The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Carnegie Institution of Washington

CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON. This institution was founded by Andrew Carnegie on 28 Jan. 1902, with an endowment of $10,000,000 of registered 5 per cent bonds; to this fund he added $2,000,000 on 10 Dec. 1907, and $10,000,000 on 19 Jan. 1911. The Institution was originally organized under the laws of the District of Columbia and incorporated as the Carnegie Institution, but was reincorporated by an act of the Congress of the United States, approved 28 April 1904, under the title of The Carnegie Institution of Washington. The articles of incorporation of the Institution declare in general “that the objects of the corporation shall be to encourage in the broadest and most liberal manner investigation, research and discovery, and the application of knowledge to the improvement of mankind.” Three principal agencies to forward these objects have been developed. The first of these involves the formation of departments of research within the Institution itself, to attack larger problems requiring the collaboration of several investigators, special equipment and continuous effort. Eleven such departments have so far been established. The second provides means whereby individuals may undertake and carry to completion investigations not less important but requiring less collaboration and less special equipment. The third agency aims to provide adequate publication of the results of research coming from the first two agencies and to a limited extent also for worthy works not likely to be published under other auspices. The Institution is placed under the control of a board of 24 trustees, which meets annually in December to consider the affairs of the Institution in general, the progress of work already undertaken, the initiation of new projects and to make necessary appropriations for the ensuing year. During the intervals between the meetings of the trustees the affairs of the Institution are conducted by an executive commission chosen by and from the board of trustees and acting through the president of the Institution as chief executive officer. A view of the history of the Institution may be gained from the contents of the ‘Year Books’ and from its other more formal publications, general and classified lists of which may be had on application. The publications themselves, numbering over 300, may be found in nearly all the greater libraries of the world. The executive offices of the Institution are in its Administration Building, 16th and P streets, northwest, Washington, D. C.