SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
WASHINGTON. D. C. 
January 31, 1954 
Dear Dr. Schmitt: 
This is the Civil Works' day off, and the office is bo nice and 
quiet that I don't know what to do with myself. Civil Works hours have 
oeon changed once more. Funds began to run lov/, so the people were put 
back on a 30 hour week after tvfo weeks of 39 hours each, and now they 
work 6-1/2 hr. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 4 hr. on Saturday, 
and not at all on Wednesday. This is the first Wednesday under the present 
regime. It is grand! 
I didn't understand very clearly just when you would be at Guaya- 
quil, but from what Mrs. Schmitt told me yesterday, I guess I could have 
sent my last letter there, f/ell, you'll get everything at Panama, anyway! 
Mrs. Schmitt came dov/n yesterday to rummage through your desk 
to look for the power of attorney you had given her some time in the past. 
Hereafter we are to be paid by checK;, and shdneeds it in order to cash 
your check. Vie got paid in cash for the last time today. The reason for 
the change is that all the disbursing offices of the government are being 
consolidated up at the Treasury, and individual departments will no^ longer 
handle funds. It is going to be a nuisance to be paid in check, and it 
also precludes foreveimore our drav^ing money in advance. Mr. Tom Clark 
has been left here, but the black haired girl (l forget her name) who was 
in his office has gone to the Treasury* 
Mr. Shoemaker got some more amphipods from Wailes, and ?«ailes 
let it out that some of the Bermuda things about which there was such 
great secrecy had been collected by Beebe. Mr. Shoemaker thinKs now that 
all the Bermuda stuff was taken by Beebe! 
I think that I shall succeed in passing Miss Spangler on to 
some one else the 15th of February* Mr. irieger has some simple work 
and is willing to take her on, thank goodness! I wrote Mr. Graf that i 
absolutely couldn't thinK of anything more for her to do after that date 
and that I wouldn't Know what to do with her if I were obliged to keep her. 
He sent my memorandum to the library, and Mrs. Clark talked to me about it. 
She didn't vvant her because she has so many people to supervise now, but 
she scouted around and found the place with Mr. Srieger. It will be a 
great relief. Miss Spangler has seemed quite satisfied after her little 
upset about pay. I don't know whether I told you that her umbrella was 
taken from the office here (so she thought), but I believe she has decided 
that she doesn't remember where she left it. I was feeling quite soriy for 
her having lost it, and am quite relieved to know that it probably wasn't 
