The year 1960 was the 136th consecutive year during which The Franklin Institute has fulfilled its dedication to the "promotion of the mechanic arts" in the City of Philadelphia. It was a year in which more persons passed through its Museum and Planetarium than ever before, 439,986 to be exact, and it was a year in which the Institute's educational facilities provided supplementary Museum teaching to more school children on more diverse subjects than ever before in its history. This Annual Report is submitted to the membership so that each of you may become more familiar with the manner in which this unique institution serves the wide region in which is located the City of Philadelphia.
Following this letter you will find a factual account of the activities during 1960 of each of The Franklin Institute's eleven departments. I would be remiss, however, if I failed to point out certain high spots for the year.
An outstanding and unique chemistry exhibit was opened in the Science Museum. The completeness and remarkable characteristics of this exhibit will, we expect, set the pace for future Museum educational exhibits both here and, indeed, throughout the country for some years to come. Not only is its concept unique in the breadth of the science that it covers, but its authenticity was assured by a united effort involving dedicated volunteers from national technical societies, the exhibit builders and our Museum staff--a cooperative effort of remarkable effectiveness.
The Institute's already interesting Meetings Program was, we believe, made more effective during the year by the addition of speakers on subjects of more popular appeal than in the past, withoutsacrifice in calibre.
The Franklin Institute Laboratories for Research and Development have completed a year of transition. Intensive efforts were made further to entrench the Laboratories in the disciplines in which lie their greatest skills, and progress was made in several new disciplines. Lines of responsibility in the Laboratories' organization were more precisely defined. I believe we are now better prepared for an expanded volume of research than we have been for some time in the past. In terms of research contracts received, 1960 was the second best year in the Laboratories' history.
The Computing Center went through a most critical year. However, under its new Director, Laurence C. McGinn, a basic realignment was made, both in personnel and space occupied. By year's end, operation of the Computing Center had changed from a monthly loss to a surplus. Furthermore, its educational activities were considerably broadened, and I now look to the future of this activity with far greater optimism than I have in the past.