88 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1951 



nationals in the methods and principles of modern social anthropol- 

 ogy. The purpose is to inform both the social scientist and layman 

 in the United States concerning little-known peoples of other parts 

 of the world and to build up in various Latin American countries a 

 corps of professionally trained scientists and friends. 



During the past year the Institute was financed by transfers of 

 funds from the Department of State, totaling $92,740, from the appro- 

 priation "International Information and Educational Activities, 

 1951." As in the previous year, long-term planning has been done on 

 a very tentative basis because of budget uncertainties for the future. 

 Nevertheless, a full program was maintained in all countries, and 

 work on a short-term basis was initiated in Guatemala. The year in 

 review has seen increasing interest on the part of the Institute in a 

 more direct application of anthropological knowledge and techniques 

 to the practical problems of social and economic change that face 

 Latin American countries. Accordingly, for the first time an at- 

 tempt was made to enlist Institute personnel in a common research 

 problem in all four countries in which programs have been maintained 

 for several years for the purpose of pointing up some of the types of 

 contributions anthropologists can make to "action" programs of eco- 

 nomic and social betterment in so-called underdeveloped areas. It 

 was decided that an analysis of American-sponsored technical-aid 

 programs, with a history of several years of successful operations, 

 might reveal common operational problems, the solution of which 

 might be facilitated by anthropological counseling. After reviewing 

 a number of programs, it was decided that health centers developed by 

 the Institute of Inter- American Affairs in cooperation with the Min- 

 istries of Health of Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Brazil would be the 

 most satisfactory subjects. Two centers in each country, one urban and 

 one rural, were selected, and during March and April the operations 

 of these centers were studied, particularly in relationship to the basic 

 cultures of the peoples served. A dual goal was envisaged: (1) that 

 of determining, if possible, what may be the common factors that 

 favor and factors that inhibit the introduction and acceptance of ideas 

 and habits new to the ethnic groups in question; (2) that of pointing 

 up difficulties in going projects, and making remedial suggestions. 

 A 100-page mimeographed report was prepared, which outlined the 

 theoretical basis for the work, described the work of health centers, 

 discussed salient aspects of indigenous culture that were affected by 

 this work, and made suggestions as to how utilization of anthropologi- 

 cal knowledge would increase the effectiveness of such work. One 

 hundred copies were sent to the Institute of Inter- American Affairs, 

 and plans made to distribute additional copies to various national and 

 international organizations carrying out a wide variety of technical- 

 aid programs. 



