o THE SMITHSONIAN TORCH No. 78-8 Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. August 1978 Mmes. Carter and Mondale Attend SI Events v Mrs. Carter Donates Gown; Hall Space To Be Expanded

Tourists starting the ir museum . visits earl y on Jul y 20 were rewarded when RosaIynn Carter came to the Smithsonian to donate her Inaugural Ball gown in a public ceremony at the Mu seum of History and Technology. In accepting the blue chiffon gown de­ signed by Mary Matise , Secretary Ripley said, " This is a very special dress Mrs . Carter gives us today. It is one for which she has a very sentimental attachment be­ cause she first wore it in 1971 at the inau­ gural ball in Georgia when her husband be­ came Governor of Georgia. To the delight of the nation , she chose to wear that same gown again for the balls in Washington when her husband was inaugurated as President of the United States. The dual role of the gown makes it one of the most interesting to become part of the collection . "

Ripley al so announced plans for the ex­ pansion of the First Ladies Hall , one of the Smithsonian 's most popular exhibits. He said that the crowded conditions which now exist in the Hall would be alleviated with the addition of a new exhibit setting based After presenting her Inaugural Ball gown to the Smithsonian, Mrs. Carter posed with Secretary Ripley and political history on the White House Red Room as it looked Curator Margaret Klapthor. See related photo, Page 5. durin g the admi ni stration of John F. Ken­ nedy. Ripley _th ~ art minis­ tration, the Chief Usher and Office of the Curator at the White House and the Na­ CBCES Herbicide tional Park Service for their " consent and 'Isis' Dedicated At Hirshhorn cooperation " in setting up the new exhibit. Research Disputed By Sidney Lawrence The project will be completed in about a year. Over the past several years, scientists at " Isis , " the monumental sculpture by nation of a construction job, drew curious the Chesapeake Bay C;enter for Environ­ Mark di Suvero, was dedicated at the observers as Di Suvero and hi s crew Mannequins of First Ladies Jacqueline mental Studies, led by' Drs . David Correll Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden welded , bolted and s ignalled crane Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon and Tung Lin Wu, have been investigating on Wednesday , July 19 . A large crowd, in­ operators to hoist the giant pieces into and Rosalynn Carter will be moved to the possible relationship between the use of cluding many who had watched as the place. . "The Red Room " from their present set­ herbicides on agri'Cultural land and the sculpture took shape over a 10-day period, Di Suvero feel s a special kinship to the ting in a display depicting the White House dramatic die-off of submerged aquatic heard Secretary Ripley introduce the di stin­ scrap industry, having worked in numerous East Room , which is now shared by 11 plants in Chesapeake Bay. guished speakers-Secretary of the Interior plants early in hi s career, often in trade for mannequins of first ladies beginning with Their preliminary findings , published in Cecil D. Andrus, representing President scrap materials and a space in which to Mrs. Harding. papers which they presented at the 1978 Carter; Senator Daniel P . Moynihan , create hi s art. When the " Isis" project Coastal Zone Management Conference and chairman of the HMSG 's board of trustees; began , he commented , " Art can bring The new room will be furnished with the the Northeast Weed Science Society Meet­ the artist, and Noah Liff, president of the scrap into the light of day where it can be rug , curtains and c.urtain poles actually ing, indicate that concentrations of several Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel (ISIS) . looked at with a sense of beauty. " used in the White House Red Room during commonly used herbicides are found in Thi s national trade association commis­ " Isis, " Di Suvero 's first monumental the Kennedy Administration . Also coming Chesapeake Bay waters . Although these sioned and donated the work as a gift to the work in the Capital , was named by the art- from the White House will be a desk , card concentrations in whole water samples are American people to commemorate its 50th ist himself. The title refers both to the ac- table, four side chairs, a torchiere and a relatively low, the investigators have found anniversary. ronym of the donor and to the anc ient convex mirror. To these pieces will be substantially higher levels in the suspended Egyptian goddess of fertility who brought added a sofa of the same period as the one sediments occurring in these waters. Bioas­ The sculpture, created in Di Suvero 's the God Osiris back to life by reconstruct- used in the room in 1968, paintings and ac­ say studies suggest that submerged plants California studio-yard especially for the ing his body . cessories, all from Smithsonian collections. could be affected by the level of herbicides HMSG plaza site, was di smantled in late "Di Suvero resurrects and transforms The red fabric wall covering will be re­ found in the suspended material . The in­ June and shipped by truck across the coun­ metal- the raw material of his art- int~ created from that used in the room by vestigators also have determined that the try . The reassembly, holding all the fasci- (See 'Isis', Page 2) Scalamandre Silks , who made the original. same herbicides persist in agricultural soils for a longer period of time than originally V ,'I 'm just delighted we 're going ahead suspected and that significant amounts were with the expansion," said Margaret Klap­ found in land runoff some five months after thor, curator of political history who is in application to corn and other crops. charge of the First Ladies Hall. " The Controversy surrounding the findings has gowns are not done justice in their present led to differences between the Center's sci­ crowded condition, but once we are able to entists and laboratory chemists in the En­ spread them out, people will be better able vironmental Protection Agency 's Environ­ to appreciate their beauty. " mental Research Laboratory in Athens , Ga., which has provided funding for the The new room setting, approximately 20 project. Last month that laboratory decided by 15 feet in size , will be built directly be­ to terminate support of the project as a re­ hind the present East Room setting so that sult of differences between the two groups the continuity of the collection can be on quality control procedures. maintained without interruption. The jobs of 23 CBCES technical research Working on the preliminary investigation staff are expected to be affected by the for the new exhibit was MHT Designer cutoff. Termination of the contract will af­ Deborah Bretzfelder. Museum Specialist fect a number of other studies which have Barbara Coffee assisted Curator Klapthor. been a part of the research project. These include the gathering of baseline data for agricultural runoff pollution models and for the prediction of non-point sources of pol­ NASM welcomed its 20 lution in the Chesapeake Bay. Dr. Kevin Sullivan , director of CBCES , millionth visitor last month. has appealed the move to EPA officials and For details see page 3. has requested an external review of the Mrs. Mondale greets Joseph Hirshhorn (right) with artist Mark di Suvero. For de­ issue. tails of the meeting, see box on Page 2. Page 2 THE SMITHSONIAN TORCH August 1978

Ellsworth Directs Frisbees Will Fly Again on Labor Day S~re~:~~~SEl~:~a~ been ap- vf------~-""""'"--~,...... ----...... ---~------pointed director of the newly organized Office of Fellowships and Grants. Ellsworth was former co-director of the Office of Academic Studies with Edward Davidson who is now associate director of OFG. "The thrust of the reorganization is to bring together the academic assistance pro­ ., grams at the Smithsonian, " Ellsworth said. " We help scholars get access to SI facilities and advise them on other funding sources available to them. " OFG now combines the former Office of Academic Studies and the Special Foreign Currency Program. " The functions of these offices essentially continue as before," Ellsworth said . " All were previously in existence and nothing has been dropped and nothing added . This is a management reor­ ganization rather than a change in pro­ grams. We anticipate that eventually this office will also administer the research awards program directed exclusively to SI employees in support of independent re­ search by staff. " "The staffs of two offices were brought together into one: Francine Berkowitz, Brenda Bishop, Linda Wimbourne and Betty Wingfield, on ext. 5881 , still work on Foreign Currency matters . Elsie Bliss, Catherine Harris and Grace Murphy can still be reached on ext. 5071 on matters concerning the fellowship program. " The office location is L 'Enfant 3300. At last year's Frisbee Festival, the sky above the ¥all was freckled with plastic flying discs. Under the fellowship program, pre- and postdoctoral scholars come to the Smithso- nian for six months or a year to work with staff and facilities here. A summer intern . .. . program supports 2- to 3-month fellowships .Plastic flymg. dlS~S of all sIzes and colors val can be expected to stop by the exhibit III once agam fill the sky Labor Day By Louise Hull on plastic flying discs in NASM 's Flying weekend at the Smithsonian 's Second An­ for Fun gallery. The gallery, which J:.nual Frisbee Festival. The festival will be opened in late June, displays hang gliders, held on Sunday, September 3 (rain date: will demonstrate some of the extraordinary boomerangs, kites, model airplanes and, September 4), from noon to 5 p. m. on the tosses and catches that can be done with the naturally, Frisbees. Fans of the plastic fly­ west side of the Washington Monument plastic flying disc . ing disc who visit the gallery can see one of grounds. Thousands participated in last year's ex­ the pie tins from the Frisbie Pie Company The festival, sponsored by the National travaganza, the best-attended noncompeti­ first tossed by Yale students in the 1920's. Air and Space Museum, will feature dem­ tive Frisbee event ever held. "The idea be­ The pie tin is displayed next to some of its onstrations by disc stars and free work­ hind the festival," as festival organizer and safer and more easily managed successors. shops for all ages and abilities. Three NASM Museum Technician Bill Good re­ di sc-catching dogs, Ryper Hank, Ashley marked, "is the 'increase and diffusion ' of This year 's festi.v al ·s el Whippet and Martha Faye Pickerill , will Frisbee skills. It worked because people are cooperation of the Washington Area Fris­ amaze an d deli ght observers with their fascinated with the di sc. I'm hoping that bee Club, the International Frisbee Associ­ skill s. Stars such as Erwin and Jens Velas­ more people re spond this ti me and have as ation and the Wham-O Company. Experts quez, who won the 1976 and 1977 freestyle much fun as last year. " confidently predict that a good time will be title at the World Fri sbee Championships, Many Frisbee fan s who attend the fe sti - had by all .

'Isis' - / ARTIST AT WORK (Continued from Page 1) Gretchen Gayle Ellsworth titanic constructions, magically balanced despite their undisguised weight," HMSG for graduate students at any level . In addi­ PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB Director Abram Lerner said. "The product tion , other fellowships throughout the In­ of a sensibility which seeks the unadorned stitution , supported by grants and awarded THE ARTIST MARK DI SUVERO rather than the ornate, the exuberant rather at different level s, are administered by the than the elegant, Di Suvero 's art has as its fellowships and grants office which over­ IS CONSTRUCTING A MONUMENTAL ultimate aim the public involvement in the sees all Smithsonian fellowships-the sculptors articulation of space and form . " award , payment, accounting for funds and WORK OF SCULPTURE, A GIFT FROM Composed of only 19 firms when it was so on. Staff al so provides assistance to fel­ THE INSTITUTE OF SCRAP IRON founded in 1928 , ISIS now has 1,540 lows on tax status and answers other member companies which handle, process questions. AND STEEL, INC., COMMEMORATING and ship approximately 95 percent of all The Special Foreign Currency Program ferrous scrap purchased in the United States makes use of " excess" foreign currencies ITS FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY. YOU ARE or exported . Producing an essential raw owned by the U. S . government. These material from metallic discards that can be local currencies are not convertible into INVITED TO WATCH FROM A SAFE dollars, but agreements with the govern­ DISTANCE WITHOUT DISTURBING ment of the host country permit use of it Just in case passersby didn't recognize within that country. The " excess" curren­ Di Suvero, his sculpture or the serious cies support grants to scholars from Ameri­ THE ARTIST. THANK YOU nature of his work, the Hirshhorn posted can institutions-scientists, professors, signs like this one on the left. curators-for research abroad to foster in­ HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN ternational intellectual exchange. " The American researchers are highly recycled by steel mills and foundries , the collaborative with scholars in those coun­ scrap processing industry plays an impor­ tries, " Ellsworth commented. " There is tant role in conservation. usually strong interest in the host country When Joan Mondale arrived on the figuring out stress points for a huge Di Suvero, 44 , was recently honored since the program brings research to some Hirshhorn Mu seum Plaza Tuesday , July sculpture while working in 95-degree with major outdoor exhibitions in Paris countries where it would not otherwise be 11 , to greet sculptor Mark di Suvero, heat and coping with the constant atten­ (Tuileries Gardens, summer 1975) and New emphasized . " The principal countries in there was much hugging and ki ss ing. tion of the press . York (Whitney Museum retrospective, which the United States presently has " ex­ Four months ago she invited Di Suvero Secretary Ripley, HMSG Director winter 1975- 76). His sculptures have also cess " currency are Egypt, Pakistan and and hi s mother to come home for tea and Abram Lerner, Assistant Secretary been di splayed in numerous other cities India. Burma and Guinea are also involved by now they seemed to be old friends. Charles Blitzer and Joseph Hirshhorn across the United States and Western but presentl y are closed to outs ide The arti st escorted Mondale on a tour joined them at the site. Ripley told the Europe. researchers . of the sculpture which at that time con­ artist that hi s work would be in " re­ " The amount of fund s involved in our sisted of huge pieces of scrap iron lying spectable company " at the Hirshhorn , on the plaza. He showed her the gray operations are significant, " Ellsworth said . surrounded by works of Calder, Manzu SMITHSONIAN TORCH bow of a ship (the SS Westgate) , the and Moore . " About $3.5 million is funneled through August 1978 the Special Foreign Currency Program each 43-foot steel beam and the cab of an old Sipping on a glass of iced tea while locomotive. standing inside the ship's bow, Mondale Publi shed fo r Smithsonia n In s titution year and about a half to a quarter million is pe rsonn e l by the Office of Public Af­ dispersed through the fellowships program . Despite the photographers, reporters remarked, "I hope people driving by and camera crews hovering near them , almost run into telephone poles saying, fa irs: Carl W. Larsen , Director; Alvin In addition , many SI research staff mem­ Rosenfeld, Deputy Direc tor; Susan bers are involved . I estimate that annually Mondale and Di Suvero talked about 'But what is it? ' when they see this attending art and engineering schools, sculpture-otherwise what good is it?" Bliss, Edito r; KaThnn Lindeman , As­ about 70 to 75 percent of the research staff sistant. works with the fellows . " August 1978 THE SMITHSONIAN TORCH Page 3 Chinese Welcom Science Team From SI Federal Union

By Susan Bliss To Represent

The recent visit to China by a Smithso­ Another 1,280 nian delegation made headlines with the news that the National Zoo's giant pandas Smithsonian nonprofessional federal em­ may have to lose weight if they are to pro­ ployees have voted, by a two-to-one mar­ duce offspring , but to Dr. Devra Kleiman, gin, in favor of representation by Local the trip 's most exciting feature was seeing 2463 of the American Federation of Gov­ some of the Chinese fauna which Western ernment Employees. zoos don 't have. Of the 1,280 employees eligible to vote Kleiman , a reproduction zoologist who in the balloting on June 29, 557 partici­ has been working with the pandas, was one pated, with 366 voting for representation of an I8-person delegation including five and 184 against. A few ballots were not Smithsonian personnel that visited Chinese counted due to questions of employee eligi­ zoos and exchanged information with zoo bility, and a few were voided for other rea­ officials and veterinarians there. Also on sons. the trip were Under Secretary Michael Col­ Richard Hamilton, SI's labor relations lins, Museum of Natural History Director officer, described the 45 percent turnout as Porter Kier, NZP General Curator Jaren "very good. " Horsley and Stephen Hosmer, president of Dwight Bowman, president of Local the Friends of the National Zoo. The group 2463, said, "We think the union will be visited zoos in Peking, Canton, Nanking able to help Smithsonian employees quite a and Shanghai during a three-week journey. bit, by giving them voice in matters which Chinese people are just as enthusiastic affect their working lives. about pandas as the rest of the world, Kleiman said, and speculated about their "We're looking forward to a good re­ lationship with Smithsonian management appeal: " There are many scientific theories that lead up to the same thing-pandas are and the personnel office," Bowman con­ very attractive animals . They sit up and use tinued, "and we will make every effort to foster that good relationship. " their hands like people. They have distinc­ tive markings on their large eyes, blunt The election, conducted by the Depart­ noses and conspicuous black ears, all of ment of Labor, was open to all unrepre­ which are very appealing . People are really sented General Schedule and Wage Grade impressed when they see such extraordinary employees, excluding management offi­ animals sitting up and looking so cials, supervisors, professionals, confiden­ human-people just get caught up watch­ tial employees and those engaged in fed­ ing . eral personnel work in capacities other than There are only nine pandas in zoos out­ clerical. This bargaining unit includes em­ side China, including Washington's Ling­ ployees in virtually every Smithsonian or­ Ling and Hsing-Hsing. Some 20 others are ganization, both on and off the Mall. in Chinese zoos and an unknown number As a result of the vote, AFGE will act as remain in their native habitat , China's exclusive agent for dealing with manage­ Szechuan province. ment on working conditiQns and personnel Kleiman said it would be hard to beat the policy and practice. Specifically, the union NZP's Devra Kleiman and Jaren Horsley just back from China giant panda's appeal, "but for me , it was will negotiate contracts in such areas as thrilling to see animals such as the golden animal illness and much of our recent tech­ will benefit. First, the Chinese will not be health and safety regulations, merit promo­ monkey, which, like the pandas, are native nology, such as prepared foods for specific dependent on their limited wild popl!lations (ions, equal opportunity practices, overtime to Szechuan province. They are about the groups of animals. At the same time, we to provide exhibition animals, and further, policies and counseling services for alcohol size of baboons, with blue markings on need more information about certain they will be able to cooperate in breeding and drug abuse. their faces and golden fur. The males have species, such as the pandas, with which programs with zoos all over the world ." Before this election, Local 2463 repre­ golden manes. None exists in zoos outside they have long experience. The three million people who came last sented about 1,000 Smithsonian employees China. " The Chinese have considered their year to visit NZP 's most famous Chinese at the National Zoo, a ortion of photo " We were very lmpressedw lfh e zoos ' priOrities to e fhe presentatIOn 0 natives would surely agree with Devra s ervices, some exhibit staff and employees openness of the Chinese in their dealings Chinese fauna to the people and provision Kleiman in her hopes that this cooperation in plant services and the protection with us and how very eager they were to of cultural and recreational facilities," continues. division. open lines of communication, not just in Kleiman explained. "This is also the case zoos but everywhere we visited, " Kleiman in many American zoos, but in the past 20 said. years, there has been a major shift to em­ The zoos in China are very popular, with phasizing research and reproduction in this ---SM Counts To 20 Million the Peking Zoo claiming 40 million visitors country. " every year. The zoos are very large and a Kleiman said the change resulted from good many are being renovated, according the growing interest in conservation. "Zoos to Kleiman. The three major zoos-Peking, recognize that they need long-term breeding Shanghai and Canton-have enormous programs as fewer and fewer species are moated lion and tiger displays, large available from the wild . At the same time, "monkey islands " and enclosures for no zoo can rely on information from its hoofed stock. collection alone, and must develop good The graphics are very good, and the communication with others that have ex­ Peking Zoo has huge maps of China and the perience with certain species. The Chinese world, illustrating the origins of exotic and also have identified certain endangered indigenous animals. The economical nature species which they want to exhibit, so they of the Chinese language allows posters and will have to improve breeding programs labels to say quite a bit in a small space, and increase cooperation among zoos. " Kleiman pointed out, adding that some labels Looking toward the future, Kleiman had a species' common name in English said, "We hope that eventually some and Chinese, as well as the scientific name. Chinese zoo people will be able to visit or "[ feel as though we've just started to even study here , so that we can share our open up lines of communication valuable expertise and technology with them . for both the Chinese and ourselves ," "These exchanges come after a very Kleiman said. " Chinese zoos are very in­ long drought in relations and they are very terested in our cooperative breeding pro­ exciting. If the Chinese head in the same grams, our attempts to diagnose and treat breeding directions , zoos all over the world

Cooper-Hewitt Sets Garden Concerts David Challinor (left) and Melvin Zisfein greet Katherine Rinehart. The National Air and Space Museum re­ ets to the film " To Fly;" free tickets to The Cooper-Hewitt Museum is holding a on August 8, 15 , 22 and 29. Three of the corded its 20 millionth visitor at 1:30 p.m. "Cosmic Awakening, " the show in the series of eight free summer concerts and dance programs will be group presenta­ Sunday, July 9- two years and eight days Museum 's planetarium, and free meals in dance performances cosponsored by the tions , with one solo concert. Live and taped after its formal opening. the cafeteria. Other gifts presented by Cultural Council Foundation/Com­ music will back up the choreography, de­ Fourteen-year-old Katherine Rinehart, of Challinor included a copy of the recently prehensive Employment and Training Act signed specifically for performance in the Charlottesville, Va., was greeted by David published "Smithsonian Experience," a Artists Project in the Museum garden on Cooper-Hewitt garden. Challinor, Smi thsonian assistant secretary Smithsonian scarf and a bust of Charles A. Tuesday evenings at 7 during July and Au­ The CCF Artists Project, a $4 million for science, and Melvin Zisfein , the Lindbergh . gust. federal jobs program for unemployed art­ Museum's acting director, as she walked The Museum opened July 1, 1976. Only In July, music programs featured the ists, is funded by the New York City De­ through the building's Jefferson Drive en­ 25 days later, NASM welcomed its one CCF Philharmonia CETA Orchestra, a 20- partment of Employment under CET A 's trance. millionth visitor. On August 18, 1976, 49 piece classical group which is the only Title IV. In town for a day of museum touring, days after opening, the Museum recorded professional chamber orchestra funded by Katherine was accompanied by her parents, its two millionth visitor. the federal government. Another program Mr. and Mrs . Jack Rinehart, her sister was presented by the J azzmobile CET A Brooke and her brother Jay. She was elated Just one week after NASM 's first an­ Afro Latin Band. The CETA Orchestra, Calendar and surprised when Zisfein called to her niversary, on July 8,1977, the 10 millionth conducted by Brian Bruman, is adminis­ The Smithsonian Calendar for that "you are our 20 millionth visitor" as visitor was greeted. tered by the Brooklyn Philharmonia and has September will appear as follows: In others in the Museum applauded. Daily attendance figures for the performed nearly 100 free concerts the Washington Post on Friday, Au­ Zisfein said that NASM 's large attend­ Museum, of course, vary. On Sunday, July throughout New York City since March . gust 25, and in the Washington Star ance rate has made it one of the leading 2, 1978 , 90,462 people visited, breaking Four performances by the CCF/CET A on Sunday, August 27. tourist attractions in the Washington area. all NASM records for one day 's attend­ Dancers will complete the summer series Rinehart and her party received free tick- ance . Page 4 THE SMITHSONIAN TORCH August 1978

Disabled Rights SI in the Media Upheld By esc By Johnnie Douthis For the first time , physically or mentally Camera crews and still photographers "everyone who loves modern art 's old sciences, was part of team which examined handicapped employees and job applicants flocked to the ' 'photo opportunities" which masters. " Antarctica meteorites. According to the can file a formal complaint if they believe abounded on the Hirshhorn plaza last "Magnificent .. . exemplary . . . ex­ New York Times and the wire services, they have been discriminated against be­ month as sculptor Mark di Suvero super­ traordinary " were some of Benjamin Mason confirmed that parts of the meteorite cause of a disability. vised the installation of his monumental Forgey's adjectives for the current exhibi­ are of a rare type laden with prebiological Regulations have been developed , effec­ sculpture "Isis. " The event was covered in tion of Oriental ceramics at the Freer. substances. One of the three slices Mason tive April 10, 1978, for the complaint pro­ both Washington newspapers, on local TV Forgey noted that the show, which enables examined was of the unusual composition cedure. The new regulations are similar to and by NBC's "Today" show. In addition, viewers to see objects that are usually con­ known as type 2 carbonaceous chondrite. current procedures for processing discrimi" California filmmaker Suzanne Simpson and fined to storage, is important at the Freer, Mason said that his specimen "looked so nation complaints based on race, color, re­ NBC crews filmed the entire 10-day opera­ which can display objects only from its fresh it was hard to believe that it fell long ligion , sex, national origin or age. tion, as Di Suvero positioned huge I-beams own collection, accord-ing to the terms of ago. " However, the authority governing the es­ over miscellaneous pieces of scrap iron . Charles Lang Freer's original bequest. tablishment of the new system is Title 5 , Simpson plans to make a short documen­ Forecast! magazine suggests that view­ Other Smithsonian Mentions Wire Serv­ U . S . Code , Section 7153 , SeGtion 791 , tary about the creation of "Isis. " ers of " Maria Martinez: Five Generations ice articles gave details of the MHT-DPA rather than the Civil Rights Act, the Equal of Potters, " at the Renwick, give attention Independence Day celebration. A Wash­ Employment Opportunity Act or the Age to each work of art. " Maria's wonderful ington Post article called it a celebration in Discrimination in Employment Act. A View Along the Mall AlA Journal, a eye for proportion and beauty is revealed in the "truest American style. " publication of the American Institute of Ar­ each of the display pieces, her own and The Post reporter who covered RAP 's To job applicants, this means there is no chitects, featured Washington, with heavy those of her descendants, " the review said. Boomerang Festival wrote extensively statutory authority to authorize backpay en­ emphasis on the Mall, the Smithsonian and New York Times coverage of "Embroid­ about the occasion, providing instructions titlement . It also means there is no statutory the National Gallery, in its June issue. A ery Through the Ages, " at Cooper-Hewitt, on how to throw the boomerang. authority governing resulting lawsuits; any lead article by Washington Star art writer described the show as the most comprehen­ A Star review of the Associates Court in such court action would have to be based Benjamin Forgey refers to the Smithsonian sive and glorious exhibition on that subject MNH had high praise for the breakfast on other general jurisdictional statutes. as the Mall 's "primary architectural to be presented in the city in recent mem­ buffet and the Court's ambience. "If I were Information about these new regulations client. " Forgey follows this with a section ory. The article also called the exhibition a tourist here, I'd hie myself over to the will be presented in all basic and advanced reviewing "uneven new buildings and sen­ the Museum 's most important and s uc­ Smithsonian , become an Associate and courses attended by Smithsonian equal sitive restorations, " in which. he gives the cessful decorative arts s how s ince its thereafter take advantage of the breakfast employment opportunity counselors. The Smithsonian "generally high marks " for reopening. buffet at the court before making my sight­ present EEO counselors will handle com­ architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen 's restora­ seeing rounds," the reviewer said . plaints filed by the physically or mentally tion of the Arts and Industries Building, as Smithsonian People A Washington Post A recent segment of ABC-TV's handicapped employees. For further infor­ well as for its work on the Renwick and the article on MHT's former Director Brooke "American Sportsman " was filmed at mation or to file a complaint, call EEO Old Patent Office Building. Hindle credits him for bringing the MNH. The program, which discussed the Specialists Robert O s borne or Carleton A second article in the journal, "The Museum to the public 's attention in the past whale as an endangered species, was filmed Craven at ext. 5864. Unbuilt Capital: Lost Plans for Washing­ few years. in the Life in the Sea hall under the blue ton, " is coauthored by Smithsonian Ameri­ Wa shington Star reporter Betty James whale. The Washington Star's preview car­ Some material relating to this system is can Studies Director Wilcomb Washburn. did a profile of MHT Acting Director Otto ried a photograph of Jack Ford as he appeared available in braille for use at the Civil Serv­ Mayr, revealing that Mayr is writing a book in the program's lead-in. ice Commission. Arts and Crafts Paul Richard wrote in the on clocks. Mayr believes that clocks used Washington Post about NCFA 's anniver­ to symbolize order among mankind and in sary exhibition, "Past and Present: A the universe. Century and A Half of A National Collec­ Another article by James on the history tion," saying the show does not try to edit of July 4 included an interview with politi­ or to sugarcoat the history of art. "Instead, cal history Curator Herbert Collins . He NPG Shows Gould as 'Mephistopheles' it shows clearly how timid and how fitful talked about President Benjamin Harrison 's has been the U . S. Government's patronage deploring the loss of old customs such as of art. " simple parades, musters and the reading of A lengthy article by Sarah Booth Conroy the Declaration of Independence. in the Washington Post gave a detailed ac­ Another James article gave details of count of the Gellatly gifts to NCFA, some Stephanie Faul's participation in an historic of which are included in the anniversary dig at Winchester, England. Faul, now a exhibition. secretary in the technical laboratory at the The New York Times covered HMSG 's Freer, can figuratively return to Winchester exhibition "The Noble Buyer " with Grace when she sees a fi lm about the town in the Glueck call ing it an " edifying experi­ new MNH hall , " Wes tern Civilization: ence. " Paul Richard, writing in the Wash­ Origins and Traditions. " ington Post, recommended the show for MNH's Brian Mason, curator of mineral

Mystery Bursts Identified Twice

By James Cornell Cosmic bursters are among the more bizarre denizens of the X-ray universe. The first simultaneous observations of They also pose one of the most puzzling optical and X-ray emissions from a so­ mysteries in modern astrophysics. No one called "cosmic burster " have been re­ knows with any certainty how X-ray ported by scientists at the Center for As­ sources can produce such sudden and in­ trophysics and the Massachusetts Institute tense outbursts. of Technology . CON SOL J D ATE: D. One theory suggests the bursts are pro­ In early June, CFA Astronomer duced in a binary system by instabilities in An 1884 chromolithograph of Jay Gould from the NPG exhibit. Johnathan Grindlay, using the 60-inch re­ the accretion flow of material from the flector at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American normal star onto its dense companion, a Observatory in Chile , identified MXB By Frederick Voss neutron star, with the flow disturbed by the 1735-44, a stellar-like object in the galactic If compared with other financiers and in­ ern Union and one of the most extensive magnetic field around the neutron star. bulge and some 20 to 30 thousand light dustrialists of the free-booting Gilded Age, western rail networks-his adversaries Another current theory suggests that as years from earth, as the optical counterpart Wall Street magnate Jay Gould could ~ot were many. It required constant vigilance material falls on the neutron star, it ac­ of a rapidly pulsating X-ray source ob­ be called the most extravagant. In fact, to safeguard his growing empire in that age cumulates to produce a super hot-spot , served at the same time by the SAS-3 next to the opulent Vanderbilts whose of unrestrained free enterprise. which may s uddenly explode in a huge satellite. baronial chateaux lined New York 's Fifth Fortunately for Gould, in the art of or­ thermonuclear explosion. The search for optical counterparts of A venue and whose marble " cottages " and chestrating the nation 's securities markets, A third theory suggests that the dense X-ray bursters had been under way for over v i II as dotted the eastern seaboard, the he had few equals. Even the wily Commo­ object in the binary system is a black hole, a year and involved astronomers at more bearded, taciturn Gould, with his modest dore Vanderbilt-represented in the Gal­ perhaps 10 to 20 times more massive than than 40 observatories around the world. brownstone in New York City and his lery ' s show with a portrait by Jared the sun . Instead of a magnetic field to dis­ The same faint blue "star " seen by neo-Gothic seat, Lyndhurst, in the country, Flagg- paid grudging tribute to him, de­ rupt the accretion flow , the X-rays heat the Grindlay actually had been identified a year seemed a veritable piker. claring him "the smartest man in in-falling gases, causing them to slow down earlier by Jeffery McClintock of MIT as the Still , as the National Portrait Gallery 's America. " and form a huge shell around the black optical counterpart of a steady X-ray source exhibit "Jay Gould: Mephistopheles of In one of the many cartoon commentaries hole. -This shell builds and builds until it known as 4U 1735-44. Some nearby object Wall Street " illustrates, Gould and his featured in the show, the artist endowed finally bursts like a balloon releasing a also had been seen to emit, infrequently family did not want for princely amenities. Gould with a distinctly demon-like appear­ sudden gush of X-rays. and unpredictably, sudden outbursts of in­ The great tycoon commuted to work reg­ ance as he swings contentedly on the wires of None of the models is completely tense X-ray radiation. Unfortunately , the ularly via the 250-foot yacht pictured in the his telegraph monopoly. Another caricature of satisifactory. However, the observation of positional data provided by the bursts were show . the time made allusion to his skill in locating simultaneous optical and X-ray bursts too rough to determine if the steady source For land trips , there was always his private judges willing to supply decisions favorable should at least help set some limits on the and the burster were one and the same. railroad car. If the privileged traveler to his speculative wants. kind of binary systems that are possible. Grindlay traveled to Cerro Tololo spe­ happened-as Gould did-to own the tracks Nevertheless, such practices were com­ cifically to measure brightness variations in as well, he not only beat the holiday ticket mon among businessmen of the period. It the suspected object during those periods USDA Registration lines; he could also fire the engineer who had was not so much Gould 's lack of scruples when the X-ray bursts were observed . the bad judgment to drive over rough road that set him apart from his fellow financiers Notified by the MIT group operating SAS-3 Mail registration for the USDA beds at mealtime. A brass model of the rail­ and made him the primary target for criti­ that the burster was flaring, he watched the Graduate School ends September 2. In­ road car is also in the show. 'cism as it was his singular acumen and optical star also flash up 40 to 50 percent in person registration will be held Sep­ Outside t-he confines of his private "World, boldness. less than a second and then fall back to tember 16-23. For information, class however, Gould 's life bore little relation to The exhibit on NPG's second floor con­ normal levels in about 10 seconds. schedules and the new 1978-80 catalog, the luxuriant beds of orchids which his staff tinues through February 4 . The rapid optical brightening matched visit Room 1031, South Agriculture of 15 gardeners cultivated at Lyndhurst. As almost exactly the burst of X-ray emis­ Building, Independence A venue between he moved from exploit to exploit on Wall sions, thus confirming that 4U 1735-44 and 12th and 14th Streets, SW., or call 447- Street-from cornering the nation 's gold Frederick Voss is a research historian at MXB 1735-44 were the same object. 4419. market in 1869 to gaining control of West- NPG. August 1978 THE SMITHSONIAN TORCH Page 5 HEAO-1 Sends Back Maritime History Comes Alive in New Exhibit X-ray Source Data

The HEAO- I satellite, first in a series of By Kathryn Lindeman unm ann ed observ atories designed for the study of celesti al X-rays and gamma-rays , "The Hollywood version of shipboard has been officiall y declared a success by disasters is often more dramatic than the the Na ti o na l Ae ro n a utic s a nd Spac e real thing ," said Historian Robert Post, or­ Administration. ganizer of the Museum of History and Technology 's Hall of American Maritime The satellite carried an experiment de­ Enterprise , opening August 10. signed by scientists at the Smithsonian As­ " We originally intended to show news­ tro physical Observatory in cooperati on with reel clips of these mishaps, but you usually the Massachusetts Institute of Techn ology . can 't tell anything is happening. In a fire , The primary obj ective of HEAO- l was to there might be just a small bit of smoke, obtain highl y detailed experimental data on which appears to be coming from one of the astrophysical phenomena by measuring the funnels . " So the staff opted for using clips size and location of X-ray ources in the from Hollywood films , which have been sky, and by determining the intensity and put together by Karen Loveland of the Mo­ tim e vari ation of these sources. tion Picture Unit. This objective has been accomplished In addition to the Hollywood version of and , according to Dr. Noel W. Hinners , maritime disasters, "Awful Conflagrations NASA associate administrator for space and Melancholy Occurren~e s," one of nine science: " X-ray sources barely vi sible in sections in the hall on MHT's first floor, older studies stand out clearl y in HEAO-I offers impressions of earlier ship di sasters data. The faintest sources are one million via hand-colored lithographs by such times weaker than the first X-ray star dis­ printmakers as Currier and Ives. "Currier's covered 15 years ago. first hit, in 1840, was a sea disaster," Post said , " and he continued to do one or two " Many of the HEAO- I sources are dis­ lithos on this subject every year." tant ac tive galax ies. A map of the diffused HAME vi sitors are greeted just outside X-ray background shows that a hot thermal the entrance by three buxom figureheads pl asma extends beyond our galaxy and may from old sailing ships, then step into a spread throughout the un iverse. This is of realm offering the sights and sounds of the major import ance in understanding the sea and inland waterways . A lighthouse earl y evolution of the un iverse. " lens from Table Bluff on Humboldt Bay, HEA O- J, laun ched last .August, carries Calif., bathes the ceiling in light. Four fo ur sets of ex periment s. In addition to the portholes reveal changing views of harbors experiment built by SAO and MIT, others on the eastern seaboard, the Great Lakes, were provided by the Naval Research Lab­ the rivers and the western seaboard. oratory, Godd ard Space Flight Center , Old film clips of World War II Liberty Californi a In stitute of Technology and the ships under construction and slides of Uni versity of California at San Diego, all scenes taken along the Mississippi River under contrac t to NASA. The SAO-MIT in­ from the pilothouse of a modern-day river strume nt was a scannin g modul a tio n towboat add more vi sual imagery. collimator. Period rooms al so draw the vi sitor into the past. In the " Luxury Liners" section , visi tors enter an area outfitted in the style of a lounge, with oak wall paneling from Film on '1876' Wins the Leviathan, a German liner which was confiscated by the Un ited States during Four Emmy Awards World War I and became the flagship of the U .S . Lines in the 1920 's. An array of Bob Post and Nadya Makovenyi memorabilia Trom he t viatlran . s orr-loan from the personal collection of Dr. Frank MHT's assistant director for exhibits. the segments in the right place was like fit­ Braynard, author of an extensive history of Another effective piece in the exhibit is ting a jigsaw puzzle together," Post said . the great ship. A skylight from the Majes­ the " Francis Patent Metallic Life-Car, " a " It 's fun to get close and examine the tic, an elegant liner built in 1889, graces rescue device which was moved back and details-tiny houses , trees and people-and the ceiling , appearing to emit sun shine forth on ropes from a wrecked ship to the to note such old usages as Lake Michigan from above . .... shore. The contraption was used success­ being shown as Lake Illinois. " Other period rooms include a 1775 tide­ fully to rescue 200 immigrants from the Dominating one area of the exhibit is a water warehouse in the section on colonial wreck of the Ayrshire off the New Jersey model of the tobacco ship Brillant 's mas­ commerce and a marine underwriter's of­ coast in 1850, but it turned out to be quite sive foremast with its rigging and a section fice from the late 19th century in the sec­ cumbersome and soon was replaced by of the deck. tion on di sasters. In the unit on " The Sea­ other methods. " The maritime hall was always popular man, " a storefront tattoo parlor shows, by A 1733 map of the Atlantic and the east­ because many of our visitors love models," way of film projections, a mannequin being ern half of North America is the oldest item Post said. "But our idea with the new, ex­ turned into a tattooed man. The filming in the exhibit, and its sections have been panded hall was to try and show many real techn ique was devised by Ben Lawl ess, pieced together to cover one wall . "Getting objects as well. We kept about three­ fourths of the models but added all these other things. ' , Designer Nadya Makovenyi, who was assigned to the HAME project four years ago, has used sisal carpeting and yellow pine to carry through the nautical theme. " We couldn 't use plush carpet in a maritime hall, so I checked around for al­ ternatives that would meet the government codes," Makovenyi said . " I found out what kind of wood is used in ship con­ struction and experimented with different finishes until I found the best one " " The models in the hall , formerly shown The Smithsonian film " Celebrating a as a collection, are now divided into units. Century " won four Emmys at the 18th an­ For the unit titles , I chose the stencil nu al awards presentation of the Washington typeface to carry the theme of the hall-this Chapter of the National Academy of Tele­ is the kind of typeface spraypainted onto vision Arts and Sciences. This is the second shipping creates. Smithsonian film to be so honored. Last " My assistant, Claudine Klose , has been year, " The Festi val of Ameri can Folklife " my right arm on this project. Claudine, was awarded three Emmys. Both film s along with Bob Post and his helpers, Peggy were produced and directed by the Motion Bruton and Bob Friedel; John Stine, who is Picture Unit of the Office of Exhibits Cen­ in charge of all restoration and machine­ tral. Karen Loveland , director of th e Mo­ work, and Registrar Frank Roche, who tion Pi cture Unit , received an indi vidual makes sure the objects are at hand when we award as director of th e film and accepted are ready for them- we are the HAME the award as producer for the Smithsonian team . " and the National Science Foundation . Indi­ Post noted that when the maritime hall vidual awards were al so presented to John was first being planned, Mel Jackson, then Hiller, assistant director of the Motion curator of marine transportation, raised the Picture Unit, as the director of photography , money through private donations from the and to Benjamin Lawless , assistant director SI GOES PSYCHEDELIC ... A new Smithsonian acquisition, the Beatle~' maritime industry. " There 's no success for exhibits, MHT, as screenwriter. Rolls-Royce, is proudly shown by Secretary Ripley to Caron (Mrs. Chip) Car­ that begins to match it in raising money for " Celebrating a Century " was completed ter following Mrs. Rosalynn Carter's presentation of her Inauguration Gown exhibits. " Jackson traveled to dozens of in 1976 as part of MHT's Bicentennial to the First Ladies Hall. The multi-colored Rolls, which Ripley drove from the port cities, especially on the inland water­ exhibition " 1876" but was not eligible for Castle to the underground parking space at MHT, was presented to the Smith­ ways, to raise funds. an Emmy award nomination until it was sonian last December by John Lennon, one of the famed quartet, and his wife. The new maritime hall consists of about shown on televis ion beginning in May The car will be featured in an exhibit, opening at Cooper-Hewitt in October, on 13,000 square feet of exhibit space-' 'one 1977 . The half-hour film has been aired "Ornament in the 20th Century." of our largest done with inhouse design and nationally and is still shown periodicall y. construction. " Page 6 THE SMITHSONIAN TORCH August 1978

Sports ~~~:p~~~~e~:,I~/.Defin~ ~n.~,an~~red Plants By Susan Foster velops official lists of plants to be pro­ The Smithsonian magazine's coed tected, it will be calling upon an authorita­ softball team had hoped to dethrone the tive reference book newly produced by the reigning Washington Star team. What they Smithsonian. got instead was a frustating game in which "Endangered and Threatened Plants of they could do nothing right, not to mention the United States," jointly published by the their first loss, 11-8. Smithsonian and the World Wildlife Fund, The only bright spot came from short Inc., was written by Dr. Edward S. fielder Gary Sturm of musical instruments Ayensu, director of the Museum of Natural who supplied two home runs and good in­ History Endangered Species Program, and field plays. Sturm's first-inning homer also Dr. Robert A . DeFilipps, coordinator of the gave SI magazine their brief and only lead Program 's Endangered Flora Project. The of the game . Logistics arranger Carolyn two authors had the staff assistance of Sam James said their early inning lead is proba­ Fowler, Mary Mangone , Carol Matti­ bly what did the team in . "We shouldn't Natella and Dr. William Rice. have done so well, " she said. " I guess The new book is an updated and much that 's what egged the Star on . " expanded version of the "Report on En­ The Star's first inning ended with three dangered and Threatened Plant Species of runs . SI followed with a four run spurt that the United States, " assembled three and a was initiated by Sturm 's first homer. SI 's half years ago under Ayensu 's direction. 4-3 lead quickly evaporated in the second This preliminary effort identified some 10 inning when the Star tied the game and percent of the 20,000 kinds of plants within later in the third inning overpowered SI the 49 continental states as being in jeop­ with four base-knocking runs. ardy. Ayensu , who sees the compilation as The Star increased their 8-4 lead in the one requiring constant monitoring and up­ fourth inning with a single run that went dating, sought to involve plant specialists unanswered until Sturm homered once all over the world in this process. again in the bottom of the fifth. SI was out­ Hi s wish was granted on a large scale­ scored two to one in the last two innings for calls and letters with new information the 11-8 loss. SI has 13 games left to play flooded the project office in response to the this season. initial report. Not only professional Edward Ayensu and Robert DeFilipps examine specimens of dried plants listed in the botanists, but also thousands of people SI book. Men's Softball The SI softball team won from garden clubs, utility companies and their sixth straight game beating Geological every imaginable botanical and environ­ of government protection. Collectors know Arizona has passed a stringent Native Plant Survey, 14-3. mental affiliation expressed interest. that, once a species is officially given en­ Law, but many cactus poachers have re­ John Houser of accounting led the team The influx of facts and expert opinion dangered or threatened status, it will no sponded by shifting their collecting to with home runs that produced five of their dictated revision, updating and further longer be possible to legally ship specimens California 's Mojave Desert. 14 runs. documentation of the original lists. Some in interstate commerce unless federal per­ Many plants are in danger as a result of Against the Central All Stars, Joe Brad­ plants heretofore thought rare were found mit requirements are satisfied. other activities: construction and real estate ley of computer services pitched a strong to be abundant, and vice versa. Species that Excesses of private and commercial col­ development; snowmobiles and other off­ seven hitter for the 8-5 win. Bradley did had been overlooked in the first report were lectors are particularly directed at cacti, or­ road vehicles; overgrazing of cattle and not allow a run until the last five innings . brought to the attention of the authors. chids and carnivorous plants, all of which other animals; mining, irrigation, dams and Bob Seabolt of protection services belted Most dramatically, more than a half-dozen are popular with plant lovers. The book re­ swamp drainage are among the problems. a three-run homer for SI's 19-9 win over species long considered extinct were redis­ counts several examples: Elimination of the habitat can destroy a the Bombers. Gary Sturm of musical in­ covered. More than one-half million rattlesnake plant species. Areas such as the Everglades struments had three hits, scoring three of Furbish Lousewort, a plant of the St. orchids have been collected in Tennessee support balanced climatic, geological and their 19 runs. Bradley was the winning John River Valley, for example, was last for sale in terrariums. In one Texas town, biological conditions providing an en­ pitcher. collected in Maine in 1917 and in adjacent sheds are filled with as many as 25,000- vironmental anchor for many plants which Sturm also had a good game for SI's New Brunswick, Canada, in 1943. It was 30,000 field-collected small globular cacti could not survive without these conditions. 16-9 win against Geological Survey. Sturm considered extinct until a colony was found awaiting sale. Illegal aliens have been paid "For this reason, we are urging that the produced ·a .three-run- horner while Jim in Maine in 1976 and hailed as a "botanical one penny per plant to harvest all of thi s Everglades and other vulnerable habitats Mathers of accounting added to the score Lazarus. " type of cacti they can find, with the expec­ and ecosystems should be viewed as re­ with another homer. Bradley went the dis­ The new book points out that certain tation that the plants can be resold on the sources to be judiciously managed, " aid tance from the mount, pitching a seven commercially exploitable plants are seri­ market for as much as one dollar per plant. Ayensu. " When this is accomplished, then hitter and himself hitting four for four at ously threatened by intensive collecting, Up to $350 is being asked for large the factors which endanger the survival of bat. which has been stepped up by the prospect Arizona barrel cacti in New York City. plant species will automatically diminish . " SI 's four wins boost their record to 7-1 . They are now tied for second place in the Interior Department league.

Bowling. The SI bowling league is well Newsmakers into its summer session with 14 teams of mixed fours (two men and two women). Wilton S. Dillon, director of Smithso­ By Johnnie Douthis elected to the board of directors of the Art The league bowls at Parkland Bowling ni an Symposia and Seminars, was recently Directors Club of Metropolitan Washing­ Lanes, Suitland, Md., every Friday night at sworn in as an honorary commissioner of Morse were among the exhibitors in a ton . 6:30 p.m. the U.S. National Commission on the In­ mixed media show at Washington 's Art Spring award winners include Kelvin Lillian Kozloski, secretary in NASM's ternational Year of the Child, 1979. The Barn in Rock Creek Park last month. Department of Science and Technology, Arrington of museum shops, who finished Commission was established by executive Richard Toye, personnel management last season with plus 27 pins , winning the represented the SI Women 's Council at the order to plan and promote national obser­ specialist, and Dorothy Glenn, employee ninth Annual National Training Conference "Most Improved Bowler" award. Sharon vances in order to foster a better under­ development speciali st, recently received Woodfork , an SI guard, topped the women for Federally Employed Women , in Den­ standing of the special needs of children . 35-year career service emblems. ver. The conference featured workshops bowlers, adding 20 pins . Dillon has also been appointed by Secretary NASM Librarian Catherine D. Scott Tom Wilding of libraries (MNH) won the designed to facilitate individual growth and Ripley as the Smithsonian representative on and Reference Librarian Dominick Pisano development and to enhance the knowl­ award for "High Three Game Series " with the Interagency Committee for the Interna­ attended the Special Library Association a 592. Carmen Hannie won for the women edge, skills and productivity of the partici­ tional Year of the Child. Annual Conference in Kansas City, Mo . pants. with a 522 for her " High Three-Game Barbara Henderson, chief of the Forms Scott gave a speech to the Association 's Series " award. Management Section of the Management Consultation Committee about her experi­ Richard Hallion, associate curator in Analysis Office, was awarded a Certificate ences as consultation officer for the Wash­ NASM's Department of Science and Tech­ Volleyball. Volleyball players are still of Appreciation by the Audubon Naturalist ington chapter. nology , won an Aviation/Space Writers As­ needed for the SI coed team. Informal Society of the Central Atlantic States, Inc . Farouk EI-Baz, director of NASM 's sociation award for hi s book " Legacy of games are played Tuesday evenings on the The citation thanked Henderson for her Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, ad­ Flight" in the non-fiction (aviation) cate­ field next to NASM . For more information "many years of service to the Society dressed the 21 st Congress of the Committee gory. contact Richard Hirsh, ext. 6234. through the difficult task of verifying bib­ on Space Research in Innsbruck , Austria. Janet W. Solinger, director of the Resi­ liographic references and scientific names His topic was "Analogs of Martian Eolian dent Associate Program, recently met with in technical articles published in the Atlan­ Features in Southwestern Egypt. " the National Planning Group of the Center tic Naturalist . " Barbara Moelter, chief of Employment for Higher Education Management Systems SITES Shows Susanne Roschwalb, public information Information Office, and Sandie Ward and in Colorado to continue the development of officer for NPG , gave a lecture on " Pro­ Margie Young, personnel assistants in the a handbook of standard terminology for The Smithsonian Institution Traveling motion Campaigns " during a workshop in Office of Personnel Administration, re­ adult learning opportunities. The project is Exhibition Service has added four new public relations and marketing sponsored cently received Superior Performance funded by the Department of Health Edu­ exhibitions to its summer program. "The by the support center of American Univer­ Awards. cation and Welfare. Great West, Real/Ideal" is a show of 123 sity . Sheridan Germann, research associate, During a recent reception sponsored by photographs taken during the past 25 Eight NPG staff members presented their and Scott Odell, conservator, both of the Office of Fellowships and Grants, years. "African Artists in America," an speakers ' bureau slide lecture on famous MHT 's Division of Mu sical Instruments, NASM Fellows Robert Friedman and exhibit of 57 paintings, graphics and personalities in history to senior citizens at coauthored an article, "Pleasing to Eye and Richard Hirsh received award certificates sculptures by 19 African artists, opened a program organized by the Montgomery Ear-The Jean Mari Dedeban Harpsichord for research done at the Smithsonian . in Bost.)n in mid-July and continues County Division of Elder Affairs. The staff of 1770, " for the catalog of the Corcoran Friedman 's subject is " The Development through 1980. members were Leni Buff, Maggie Christ­ Gallery 's current exhibition of the William of Aviation and the Rise of a Well­ "Images of Earth from Space" man, Jim Hughes, Harry Jackson, Andrews Clark Collection. Organized Meteorological Science and Dis­ shows unusual photographs taken over Dennis O'Toole, Marian Precht, Ken­ Odell attended the annual meeting of the cipline. " Hirsh is studying aspects of the the last 15 years by satellite and manned neth Yellis and Will Stapp. American Institute for Historic and Artistic hi story of X-ray astronomy. Charles Har­ space flights. "Subways, An Under­ Drawings by Laurie Kaplowitz, work­ Works held in Fort Worth , Tex., and was vard Gibbs-Smith received a special cita­ ground Exhibition," was developed and shop coordinator at NPG, were on display elected to a three-year term on it s board of tion as N ASM 's Lindbergh Professor of produced by the Cooper-Hewitt staff. It at the Jack Rasmussen Gallery during July . directors . Aerospace Hi story . looks at the subway designs of 13 cities NCFA exhibits staff members John Margaret V. Lee, art director for the The movie' 'To Fly, " which is shown at including the Metro in Washington. Armstrong, David Keeler and Breton Resi dent Associate Program , has been (See 'Newsmakers ' page 7) August 1978 THE SMITHSONIAN TORCH Page 7

Books ~~~~~~~~~~;~~~an Art, Not Crafts If you have authored, edited or illus­ Alaska, during a collecting trip last fall for trated a recently released book, please the National Collection of Fine Arts' cur­ notify Smithsonian Press Assistant Director rent exhibition, "Contemporary Art From Felix Lowe, so that your publication can be Alaska, " he flipped on the car radio for a listed in Torch . Smithsonian books for this weather report. What he heard instead was month: a news bulletin announcing his imminent "Neptune's Gift," by Robert P. Mul­ arrival in the city thauf, MHT; The Johns Hopkins Univer­ "It was like one of those old movies sity Press, 1978 . where the radio is always turned on to some "The Small Magellanic Cloud," by spontaneous announcement directly related Frances W. Wright, CFA; and Paul to the plot," said Bermingham, NCFA's Hodge, University of Washington; Univer­ curator of education. sity of Washington Press, 1978 . Bermingham was greeted with equal en­ thusiasm all across the state during a 12- day visit that took him to Anchorage, Fair­ banks, Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan. He met some 30 artists at a reception in a commercial gallery in Anchorage; the Uni­ Rosenberg, of 51 Council versity of Alaska in Fairbanks invited 40 Harold Rosenberg, distinguished art artists to another gathering in his honor, critic for The New Yorker and member and a reception at the Governor's Mansion of the Smithsonian Council since 1972, in Juneau was organized, but later canceled died last month at age 72 . due to scheduling problems. Rosenberg, who has written about art Bermingham also was interviewed twice and literature since 1938, began his on radio and once on TV. Alaskan Journal, career as national art editor of the a prestige magazine of art and history, "American Guide," Ii series produced plans a 12-page color spread on the NCFA by the Works" Progress Administration. exhibition. He was best known, however, for his In a state more than twice the size of championship of the American abstract Texas with a population less than half that expressionist painters including pioneers of the District of Columbia, most of the Jackson Pollock, Barnett Newman, artists live in Anchorage, and the rest are Willem de Kooning, Robert Mother­ spread over thousands of miles. There is well, Arshile Gorky, Hans Hofmann and one art museum in the state and only a Mark Rothko. handful of commercial galleries seriously The author of many books and articles interested in contemporary art. Generous on art and artists, Rosenberg most re­ support-in per capita terms-helps fund cently completed "Saul Steinberg" to an active Alaska State Council on the Arts, coincide with the opening of Steinberg's which was invaluable in arranging for Ber­ retros'pective exhibition at New York's mingham to meet and see the works of lit­ Whitney Museum. A somewhat smaller erally hundreds of artists. version of the same show will open at During a single afternoon, Bermingham the Hirshhorn in early October. looked through more than 300 slides by Peter Bermingham with Keith Appel's "Migrating Form" different artists. He also reviewed work in nearly every contemporary gallery in the state. And on his return to Washington , he combination with contemporary graphic received hundreds of additional slides from symbols-is he walking along the ice or Comings & Goings 'Ne wsm akers ' artists he hadn't had the chance to meet. over a modern road? (Continued from Page 6) When the exhibition opened last month, about 10 Alaskans made the long journey to Pat Austin, another art professor who Nicholas Smythe has been named en- NASM, won first prize at the Fourth Inter­ the NCFA reception. hails from "the lower 48, " has a strong vironmental officer at STRI where he will drawi ng.,-' 'Pi ke S!r.eeL &incess -, ~w.h.ic..u.,- _ .,..-n, national Blennale ofrilms on Aeronau ics Bermingham explained the unusual inter­ onttmrreLfre-ilrstitute"'· -oveTative-e - and Space held recently in Paris. est in his visit this way: " The exhibition Bermingham said, conveys the feeling of forts in conservation and environmental The film, "Faces," made by Murray demonstrates that even in our last frontier, an Anchorage thoroughfare. policy with governments of the U.S., Grigor for the Cooper-Hewitt's opening the creative spirit does not go into hiberna­ "Native Craft," by Aleut Fred J. Ander- Panama and other nations. exhibition " Man transFORMS," was tion. While many artists there do not thrive son, is a striking sculpture combining ele- Smythe completed his secondary educa- shown at the Oberhausen Film Festival and on isola'tion , the support for their efforts ments of traditional craft in a sophisticated tion in England and received his B.A. de- the Zagreb International Film Festival. enables them to import visiting profession­ sculptural assemblage. gree from the University of British Colum­ The July-August issue of International als and traveling exhibitions and to travel "The sort of person who survives best in bia. He obtained a Ph.D. from the Univer­ Wildlife carried an article by Larry Ritter, outside of the state when it suits their Alaska," said Bermingham," is someone sity of Maryland . Before coming to STRI assistant director of the Smithsonian Peace purposes. who has a number of talents. Many of these in 1970, Smythe was an instructor for the Corps Program, on the activities of Peace " The arts council felt that the artists artists do something besides art with equal Department of Zoology at the University of Corps volunteers in Colombia. would benefit by being shown down here. intensity . It is interesting that 40 percent of Maryland. He also served as professor with the Organization of Tropical Studies in A recent issue of Chemical and En­ Of the artists in the exhitlition, none is thos~ represented here are women. Both gineering News carried an article on the familiar and only one, James Kivetoruk sexes have learned that the person who sur­ Costa Rica. contributions to science by artists and Moses, an 80-year-old Eskimo, has had vives best there is one who can do a Delia Warner, a research assistant in craftsmen written by Jon Eklund, associate national exposure. Some of his drawings number of things . . I think that, in Alaska N ASM 's Center for Earth and Planetary curator at MHT. are in the Museum of Natural History . " particularly, many women have two Studies, has moved to Houston. While at George Watson, MNH curator in the The result of Bermingham's pilgrimage careers, and frequently one of them is art. NASM she participated in the Apollo­ is an exhibition of 56 paintings, drawings, Soyuz Test Project and edited several Department of Vertebrate Zoology, is cur­ "The show has something to say about prints and sculptures by 38 Alaskans, both NASA publications. rentl y on a research crui se in the southern how art develops in a wilderness area. This native and transplanted from "the lower Beryl Simpson, associate curator in Aegean Sea looking for additional nesting is not a show that will wow the most 48 . " MNH 's Department of Botany, has re­ colonies of Audouin 's Gull. Watso n located sophisticated art centers, but it is evidence "Because traditional native crafts, now a signed to assume a teaching position at the two of four known Aegean colonies of thi s of the enormous creative energy that exists somewhat exhausted art, but still a University of Texas. endangered species in 1966. and grows in a natural laboratory of social, flourishing industry in Alaska, were not the Linda Skelton, a clerk in the personnel Rick D' Allia, geologist in NASM's environmental and cultural change. " Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, is objects of my search," Bermingham wrote office, has left that position to become a spending July and August working at the in the introduction to the exhibition The exhibition continues through Sep­ computer programmer with the Internal Planetological Institute in Rome . He is as­ catalog, "I did not expect to find, to such a tember 17 . Revenue Service. sisting with the geological research of Mer­ large extent, works by Eskimo, Aleut and Peter Bermingham, curator of educa­ cury and Mars and various science educa­ Indian artists that provide, with consider­ tion at NCFA since 1972, has been ap­ tion projects. able imagination and intelligence, pro­ pointed director of the University of Margaret Cogswell, deputy chief of the vocative fusions of the old culture and a Arizona Museum of Art in Tucson. Before Office of Program Support at NCFA , at­ newer one still far short of definition." EI-Baz Advises 5adat coming to the Smithsonian, he taught art tended the opening of NCFA 's exhibition "This fusion presents a difficult problem history at Michigan and the University of " rmages of An Era: The American Poster to any artist, and in the exhibition, it is ap­ Dr. Farouk EI-Baz of the National Air C·incinnati . 1945- 1975 " at the Musee des Arts Dec­ proached in a number of ways, " Berming­ and Space Museum has been asked to Lynne Murphy, public information offi­ oratifs in Paris. ham said. "Unatkut and Ugruk, " for advise Egypt's President Anwar Sadat in cer for NASM, has accepted the position of Richard Ahlborn, a curator in MHT's example, is an ivory, silver and ebony matters relating to the mapping and press secretary for the Senate Ethics Com­ Divi sion of Community Life, completed a sculpture by Lawrence Ahvakana, an In­ exploration of the country's deserts. mittee. re search trip to Texas that provided data for upiat Eskimo who studied at the Institute of EI-Baz will act as a scientific adviser John Dobkin, program officer for the five newly discovered watercolors of the American Indian Art in Santa Fe, Cooper while he continues his work in NASM as Cooper-Hewitt, has left that position to be­ San Antonio mi ssion s as they appeared in Union in New York City and the Rhode Is­ research director of the Center for Earth come the director of the National Academy 1847 . The Amon Carter Museum in Fort land School of Design in Providence. and Planetary Studies. of Design in New York. Dobkin has been Worth, which owns the watercolors, asked "The legend involved here is an ancient The government of Egypt has made the with the Smithsonian since 1968 . Ahlborn to write a monograph on them to one and the scale gives the work the look of request to the government of the United Margaret Tribe, a clerk in the Office of be published by the Fort Worth Museum a fetish piece," Bermingham noted. "But States through the American Ambas­ Fellowships and Grants , has moved to this year. the mandorIa-like support, the plexiglass sador in Cairo. In the letter acceding to Kentucky where her husband has accepted Paul Kalaghan, a staff member in base and the suspension of its central ele­ the request, the Smithsonian stated that a position. Tribe has been at SI for two CFA's geoastronomy division, has been ment are all unmistakably modern . " providing such advice on scientific mat­ years. appointed director of CFA 's computing Many of the works deal with environ­ ters "would be entirely consistent with Merry Foresta has assumed new duties facility . Kalaghan, an astronomer, has been mental issues or, in Bermingham's words , Dr. EI-Baz's function at the Smithsonian at NCFA as assistant curator for the De­ a supervisory research programmer at CF A " good humored commentary on delicate to foster the 'increase and diffusion of partment of 20th-Century Painting and since 1974. He will continue his own re­ questions ." Keith Appel , a Minnesota na­ knowledge among men'. Moreover, the Sculpture. search on tethered satellites, but his prime tive who has taught at the University of Smithsonian would be happy to facilitate Harry Rand, associate curator at NCFA , goal as computing director will be the im­ Alaska since 1970, has a lithograph , this work of Dr. EI-Baz by providing ha s assumed additional duties as chairman plementation of a modern time-sharing "Walking Bear, " showing the animal's liaison with the scientific community, of the Department of 20th-Century Painting system with CFA. silhouette against a mountain in a curious should it be deemed appropriate." and Sculpture. Page 8 THE SMITHSONIAN TORCH August 1978 Eager Job Seekers Flock to SI Q&A By Linda St. Thomas ing date for applications. Interested job ·, seekers may then call the personnel office •. t ~.. The Smithsonian is probably one of the for more information and send Civil Serv­ J . T. Williams spends a lot of hi~ time few places that attracts job applicants who ice their 171 forms for consideration. on an isolated mountaintop in Arizona say, "I just want to work at the Smithso­ Those who have called the job bank or ... but he's not alone. Williams, as on­ nian . " heard of an opening often simply write the site project manager for the innovative Every day people walk into the personnel vacancy number on their 171 form . How­ Multiple Mirror Telescope, is aided by reception area in the Arts and Industries ever, according to personnel recruiters, 12 other staff members, nine of them Building asking about job vacancies at the most of the walk-ins are just looking for a on-site, from the Smithsonian Astrophysi­ Zoo, in the science and art departments, in position at the Smithsonian rather than ap­ cal Observatory and the University of public information offices, in building pl ying for a specific opening. Some are Arizona. During his 19 years with the management departments or in the guard language specialists, psychologists or Eng­ Smithsonian, Williams has worked at force . li sh literature majors whose expertise is not field locations around the world, spend­ " We see people with all kinds of skills, normally needed at the Institution. Others ing the last seven years at the Mt. Hop­ are recent high school or college graduates kins facility. He was interviewed by but a tremendous number of job seekers in early summer are recent college graduates, " looking for secretarial and clerical positions Torch staff writer Kathryn Lindeman. Personnel Staffing Specialist Barbara as a way of starting a career at the Smith­ Moelter said . sonian. Q . What makes the M MT a unique teLe­ The personnel recruiters do not hire new scope? Most personnel recruiters cannot point to a particular month or sea.son as the most staff members. They screen applicants, A. The MMT is the first astronomical tele­ then refer the finalists to the department for- . scope to use a multiple mirror system . Its popular for job applications. Jan Brambilla, a former staffing specialist said , " It seems interviews . When the final selection is six 72-inch mirrors are equivalent to a made, the personnel office gets busy again 176-inch mirror in a conventional one­ after New Year 's there is a noticeable in­ crease in applications and walk-ins . In with the ' 'processing" of the employee and mirror telescope. It is difficult and costly to sets the starting date for employment. cast, handle and grind a single mirror thi s February and March we take applications size which has a diameter equivalent to 15 for the extra guards and janitorial staff feet. So, in a joint effort, the. University of needed in the summer months, and in May SI Film To Be Aired Arizona and SAO designed the MMT to J. T. Williams we start to get the college graduates." meet their common goals: both needed a out of people. With our small crew, we do Brambilla, now a management specialist in "The Smithsonian Institution with large telescope and neither had much everything. Even if this were not neces­ the personnel office, added that there 's al so S. Dillon Ripley, Secretary," the new money. In size, MMT is third largest in the sary , we would probably do it anyway . As an increase in activity right after some film overview of the Institution produced world , following a 236-inch Soviet tele­ a close-knit lot, we depend on esprit de holidays . by the Office of Telecommunications, scope and the 200-inch telescope on Mt. corps in thi s work . People don 't work for One recent study shows that the person­ will be telecast on WET A-TV (Channel Palomar in California. me but with me and I with them . nel staff in the reception area handles an 26 in Washington) on Sunday, August Q . At what stage is the MMT project now? Q. Wh at kinds of probLems have you had in average of 140 walk-ins a day , answering 13, at 12:30 p.m. and again on Saturday, A. The six mirrors are in stalled and the instaLLation? questions about Civil Service requirements August 26, at 1:30 p.m. It was awarded telescope is assembled, but it 's housed in a A . At one point, we had stopped construc­ (many people do not know that 70 percent the 1977 CINE Golden Eagle and the shell without all the partitions or trim­ tion on the housing for a 10-day period to of SI jobs are Civil Service), the Smithso­ Venus Medallion of the 10th Annual that 's like occupying a house before it 's allow in stallation of the heavy components nian 's bureaus and job vacancies. Festival of the Americas. It has been fini shed . Now we are in the alignment and of the telescope yoke . We transported the Many potential applicants save a trip to shown in national film festivals and has testing phase which we expect to complete pieces with huge trucks, bulldozers pushing the personnel office by calling the Dial-a­ represented the United States in several . in a year. It took two years to test and align and pulling and a lot of sweat and blood . Job which lists the vacancies and the c1os- international festivals abroad. the larger Palomar telescope. The installation of the bearing was most Q. How did you become inte rested in critical- we had to have laboratory-clean working on the M MT? conditions to keep the dust (jut- so the staff A. My interest since childhood has been in had constructed a plastic house over the the area of electronics and optics. I never area. But the best-laid plans often go took a degree in either, but I 've learned by astray: the weather was horrible- thunder, experience and lots of study. I was very lightning, rain . We had to install the bear­ lucky during my tour in the Navy to be ings underneath 30 tons of equipment in trained in electronics, and most of my ex­ freezing, cold rain that went on for 48 By Jack Monday & perience at SI has been in electronics and hours, making our plastic house useless. It Lauranne Nash optics, taking and analyzing data in the was dustproof, but not waterproof. Work­ -,-- field and sending it to Cambridge. ing away, drenched , we got it done. Vi sitors to the Mu seum of Hi story and Peter Pan zinnias add a touch of bright , I was managing the Mt. Hopkins Obser­ Q . Have recent floods in Arizona had any Technology are now savoring a new par­ informal color to the formal design of the vatory when we began planning the MMT, effect on your work? terre of geometrically patterned beds sepa­ overall bed . and when construction started, I gave up A. Last October, at a critical phase of the rated by grass , which the Office of Hor­ The long rectangular beds on all four that position and became MMT on-site in stallation, we had a terrible flood which ticulture has planted on the east side of the sides are filled with marigold cultivars and manager. I have been intimately involved rendered us helpless, but we had critical Mall entrance in an area' formerly covered green alternanthera. The entire design is in the design, planning and construction of tas ks to be done . One was the hig h­ with grass. The design originally appeared encompassed by one of the most ideal the telescope. I 'm not a construction en­ precision leveling of the telescope and in "Henderson 's Picturesque Gardens", a dwarf hedge plants , the Golden Vicary gineer, but this is a means to an end: an grouting it into place. The Friday before popular Victorian book on garden design . Privet. This low-growing plant not only has the fI ood hit, we gathered mixers and operational MMT taking good and valuable Horticulture staff used tape measures, a brilliant golden color when planted in full high-precision instruments for the follow­ data. My involvement with the people on string and iron pipes to layout the parterre sun , but also adapts well to shearing imd ing week . Over the weekend , the flood maintains its dwarf habit. Finally , the thi s project is very important to me. People designs from scaled drawings . Wooden, washed out the access bridge to the moun­ " paths" are planted with Kentucky-31 tall really are what makes it happen . treated stakes were driven at various points tain. Monday morning, I called in a heli­ fe scue grass, one of the best grass varieties Q. What does the job of on-site manager of the design to ease future layout. invoLve? copter, and we ferried thousands of pounds for use in the Washington area. A. My role covers a broad spectrum-I 'm of equipment across the valley to a waiting Following these preparation steps, the The Office 'of Horticulture is planning very much hands-on. A typical day starts at truck . We al so ferried the crew over with bed was planted with a mixture of shrubs, the installation of a matchin6 parterre on 6 a.m. when the staff gathers and assem­ enough food and clothing for a week . We annuals and perennials and tropicals . The the west side of the Mall entrance to MHT bles the day 's equipment. Then we travel needed to do the job then or suffer a sub­ center of the bed is planted with bananas sometime in the near future . from the observatory office at Amado to the stantial loss in schedule. I can 't say enough surrounded by Cannas and Dusty Miller. mountain to perform engineering and tech­ about the staff and how they handled it. If The roses include plants of the floribunda, Jack Monday is assistant director in the nical tasks involving optical technicians, they were lined up for a photograph, they grandiflora and hybrid tea types. The ro se Office of HorticuLture and Lauranne Nash electronics people, crane operators and so would look like 19th-century miners or beds are accompanied by Coleus cultivars is a horticuLture technician . James BuckLer on. I pride myself on getting versatile work ranchers in Levis and boots. 'Pineapple Delight' and 'Golden Bedder'. is out of the country . Below, the MHT parterre . ~c~) I Lunchtime Films

A film series on the American short story is being shown at MHT 's Carmichael Auditorium on Tuesdays at I p .m. The films are free and include stories by John Updike , Flannery O 'Connor, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Sherwood Anderson and Ernest Hemingway. The series was produced by Learning Focus, Inc. , and was recently shown on educational television stations. It is being presented by MHT 's education de­ partment. Films include: August 1-"I'm a Fool " by Sherwood Anderson (38 min.) August 8-"Soldier's Home " by Ernest Hemingway (411h min.) August 15-" Bernice Bobs Her Hair" by F. Scott Fitzgerald (47Ih min.) August 22-" Almos ' a Man " by Richard Wright (39 min.) August 29-' 'The Displaced Person" by Flannery O 'Connor (57 1h min .) September 5-' 'The Music School" by John Updike (30 min.)