Viewing page 287 of 520

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION    1465

There was a detailed consideration of future building needs of the Smithsonian Institution and the priorities of such building needs. A chart suggesting a possible time schedule for the building projects of the Smithsonian was considered. This chart will be presented under a later item.

After careful consideration of the urgent need for additions to the Natural History Building, for which planning funds of $800,000 were appropriated in 1957, it was
 
VOTED that the Executive Committee approves the presentation of estimates of appropriation to the Bureau of the Budget and the Congress for construction of additions to the Natural History Building, provided this motion has the approval of the Honorable Clarence Cannon and the Honorable Clinton P. Anderson.

There also was careful discussion of the importance of erecting the National Air Museum on the Mall site opposite the National Gallery of Art. This site has been established by the Congress in 1958 in Public Law 85-935. In this connection the view was reaffirmed that the National Air Museum should not be combined with the proposed National Armed Forces Museum that is now under consideration by a special committee appointed by President Eisenhower.

A time schedule for the renovation of the old Patent Office Building as a gallery of art was considered. It was decided that the uncertainty of the date on which this building would be available made it impossible to present definite plans at this time, but that studies of the building should be continued by the staff of the Smithsonian Institution.

After careful consideration of a request of Senator John Marshall Butler of Maryland for a transfer of an original Star Spangled Banner to Fort McHenry, a letter was agreed upon pointing out that this transfer could not be authorized because of the national significance of the flag and also because of the legal conditions under which it had been given to the Smithsonian.

Matters related to the proposed National Cultural Center and the National Zoological Park and routine subjects were considered.

The second meeting of the Executive Committee was held on December 10, 1958. At this meeting the Committee considered the proposed budget for the nonpublic funds for the fiscal year 1960, and it was

VOTED that the Executive Committee having considered in detail and approved the nonpublic funds budget of the Smithsonian Institution for the fiscal year 1959 on June 18, 1958, and considered and approved the nonpublic funds budget for the fiscal

Transcription Notes:
.