6 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1956 



Dr. Finley Retires 



The National Gallery of Art, a bureau of the Smithsonian, has had 

 a notable year. The art world has been saddened by the fact that at 

 the close of June, the Director of the National Gallery, Dr. David E. 

 Finley, whose unremitting labor has done so much to make this insti- 

 tution world famous, reached retirement age. It is most gratifying 

 to announce, however, that this important post has been filled by the 

 promotion of John Walker, Chief Curator of the Gallery, to the post 

 of Director. Mr. Walker has been connected with the Gallery from 

 its beginning and brings to his new post an outstanding international 

 reputation as a student of art. 



Financial Support 



Grants continue to be made to the Smithsonian by private founda- 

 tions, by individuals, and by other agencies in support of specific 

 service functions, such as the Bio-Sciences Information Exchange, 

 and many research projects. One of the most interesting of these 

 grants names the Smithsonian Institution as the agency to organize 

 throughout the world the program of observing the artificial earth 

 satellites that are to be launched under the auspices of the International 

 Geophysical Year. The fact that the Smithsonian Institution was 

 selected for this important function attests the recognition accorded 

 to it by the scientists who are responsible for this great and novel 

 project. 



Detailed reports of all the ten bureaus under the direction of the 

 Smithsonian Institution follow. In addition, there are included a 

 report on the Smithsonian Library (p. 193) and a report of the Edi- 

 torial and Publications Division (p. 197) with a complete list of the 

 publications issued during the year. These publications have had a 

 most enthusiastic reception by the scientific and learned world. 



In concluding this general introduction to the 1956 Smithsonian 

 Annual Report, it is impossible to resist an expression of deep appre- 

 ciaton to the Regents of the Institution for all that they have done 

 during the current year to advance the welfare of the Smithsonian. 

 The executive committee of the Board of Regents has been most active 

 and effective in the difficult tasks of managing the details of the private 

 funds of the Institution. In many other ways the Regents, not only 

 as a corporate body but also as individuals, have made possible the 

 really memorable advances in the Smithsonian that are recorded in 

 this report of the operations of its one-hundred and tenth year. 



THE ESTABLISHMENT 



The Smithsonian Institution was created by act of Congress in 1846, 

 in accordance with the terms of the will of James Smithson, of Eng- 



