Dr. Carmichael, NYU Historian, to Be Former Secretary Director of MHT of SL Dies at 74
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Brooke Hindle, Dr. Carmichael, NYU Historian, to Be Former Secretary Director of MHT Of SL Dies at 74 Brooke Hindle has been appointed Dr. Leonard Carmichael, Secretary Director of the National Museum of of the Smithsonian Institution from History and Technology, effective Feb 1953 to 1964, died September 16 at ruary 1, Secretary Ripley has an Washington Hospital Center after a nounced. long and distinguished career as a He will succeed Daniel J. Boorstin, scientist and educator. who will become a Senior Historian Dr. Carmichael, 74, was the Na at the Museum October 1. In the in tional Geographic Society's vice-presi terim, NMHT Deputy Director Dr. dent for research and exploration at Silvio Bedini will serve as Acting the time of his death. His death was Director. the first of a Smithsonian Secretary or Mr. Hindle has been Head of the Uni former Secretary since Charles Doo versity Department of History at New little Walcott died in 1927. York University since 1970. He has "It would be hard to overestimate the been a member of the faculty at NYU great contributions to the Smithsonian since 1950, serving successively as Asso Institution th at Leonard Carmichael made ciate Professor of History; Professor of both as Secretary and in the years after, History; Chairman, University College or the great sense of personal and pro Department of History; Dean, Univer fessional loss that the entire Smithso sity College of Arts and Science, and nian family feels at hiS death," Secretary currently, Head of the University De Ripley said. "It has always been a partment of History. great source of strength to me that three Mr. Hindle has devoted his profes of my seven predecessors were still alive sional career to the study of technology and actively involved in Smithsonian af and science in history. His publication fairs, and 1 know I speak for my two and much of his teaching have related colleagues (Charles Greeley Abbot and to these fields. Alexander Wetmore) in saying how Mr. Hindle has had a variety of roles greatly our little fraternity has been in connection with museums and the diminished by the loss of our friend. museum world. His first full-time em "Dr. Carmichael presided over the ployment was with the Institute of Early Smithsonian at a time of great change American History and Culture (the re for the Institution, and his accomplish search organization sustained jointly by ments during that period are too olllner Colonial Williamsburg and the College DR. LEONARD CARMICHAEL ous even to list briefly. The National of William and Mary), and he later Museum of History and Technology, the served on the Council of the Institute. 1.898-1973 most-visited museum in the world, will At the Eleutherian Mills-Hagley Foun Secretary of the Smithsonian, 1953-1964 be a lasting monument to his foresight dation, which operates a museum of and leadership. Washingtonians, and vis early American industry and a historical itors to Washington, should always be library, he served for a time as senior grateful to him for saving the magnificent resident scholar and continues as a mem Old Patent Office Building from -being ber of the Foundation's Advisory Com leveled for a parking lot, and for be- mittee. For the American Association ginning the work that turned it into the for State and Local History, he recently ~ delightful home of the National CoHec- made a study 0 the treatment of indus =::' ~&~:;'!":::::1!.-·lion 0 me ArK an =.,.-----~- trialization in museums. He has served Gal/ery. as consultant to various museums, in "The tripling of annual visitorship to cluding the Smithsonian when it was the Smithsonian during his tenure reflects contemplating the establishment of the the program he initiated to renovate and present Museum of History and Technol increase the appeal of all of the ex ogy. TORCH hibits in the National Museum of Natural Currently, he is editing a volume History. Less tangible, but perhaps even based upon a conference he planned for Smithsonian Institution, Washington" D.C. October 1973 more important, than the new buildings Sleepy Hollow Restorations on "Amer and bureaus and increases in the collec ica's Wooden Age." His own present re tions was the inspirational leadership search is upon the role of industrial fairs that he provided to the Smithsonian staff. in advancing technology, with emphasis Secretary Ripley Discusses Leonard Carmichael was exceptional-as upon the Centennial Exhibit of 1876- a scienfst, museologist, administrator, from which the Smithsonian Institution's and, most of all, valued friend." first ~ignificant collections of machinery Goals at Foundation Luncheon Dr. Carmichael was born November 9, and technological artifacts derived. 1898, in the Germantown section of The Smithsonian's goals and the importance of private funds to the Institu In making the announcement, Mr. Rip (Continued on page 4) ley noted: tion's objectives were discussed by Secretary Ripley at a luncheon attended by "Mr. Hindle's experience will be in chief executive officers of New York foundations September 12 at the Princeton valuable in the continued growth of a Club of New York. museum dedicated to the nation's heri "When I returned to the Smithsonian sixties strong support was being received A Pat on the Back tage. He is an outstanding historian in 1964 to direct its activity," Mr. Ripley from those in the scientific community The Central Information Desk whose work is greatly respected by the said, "I reminded myself that the genc!ral whose interests had been reawakened in members of the museum staff. We are recently received the following let philosophy and atmosphere of the Smith such traditional institutional research ter from a resident of Salinas, indeed fortunate that he has agreed to sonian had grown out of the work of its fields. join us. " Calif. individual parts . ... "We have our major collections in an "My family and I have recently Mr. Hindle commented: "I saw a new interest and concern dur ecological data bank and our zoo collec returned from a week's visit to "This is an exciting appo;ntment; in ing the late fifties and early sixties in na tions related to the environmental con Washington, D.C. During that this position, I can apply both my experi tional educational and cultural values. I cern over threatened species and the un visit we spent a considerable ence and my enthusiasms. The Museum did not feel that the Smithsonian !had derstanding of behavior. We continue to amount of time in the various (Continued on page 6) quite kept up with the evolution of cul underscore the importance of our collec buildings of the Smithsonian In tural thought in this country. But still the tions and research to terrestrial environ stitution. The exhibits and dis venerable Smithsonian has grown into a mental studies through the medium of re dynamic organization as of now, offering search done at the Smithsonian Astro plays were without peer, and the a balanced blend of old and new compo physical Observatory and the Radiation people we met were, without ex nents and of programs of various a.ges Biology Laboratory. Involved in collect ception, outstanding. Whether a and styles. ing, field research and monitoring, we are volunteer worker or paid guard, "Operating under the rather broad capable of carrying on long-term and we found them all to be friendly, charge of 'increase and diffusion of contemporary studies on environmental courteous, and helpful. They knowledge among men,' we realize the change at our Tropical Research Insti seemed to take personal pride in assignment is so large and so difficult tute in the Panama Canal Zone and the their particular branch of the In that we cannot fulfill it earnestly unless Chesapeake Bay Center for Environmen stitution. Our only regret was that we focus our resources and energies and tal Studies. we did not have time to see all not try to be all things to all men ...." "As far as humanistic activities are the things they would have liked "Here is a brief digest of what we are concerned, there has been a parallel in us to see. actually doing: centive for the Smithsonian to re-empha "I realize that I am referring to "In science, environmental conditions size its interest in the history of art and people scattered over a consider have brought man to · our doorstep. We in all the sciences of technology. By mak able area, but perhaps there is were studying the environment long be ing the Institution visible to scholars of some way you can let them know fore it became a fashionable subject. Our the first rank, and by developing the con there is at least one tourist family tradition of scientific research in the dis cept of their coming here to work, the who greatly appreciates the work tribution and evolution of organisms has interplay between scholars and the re- they are doing." Brooke Hindle won worldwide recognition, and in the (Continued on page 6) Page 2 THE SMITHSONIAN TORCH October 1973 FREER HOSTS CELEBRATION, ROYAL VISITOR-The Freer Gallery of Art was the scene September 11-13 of the second part of its fiftieth anniversary celebration, with the presentation of the Freer Medal to Laurence Sickman, Director of the Nelson Gallery of Art in Kansas City, Mo.; the opening of an exhibition of Chinese figure paintings, and a two-day symposium on that field of oriental art. Sen. Hugh Scott, a member of the Smithsonian Board of Regents (center, above) presented the medal to Mr. Sickman (right) in a ceremony September 11. At left is Dr. Harold P.