Part 2 - The Institute Libraries - Institute for Advanced Study

we watch our step." Undoubtedly Farrier was still disturbed over the
action of tke Executive Cornittee of the 29th >larch, 1338, recounted
above'. The manner in which this action was taken showed that tempers
were short, and strains great as between the office of the Founder and
78
Mr. Maass and even Dr. Flexner,
Ffexnex, Leidssdorf and >bass were all conscious now of a cer-
tain disenchantment with the Institute on the part of Mr. Bamberger's
confidential clexk. It would have been the part of wisdom f ~s the Direc-
tor to realize that such strains occur in every hunan institution, But
Flexner was showins his age and his fatigue, and seemed less and less able
to smaoth the ruffled feelings of others, who seemed now at this time of
crisis, vhen comitrnents were being made for which no money was visibly
available, to be particularly active and troublesone. But that there
seemed to be an active intent to enbarrass the Director was shown'in a
move initiated by Professor Veblen in the School, as r~flected by the
following item in the minutes:'
The group believes it desirable that Professor William W.
Flexner of Cornell University spend a year at the Institute,
and authorizes Professor ~eblen to cooperate with Dr.
angemnts fox such a year.
Ezphasis Supplied. 7Y
The result of that "cooperation" appears in a letter Veblen wrote to Dr.
Aydefotte later asking his help in securing a Guggenheim fellowship:
Young fiillieT Flemer never got a Natfonal Resear9
Council fellowship because his father LSimon Flexneg was
Chairman of t%e Board which awarded these fellowships ...
Eis uncle ui ll not allow funds of the Institute to be used
for a stipe7.d for him in Princeton.,.Nis work is just at e
point whers he would profit greatly by a year at such a
place as the Institute.