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enthusiasm, ability, and nm.bers far exceed anything that anyone could have expected at the outset, Thgre is another respect in which I myself have been astonished. 1 had supposed that the workers would be mainly young men and wumm who had recently obtained a Ph. D. degree.. . .As a rmtter of fact, there are only tvo in the 21 who are recent Ph. D.'s. All the others have been teaching. Sax have reached the rsnk of associate professor ox assistant professor in the nost prminent institutions of this country and Europe. They kve been at work for as much as eight or ten years, during which they kve made notable contributions to =thematics. They are drawn to Princeton by the opportunity to get a year of release from routine work and to spend it mder the inspiring leadership of the distinguished mthemticiana uhm the two institutions have essembled there, They are variously finznced. Some of thm pay their c-~vn way entirely, and the tuition fee besides. Others are sent by the National Research Council, or...the Rockefeller Founda- tion; still others have been granted leave of absence an half- pay by their m institutions, despite the fsct that these institutions are hard pressed financially, and in these in- stances the Institute hes made grants-in-aid. Already appli- cztions have been received for next yesr frm men who have rwched the position of associate professor in the most prod- nent institutions in the Unfted States. 1 confess that I myself did not expect that so prqtly we should attract scholars who will probably ten years hence be leading figures in the mathemati'cal vorld.114
CHAPTER TV - NOTES 1. Flexner to L. Bambexger, 32/9/30. 2. Flexner, Mem to files, 12 Jl130. David E, Smith to Flexner, 6/29/31. 3. G. D, Birkhoff to Flexner, 3/17/31, 4, Flexner, Confidential Memorandum, pp. 11-12. 5, 0, Veblen to Flexner, 6/19/31. 6. S. Lefschetz to Flexner, 2/28/31. 7, 0. Veblen to Simon Flexner, 10/24/23. In part Veblen wrote: "In the modern case of the Einstein theory, the relation between mathematics and physics has been more one-sided than in the development of the theories of heat conduction and electromgnetic wavez/, Einsteinls work is a contribution to physics in which mathematics is used as a tool, It happened that the necessary mathematics was already in ex- istence...This left Einstein free to spply his genius EO the physical and philosophical problem, using the mathematics wherever it was needed, Had he been under the necessity of creating the mathematical tools which he used in his gravitation theory, it is more than probable that this theory would have been long delayed and possibly never com- pleted. Indeed, it .may be added that without the pioneer work of the creators of non-Euclidean geometry, the frame of mind in which Einstein approached his problem would not have been possible." Veblen papers, 8, Veblen to Simon Flexner and Vernon Kellogg, 2/23/24. Veblen papers. 9. Flexner to Veblen, 1/21/30. Veblen to Flexner, 1/24/36. 10. Veblen to Flexner, 6/I0/30. Flexner to Veblen, 7/7/30. 11. Flexner to Veblen, 12/9/31. VebLen to Flexner, 12/15/31. 12. Flexner to Veblen, 12/16/31. 13. Vebfen to Flewcer, 1/1/32. IS. Thorstein Veblen, The Higher Learning in herica, B. W. fluebsch, 1918. 15, Flexner, Autoblogxaphy, p. 259ff, This is the same account in all de- tails as had appeared in the first edition of Flexnerqs mmofres, Remember, Simon and Schuster, 1940, Dr. Fl=xnerls positfon was deli- cate. He was in a sewe the guest of the California Institute of Technology in pasadeha. :!e >ad as2ed Dr. Robert A. Millikan, Chair-
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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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Institute were not required to teac
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and the natural sciences. 26 Suqris
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+ this cen chosen were drzwn togeth
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and laborious in a university, 35 D
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Director on a par with the Institut
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, furter, though still agreeing uit
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I am firmly convinced that the absu
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of the University had it held itsel
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Foundation for Scientific Research,
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18. Minutes, Trusteesr meeting, 1/1
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CHAmm IT TEE SCHOOL OF HAIkXWTfCS T
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fields of rwtherratics and its eppl
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\\ \ based on the lot of the young
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one man was only a "nu~leus,~ vhile
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they would meet zt Oxford Universit
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Cruel indecision now assailed Birkh
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destined in their judgment "to hit
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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 160 and 161: sox Einstein is thus a distinct add
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 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
Page 210 and 211: about durq educaticnal directors. T
Page 212 and 213: While Stewart mistrusted apoliticia
Page 214 and 215: wanted, it was of the economist, an
Page 216 and 217: ecause of his liberal policies, a d
Page 218 and 219: was goins to London to become '.onm
Page 220 and 221: were to be asserted in a series of
Page 222 and 223: No, I don't expect to be wholly a d
Page 224 and 225: friend of the Director since 1928.
Page 226 and 227: that neither he nor the Trustees wo
Page 228 and 229: and discontent among scholars. Vain
Page 230 and 231: as a member of the Board. 36 Hr. Fr
Page 232 and 233: and the luxury of agreeing with him
Page 234 and 235: onic point of view but from an hist
Page 236 and 237: When Mr. Maass received the minutes
Page 238 and 239: attitude on the acceptability of Ma
Page 240 and 241: consider itself as a location but r
Page 242 and 243: Dr. Flexner "quoted scripturem to e
Page 244 and 245: 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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