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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION   1476

for submission to the Board of Regents for the organization of a National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution to be located in the old Patent Office Building, sufficiently in advance of this building's being formally made available to the Smithsonian Institution.
On motion duly made, seconded and carried, it was
VOTED to approve the report of the Smithsonian Art Commission.

STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION SINCE THE PRINTED REPORT OF 1958

The Secretary stated he had before him the reports from the heads of the various bureaus concerning the activities since the printed report for 1958, and that they would be published in full. He made particular motion of the following gifts: the Hope Diamond, the Vetlesen Jade Collection and the Saltonstall coach.

NEW BUSINESS

Dr. Brown made the suggestion that in view of the fact that the Smithsonian Institution is not so well known throughout the nation as it should be, and there are many, many people who would feel it a great honor and a great privilege to be a part of or connected with the Institution, the Executive Committee and the Secretary consider ways and means of organizing a group to be known as Friends of the Smithsonian Institution or some organization with a better title. He felt that in order to do this it would be necessary to have some kind of director who has some feeling for publicity and understanding how to work this out. The organization might possibly be so large that it would break down into city or state chapters that could well interest prospective donors who might have a historic object and would be most happy to give their extremely valuable objects to the nation. There was some

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