concession (1937-19431,
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Princeton. At that p~ss Flexner ste
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too old to accumulate them at Teach
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sorPanofsky was at McCarmick H all,
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concessions to the De~rtment as did
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In 1936, he decided ta seek a lump
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Apparently the Director decided tha
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and after the most careful scrutiny
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of the Institute depends solely and
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to be such .that studies.. .will be
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CHASTER Vf - Notes I. Fosdick, op.
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34. Vekien to Flexner, 11/5/36. Fle
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CWTER VIf TOO MANY GENERALS The est
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General Education Board in 1925 to
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and how helpful I am sure he is goi
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order of business only a brief stet
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. of the Trustees concurred. They k
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From the time of his conversation w
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-317- with rrembers on behalf of th
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sites. Flexner'a reply was courteou
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near the apposite University depart
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The experiment of cooperating with
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On the same day he wrote to Mr. Bam
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was out of the question. To complet
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As the proposal for the first build
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mathematic stipends w wld better be
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than it was uorth, and the Universi
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joint basis. The Departrrrent agree
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outine matter..,The vzrious univers
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and inviting then, since he ves the
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professors in the School of Mathema
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were faculties entirely self-govern
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sthndards he discussed with Profess
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The Director did not consult the fa
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one group for the trustees, the oth
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continue to suggest the names of li
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the conferences ended as Professors
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k t US get our minds so full of the
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leased. The Institute would advznce
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to protect funds from the faculty,
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6. Maass to Flexner, 7J10/33. 7. In
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46, Flexner to Peblen, 12/4/36. 47.
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84. Minutes, Trustees' meeting, 1/2
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