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AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

HELD AT PHILADELPHIA, FOR PROMOTING USEFUL KNOWLEDGE

  
 

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EXECUTIVE OFFICE—104 SOUTH FIFTH STREET, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA 19106 » Phone (215) MArket 7-0706

June 11, 1980

Dr. Joshua Lederberg
Office of the President
The Rockefeller University
New York, N. Y. 10021

Dear Dr. Lederberg:

I was in London when your note arrived on June
1, hence the delay in replying. I am happy to answer your query
frankly and fully and without any need for confidentiality.

When I completed the draft of my History of the
Rockefeller Institute in the summer of 1960, I turned the type-
script over to Detlev Bronk and left the Institute for my new
position in Philadelphia. Dr. Bronk did not acknowledge receipt
of the draft and kept it for two years without any word to me.
When I finally saw it again in the office of the Rockefeller
Institute Press, I found the manuscript to be exactly as I
wrote it, except that in (I believe) Chapter 13, passages amount-
ing to about 4 pages had been marked by Dr. Bronk for deletion.
These pages would have appeared, if printed, at about pages
327-328 of the History. I regret that I did not keep the
undeleted carbon copy. They described the administration of the
Institute's daily affairs, including the distribution of the
budget, by the Board of Scientific Directors, with the implication
that these scientists had shown themselves capable of administer-
ing the work of a scientific institution. The Board of Trustees,
I pointed out, had assumed the burden of caring for the endowment
and major policies, but had left scientific matters entirely to
the scientists.

Dr. Bronk gave me no reason for the deletion, but the
explanation was obvious. In 1960 he was actively planning to
change from an institute to a university. To have me imply in
the History that such a research center could get along without
the supervision of trustees might have contradicted Bronk's
assumption that the Rockefeller University would need a board of
trustees of the standard university type, empowered to direct the
choice of research programs and other basic scientific objectives.
Hence the deletion.
Dr. Joshua Lederberg June 11, 1980

I saw no reason to quarrel with Bronk's action.
The historical facts on which I had based the expression of
my personal judgment on this point were there in the text for
any one to read.

No other deletion was made anywhere in the book,
nor did Bronk add a word anywhere. ‘vjen the book was published
he wrote me the warmest letter of appreciation I have ever
received about anything I have done.

Please use this letter as you wish. There is no
need for silence about those rumors of dissention, which are
unjust to both Det and me. Thanks for inquiring.

Cordially yours,
hawt bi. Grom

GwCc/t George W. Corner