SECRETARY'S REPORT 37 



detailed estimates of the cost to construct the building. These esti- 

 mates disclosed that the building, if built within the appropriation, 

 would be much smaller than the size of the building that had been 

 determined to be required for the needs of the Smithsonian and upon 

 which the original estimates for the appropriation were made. This 

 development was brought to the attention of the Joint Committee and 

 the Board of Regents. The objective was to determine the size of 

 the largest operable building that could be built with the appropriated 

 funds. At the end of the year, the question of determining the basis 

 on which it would be necessary to proceed was under discussion. Plan- 

 ning of the interior of the building by the Smithsonian staff continued 

 during the year. This is described in part under the section on 

 exhibits. 



Planning for the additions to the Natural History Building con- 

 tinued throughout the year. A committee of Smithsonian staff mem- 

 bers appointed by the Director reviewed the previous planning, as- 

 sembled the latest data on the requirements of the scientific and service 

 divisions, and studied all the proposals for facilities and equipment in 

 the additions. A thoroughly prepared program of the requirements 

 will be available for the guidance of the architects. Dr. T. Dale 

 Stewart is chairman of the committee. Funds for planning the addi- 

 tions, including the preparation of working drawings and specifica- 

 tions, were appropriated by the Congress at the turn of the fiscal year. 



CHANGES IN ORGANIZATION AND STAFF 



After nearly 50 years of government service, of which 42 years and 

 6 months were with the Smithsonian Institution, Dr. Waldo L. 

 Schmitt, head curator of zoology, having reached the mandatory re- 

 tirement age, was placed on the retired roll on June 30, 1957. 



Smith H. Oliver, associate curator of land transportation and horol- 

 ogy, resigned July 13, 1956. On July 21, 1956, Dr. Ernest R. Sohns, 

 associate curator of grasses since 1951, transferred to the Department 

 of Defense. Dr. A. C. Smith, curator of phanerogams since 1948, 

 resigned on August 19, 1956, to accept a position with the National 

 Science Foundation. Dr. A. R. Loeblich, Jr., associate curator of in- 

 vertebrate paleontology, resigned June 28, 1957, to join the research 

 staff of the California Research Corporation. 



In the department of zoology, Dr. Ralph E. Crabill, Jr., accepted an 

 appointment as associate curator of insects on September 18, 1956, 

 and William R. Taylor as associate curator of fishes on December 3, 

 1956. 



Dr. Saul H. Riesenberg on August 7, 1956, was appointed to the 

 associate curator vacancy in ethnology. 



