44 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1960 



philately during the year, including one of patriotic covers com- 

 memorating the approaching Civil War Centennial observances and 

 another featuring the "Liberty for All" theme used in New York 

 for the National Postage Stamp Show. 



Considerable improvement in existing exhibits was made by Head 

 Curator Mendel L. Peterson and Acting Curator Edgar M. Howell 

 by clearing the area in front of the Star Spangled Banner and in- 

 stalling Naval and Marine Corps uniforms on the west gallery. 

 Models of the dirigible Akron, the aircraft carrier Shangri-La, and 

 the armored cruiser Pennsylvania were installed in the hall of naval 

 history. From November 20 through December 31, 1959, a special 

 exhibition of the recently acquired and unique W. Stokes Kirk col- 

 lection of United States military insignia and accouterments was 

 held in the rotunda of the Arts and Industries Building. During 

 January and February 1960 the division of naval history presented 

 in the rotunda of the Arts and Industries Building the "Evolution 

 of U.S. Naval Aviation," which included carrier and aircraft models, 

 selected combat paintings, photographs and significant objects ranging 

 from Eugen Ely's aircraft propeller to a group of current air-to-air 

 missiles. 



Under the chairmanship of Dr. Herbert Friedmann, head curator 

 of zoology, the committee coordinating and supervising the moderni- 

 zation of exhibits in the Natural History Building made a critical 

 review of this program. The exhibits program of the Museum of 

 History and Technology, being coordinated by John C. Ewers, assist- 

 ant director, is concerned primarily with the development of exhibits 

 for the new building. In fields represented by limited museum col- 

 lections, the assembling of specimens has been an essential prelude 

 to the completion of exhibit plans. John E. Anglira continued in 

 charge of exhibition-hall design and the preparation of exhibits for 

 the entire museum. Benjamin W. Lawless, with the assistance of 

 Robert Widder in design, Bela S. Bory in production, and Robert 

 Klinger in the model shop, supervised the exhibits work for the Mu- 

 seum of History and Technology. Rolland O. Hower, assisted by 

 Thomas Baker and Peter DeAnna, supervised the renovation of the 

 exhibition halls in the Museum of Natural History. Continued 

 assistance in the design of renovated halls in existing buildings was 

 given by Richard S. Johnson, design branch chief, and John H. 

 Morrissey, architectural branch chief of the architectural and struc- 

 tural division of the Public Buildings Service, General Services Ad- 

 ministration, and Luther Flouton, Henry R. Kerr, and Charles J. 

 Nora, design architects of that agency. As lighting consultant, 

 Carroll Lusk, museum lighting specialist of Syracuse, N.Y., provided 

 the needed assistance to designers of exhibition halls for the Museum 

 of History and Technology. 



