1941: Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation was chartered in 1913 for the permanent purpose of 'promoting the well-being of mankind throughout the world.' The present program is concerned with certain definite problems in the medical, natural and social sciences, the humanities, and public health. For work in these fields the Foundation appropriated in 1941 approximately $9,000,000. A statement of representative grants follows.

Medical Sciences.

The purposes for which funds were provided in the field of the medical sciences in 1941 included the teaching of public health and preventive medicine in medical schools, development of tropical medicine, and teaching and research in psychiatry, neurology, endocrinology, and cancer and allied diseases. Among the appropriations for such work were: $600,000 to Cornell University Medical College for endowment of the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine; $200,000 to Tulane University for the development of the Department of Tropical Medicine; $168,000 to the National Research Council for the support of the Welch Fellowships in internal medicine; $150,000 to the National Research Council toward the support of the work of the Committee for Research in Problems of Sex; $150,000 to Washington University, St. Louis, for the support of a Department of Neuropsychiatry; $150,000 to the University of Chicago for teaching and research in psychiatry; $120,000 to the Memorial Hospital for the Treatment of Cancer and Allied Diseases for the support of research, teaching, and professional care; $80,000 to Dart-mouth College for research in physiological optics; $25,000 to McGill University for research in endocrinology; and $20,700 to the University of Edinburgh for research in psychiatry, neurology, and neurosurgery.

Natural Sciences.

The program in the natural sciences was concerned almost entirely with experimental biology. Among the appropriations in this field in 1941 were $76,000 to the University of Rochester for cooperative research in the Medical School and the natural science departments of the College, using radioactive and stable isotopes for investigation of biological and medical problems; $52,000 to the University of Minnesota for research with radioactive and heavy isotopes as tracers of fundamental biological processes; $75,000 to Cornell University for research in the Department of Biochemistry; $70,000 to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the development of an electron microscope in the Division of Biological Engineering as an instrument for research in the biological and the medical sciences; $65,000 to Stanford University for the development of an electron microscope; $60,000 to Cornell University for research in nutrition as related to aging and longevity; $48,500 to the Johns Hopkins University for research in nutrition, $30,000 being for use in the School of Medicine and $18,500 in the School of Hygiene and Public Health; $40,000 to the California Institute of Technology for research in chemistry in its relation to biological problems; and $34,520 to the University of Texas for research in genetics of drosophila.

Social Sciences.

In the social sciences the emphasis was on projects contributing not only to the understanding of important social problems but also to the development of personnel and methods. Appropriations in 1941 included $200,000 to the Social Science Research Council for conferences and planning, grants in aid, and fellowships; $150,000 to the University of Chicago for research in the Division of Social Sciences; $103,700 to the Council on Foreign Relations for support of study groups and research in problems involved in the peace settlement which will follow the present war; $70,000 to the National Bureau of Economic Research for its program of financial research; $51,500 to Yale University for research in the Institute of International Studies; $50,450 to the University of Minnesota for study of employment and unemployment; $50,000 as a special grant in aid fund in the social sciences to be allocated to institutions and individuals for studies in Latin American countries; $35,000 to the University of Minnesota for analysis of family and individual income in Minnesota; $30,000 to Massachusetts Institute of Technology for research in the Industrial Relations Section; $20,000 to Dalhousie University for training and research in public administration.

Humanities.

The program in the humanities was concerned with the means, such as museums, motion pictures, radio, drama, and libraries, by which cultural levels of contemporary society are being influenced, and with the promotion of better international understanding through cultural interchanges. In 1941 the American Council of Learned Societies received the following grants: $170,000 for microfilming scholarly materials, $100,000 for planning and development, fellowships, and the work of its Committee on Far Eastern Studies, $50,000 for the development of personnel and resources for teaching living oriental languages, $50,000 for the expenses of special intensive instruction in the Chinese, Japanese, and Russian languages, and $25,000 for a summer institute for intensive study of the Spanish and Portuguese languages; a grant of $60,000 went to Columbia University for its Office of Radio Research; $28,800 to the Library of Congress for studies of communication trends in wartime; $20,000 to the Museum of Modern Art for the study of films in wartime communication; $15,960 to the New School for Social Research for the study of totalitarian communication in wartime; $15,000 to the University of Michigan for teaching English to advanced students of Spanish American background; $12,500 to the Buffalo Museum of Science for advisory service and training of personnel in national museums of South and Central America; and $10,000 to the Library of Congress for assistance to South and Central American libraries.

Public Health.

The Foundation appropriated $2,000,000 for the work of its International Health Division in 1941. This work included research on a number of selected diseases, among them, yellow fever, malaria, tuberculosis, influenza, the common cold, rabies, syphilis, and diphtheria; demonstrations in the control of certain of these diseases in their environments, cooperation with governments in the organization or improvement of important services of central or local health departments; and the development of public health education. In addition a grant of $75,000 was made to the National Health Council for a study of private health agencies, and $250,000 was appropriated for the use of the International Health Division in supporting the activities of The Rockefeller Foundation Health Commission in European and other countries severely affected by war conditions.

Officers.

The executive officers of the Foundation in 1941 were Walter W. Stewart, chairman of the board of trustees; Raymond B. Fosdick, president; Thomas B. Appleget and Selskar M. Gunn, vice-presidents; Alan Gregg, M.D., director for the medical sciences; Warren Weaver, director for the natural sciences; Joseph H. Willits, director for the social sciences; David H. Stevens, director for the humanities; Wilbur A. Sawyer, M.D., director of the International Health Division; Norma S. Thompson, secretary; Edward Robinson, treasurer; George J. Beal, comptroller; Thomas M. Debevoise, counsel; and Chauncey Belknap, associate counsel. The offices of the Foundation are at 49 West 49th Street, New York.

1940: Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation is an organization chartered in 1913 for the permanent purpose of 'promoting the well-being of mankind throughout the world.' Its present program is concerned with certain definite problems in the medical, natural, and social sciences, the humanities, and public health. For work in these fields in 1940 the Foundation appropriated approximately $9,800,000. A statement of representative grants follows.

Medical Sciences.

In the field of medicine the Foundation's interest is centered in mental and nervous diseases and its contributions are chiefly for the furtherance of research and teaching in psychiatry and allied subjects. Appropriations for this work in 1940 include: $175,000 to Duke University for establishment and development of a division of psychiatry and mental hygiene in the School of Medicine; $106,000 to Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital for teaching and research in psychiatry; $57,000 to Harvard Medical School for research in epilepsy; $37,000 to Worcester State Hospital for research in dementia praecox; $30,000 to Tufts College Medical School for research in brain chemistry; $25,000 to Tufts College for research in neurology; $23,000 to the Johns Hopkins University for the support of the subdepartment of neurology; $18,250 to the University of Edinburgh for research in psychiatry, neurology, and neurosurgery; $12,500 to the American Psychiatric Association for the expenses of teaching conferences for professional personnel of state mental hospitals; $42,000 to Columbia University for researches in endocrinology in the department of anatomy.

Natural Sciences.

The Foundation's program in the natural sciences is concerned almost entirely with experimental biology. Among the appropriations in this field in 1940 were: $1,150,000 to the University of California for the construction, housing, and installation of a giant cyclotron designed to produce a beam of from a hundred million to three hundred million volts; $200,000 to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the development of biological engineering; $110,400 to the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, for constructing and furnishing an addition to its library; $55,000 to the University of Chicago for research in spectroscopic biology; $45,000 to the California Institute of Technology for the development of chemistry in its relation to biological problems; $24,000 to the State University of Iowa for research in cellular biology; $21,000 to Iowa State College for research in genetics; $20,000 to Indiana University for research in cytogenetics: $13,500 to the Roscoe B. Jackson Memorial Laboratory for special research in genetics; $12,000 to the California Institute of Technology for research in serological genetics; $15,000 to the University of Texas for research on growth-promoting substances; $40,000 to Princeton University for research in organic chemistry.

Social Sciences.

The Foundation's fields of interest in the social sciences at the present time are social security, public administration, and international relations. Appropriations in 1940 included $105,000 to the University of Pennsylvania toward support of the Industrial Research Department of the Wharton School; $105,000 to the Institute for Advanced Studies at Princeton University toward the support of its work in economics; $15,000 to the Social Science Research Council for use by its Committee on Social Security; $11,500 to the University of Minnesota for the study of employment and unemployment in St. Paul; $60,000 to Stanford University toward the support of the research program of the Food Research Institute; $10,000 to the New School for Social Research for its Graduate Faculty of Political and Social Science; $10,000 to the Bureau of Business Research of the University of Alabama for a study of commodity production in the Southwest; $105,000 to the National Institute of Public Affairs for experimentation in recruiting and training personnel for Federal services; $20,000 to the National Bureau of Economic Research for studies in fiscal policy; $39,000 to the University of Minnesota for its public service training program; $15,000 to the Social Science Research Council for the use of its Public Administration Committee; $24,000 to the University of Oxford for its Social Studies Research Committee for a continuation of previous activities and new war-time studies.

The Humanities.

The program in the humanities is concerned with the means, such as museums, motion pictures, radio, drama, and libraries, by which cultural levels of contemporary society are being influenced, and with the promotion of better international understanding through cultural interchanges. Appropriations in these fields in 1940 included $60,000 to the Museum of Modern Art for the support of its Film Library; $20,160 to the New School for Social Research for experimental demonstrations of music in film production; $35,400 to Columbia University for studies in radio listening; $18,500 to the Rocky Mountain Radio Council toward its expenses; $20,000 to Cornell University for a state-wide program in music and drama; $25,000 to Stanford University for work in drama; $19,500 to Yale University for expenses of developing and testing equipment in theater lighting; $50,000 to the Folger Shakespeare Library toward the purchase and cataloguing of books and manuscripts; $25,000 to the American Library in Paris for general expenses; $35,000 to Brown University for collections of material on early American history and Hispanic culture; $15,000 to the Argentine-North American Cultural Institute of Buenos Aires for development of its program of teaching English, drama, and the creative arts; $25,000 to Duke University, $25,000 to the University of North Carolina, and $18,000 to Tulane University for the purchase of Latin-American books.

Public Health.

The Foundation appropriated $2,000,000 for the work of its International Health Division in 1940. This work included research on a number of selected diseases, among them, yellow fever, malaria, tuberculosis, influenza, the common cold, rabies, syphilis, and intestinal parasitism: demonstrations in the control of certain of these diseases in their environments; cooperation with governments in the organization or improvement of important services of central or local health departments; and the development of public health education. Fellowships in public health were provided; and public health personnel were given opportunities for training in connection with the health demonstrations and through travel.

Officers.

The executive officers of the Foundation in 1940 were Walter W. Stewart, Chairman of the Board of Trustees; Raymond B. Fosdick, President; Thomas B. Appleget and Selskar M. Gunn, Vice-Presidents; Alan Gregg, M.D., Director for the Medical Sciences; Warren Weaver, Director for the Natural Sciences; Joseph H. Willits, Director for the Social Sciences; David H. Stevens, Director for the Humanities; Wilbur A. Sawyer, M.D., Director of the International Health Division; Norma S. Thompson, Secretary; Edward Robinson, Treasurer; George J. Beal, Comptroller; Thomas M. Debevoise, Counsel; and Chauncey Belknap, Associate Counsel. The offices of the Foundation are at 49 West 49th Street, New York City.

1939: Rockefeller Foundation

An organization chartered in 1913 for the permanent purpose of promoting the well-being of mankind throughout the world. Its program is concerned with certain definite problems in the fields of the medical, natural, and social sciences, the humanities, and public health. For work in these fields the Foundation during 1939 appropriated approximately $9,400,000. A statement of the major grants follows.

Medical Sciences.

In the field of medicine the Foundation's interest is centered on mental and nervous diseases and its contributions are largely for the furtherance of research and teaching in psychiatry and allied subjects. Among the appropriations made in 1939 for investigations and teaching in psychiatry were $106,080 to the University of Toronto, $85,000 to the Catholic University of America, $71,000 to the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, $60,000 to the Institute of the Pennsylvania Hospital, $68,000 to the Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital, $35,000 to the University of Illinois, $30,000 to the University of Colorado, $27,400 to the Massachusetts Department of Mental Diseases for research at the Boston State Hospital.

Other grants in the field of medicine were $30,000 to Tulane University toward the maintenance of a subdepartment of psychiatry in the Medical School; $19,500 to Tavistock Clinic, London, for research on problems in the field of psychosomatic medicine; $27,000 to the University of Lund, Sweden, toward the enlargement of research facilities in neurology; $24,850 to the University of Brussels for research in neurophysiology and endocrinology; $50,000 to the Forman Schools, Litchfield, Conn., for support of studies on apraxia and related phenomena in children; $19,200 to the Child Research Council of Denver toward support of psychological studies; $75,000 to the University of California for research on hormones and vitamins; $50,000 to the Medical Research Council of Great Britain for research in endocrinology, psychiatry, neurology, and allied subjects; $36,000 to Yale University for research in endocrinology; $400,000 to Harvard University toward endowment of a School of Dental Medicine; $350,000 to the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine toward support of a new department of preventive medicine and public health; $90,000 to the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine for a fluid research fund; $15,000 to Harvard University for the development of legal medicine; and $42,000 to Columbia University for research on the constitutional aspects of disease.

Natural Sciences.

In the field of the natural sciences the Foundation's program is confined almost entirely to experimental biology. Appropriations in 1939 were practically all for studies of the phenomena of life. They included $500,000 to the Johns Hopkins University for endowment of the departments of the biological sciences; $200,000 to Stanford University for research in biology; $189,000 to Yale University toward the support of its laboratories of primate biology; $115,000 to Oxford University for construction and equipment of a laboratory for research in organic chemistry; $80,000 to the University of Missouri toward the construction of a laboratory for research in genetics and $20,000 to this university for the support of research in genetics; $70,000 to the California Institute of Technology for the development of chemistry in its relation to biological problems; $60,000 to Washington University, St. Louis, toward the construction of a cyclotron in the Institute of Radiology for use in biological and medical experimentation; $50,000 to the University of California toward the expenses of cyclotron research in biology; $30,000 to the Johns Hopkins University for research in biochemistry; $24,000 to the University of Chicago for research in molecular spectra; $21,375 to the University of Utrecht for research on the biochemistry of growth substances; $16,500 to the University of Minnesota for research on the mechanism of osmosis; $15,000 to the University of Minnesota for research in lipoid metabolism; $11,465 to the Memorial Hospital for Treatment of Cancer and Allied Diseases for research on spectroscopic and chemical aspects of certain deficiency diseases; and $241,956 to the National Research Council toward its administrative budget and for studies and fellowships in natural sciences.

Social Sciences.

The Foundation has three spheres of special interest in the social sciences at the present time: social security, public administration, and international relations. Appropriations made during 1939 for projects in these fields were as follows: $940,000 to the National Bureau of Economic Research toward its research and cooperative programs; $225,000 to Brookings Institution toward the support of its research program; $165,000 to the Social Science Research Council for the work of its Committee on Social Security and its Public Administration Committee, and $105,000 for the general administrative expenses of the Council; $29,100 to the University of Wisconsin toward a study of the amount and distribution of income within Wisconsin; $11,000 to the University of Pennsylvania for the use of its Industrial Research Department; $18,000 to the Dutch Economic Institute for its research program; $55,000 to Harvard University toward the support of its Graduate School of Public Administration; $50,000 to Syracuse University for training courses in public administration under the direction of its School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; $30,000 to the University of California for the use of its Bureau of Public Administration in establishing measurement standards for local government activities; $30,600 to the Canadian Institute of International Affairs toward the support of research, study groups, and conferences; $10,000 to the Foreign Policy Association toward the support of its Latin American Information Service. Other grants were $60,000 to the University of Chicago toward the budget of the School of Social Service Administration, and $51,250 to the London School of Economics and Political Science.

The Humanities.

The program in the humanities is concerned with the techniques, such as museums, motion pictures, radio, drama, and libraries by which cultural levels of contemporary society are being influenced, and with the promotion of better international understanding through cultural interchanges. Appropriations in 1939 included $75,000 to the Museum of Modern Art for rotating funds for circulating exhibitions and for publication purposes; $60,000 to the American Film Center toward the support of advisory service to educational and public service agencies wishing to use motion pictures for their purposes; $19,380 to the National Film Society of Canada for educational services; $24,000 to Harvard University for a lectureship in broadcasting; $17,500 to Princeton University for a study of the value of radio to listeners; $25,000 to the Studio Theatre School, Buffalo, toward the development of school and community programs in drama; $25,000 to the National Theatre Conference for fellowships; $30,000 to Stevens Institute of Technology for research in the control of sound and light for dramatic purposes; $17,500 to Vassar College for preparation of reports of the Federal Theatre Project and of national modes of operating in the field of community drama; $60,000 to the American Library Association for European activities of its Committee on International Relations and $30,000 to this association for studies of library cooperation with Latin America; $25,000 to Bibliothèque pour Tous, Switzerland, for book purchases and development of regional services; $8,000 to the University of Chile for the development of its central library; $80,000 to the American Council of Learned Societies for fellowships, planning committees, and international activities; $31,700 to the American Council of the Institute of Pacific Relations for the preparation of English translations of source materials on Chinese history; $22,000 to the Payne Fund for the preparation of English texts and training programs for teachers for classes of foreign-born adults; $15,000 each to Stanford University and the Claremont Colleges for the development of Far Eastern studies; and $50,000 to Harvard University for research in criticism and in uses of language.

Public Health.

The Foundation appropriated $2,200,000 for the work of its International Health Division during 1939. This work included research on a number of selected diseases, among them yellow fever, malaria, tuberculosis, influenza, the common cold, rabies, syphilis, and intestinal parasitism; demonstrations in the control of certain of these diseases in their environment; cooperation with governments in the organization or improvement of important services of central or local health departments; and the development of public health education. Fellowships in public health were provided and public health personnel were given opportunities for training in connection with health demonstrations and through travel.

Officers.

The executive officers of the Foundation in 1939 were John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Chairman of the Board of Trustees; Raymond B. Fosdick, President; Thomas B. Appleget and Selskar M. Gunn, Vice-presidents; Alan Gregg, M.D., Director for the Medical Sciences; Warren Weaver, Director for the Natural Sciences; Joseph H. Willits, Director for the Social Sciences; David H. Stevens, Director for the Humanities; Wilbur A. Sawyer, M.D., Director of the International Health Division; Norma S. Thompson, Secretary; Edward Robinson, Treasurer; George J. Beal, Comptroller; Thomas M. Debevoise, Counsel; and Chauncey Belknap, Associate Counsel. Offices were maintained at 49 West 49th Street, New York City.

1938: Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation is an organization chartered in 1913 for the permanent purpose of 'promoting the well-being of mankind throughout the world.' Its program is concerned with certain definite problems in the fields of the medical, natural, and social sciences, the humanities, and public health, and with rural reconstruction in China. For work in these fields the Foundation during 1938 appropriated approximately $15,100,000, distributed as follows (administration figures not included):

Medical Sciences, $3,764,700.

In this field the Foundation's interest is centered on mental and nervous diseases, and its contributions are chiefly for the furtherance of research and teaching in psychiatry and allied subjects.

Natural Sciences, $2,948,870.

The Foundation aims to stimulate and assist studies in the field of the natural sciences which will furnish the factual background essential to the understanding of bodily processes.

Social Sciences, $3,762,500.

At present the Foundation has three spheres of special interest in the field of the social sciences: international relations, social security, and public administration.

The Humanities, $999,500.

This program is concerned with the techniques by which cultural levels of contemporary society are being influenced, such as museums, the radio, drama, and libraries, and with the promotion of better international understanding through cultural interchanges.

Public Health, $2,455,000.

This includes $2,200,000 appropriated to the International Health Division for expenditure during 1939; this provides for research on certain diseases, including yellow fever, malaria, rabies, anemia, intestinal parasites, respiratory diseases, and yaws; demonstrations in the control of certain of these diseases; cooperation with governments in the organization or improvement of important services of central or local health departments, and the development of public health education.

China Program, $325,100.

Conditions in China during the past two years have naturally prevented the development of the Foundation's program in rural reconstruction, but grants totaling approximately $325,100 were made to maintain features of the work which were still being carried on, or which would tend to conserve the personnel trained to promote the endeavors.

Research Aid Fund.

In addition to its grants in specific fields of interest, the Foundation appropriated $50,000 as a special Research Aid Fund for allocation to institutions in behalf of European scholars whose productive careers have been interrupted because of political conditions.

Executive Officers.

The principal executive officers of the Foundation in 1938 were: John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Chairman of the Board of Trustees; Raymond B. Fosdick, President; Thomas B. Appleget and Selskar M. Gunn, Vice-presidents; Norma S. Thompson, Secretary; Lefferts M. Dashiell (deceased, February 28) and Edward Robinson, Treasurer; George J. Beal, Comptroller. Offices were maintained at 49 West 49th Street, New York City.