University Takes Charge of, Closes Geographic Institute

The University yesterday took possession of and immediately closed the Institute of Geographic Exploration on Divinity Street, after multi-millionaire Dr. A. Hamilton Rice '98 ended his financial support of the building which he built and headed.

Mrs. Elizabeth Rioe, wife of the 76 year-old explorer, last night charged the University with acting in an "ungracious and coldblooded manner during the whole affair." She said her husband has spent almost 82 million in his single-handed support of the Institute.

Provont Buck last night said, "I cannot comment on Mrs. Rice's statements."

Students Stranded

The sudden closing of the 21-year old building means that two courses given by Institute members will be discontinued and that other courses, including Anthropology in, which meet in the lecture room must be moved.

What will be dose with the modern red brick building will be decided in the future by the Corporation.

The closing of the Institute of Geographical Exploration marked a temporary ending to one of the strangest and most bitterly-contested problems in the University's recent years.

In 1929 Dr. Rice, at that time married to the late Mrs. Eleanor Elkins Widener, the donor of the Widener Library, built the Institute at a cost of $235,000. A short time later he was appointed a professor of Geographical Exploration.

The Institute was soon given to the University by Dr. Rice, but with the understanding that he was to direct its affairs in return for paying all the expenses of the building and its employees. The University has never contributed to its support in any way, but has been allowed to use the building for office space and classrooms.

In past years Dr. Rice has given several courses in geographical exploration, one of which was cancelled last fall when he did not return for the opening of classes. He had an apartment in Paris where he stayed until October 20.

Money Cut

In 1948 the University sharply slashed the appropriation for its own. Geography department, and eliminated Geography as a field of concentration. Although this did not directly affect the Institute, which was separate from the University, it meant that the Administration was no longer interested in building up the field of geography.

Mrs. Rice, who married the one-time physician two years ago, last night told the CRIMSON that "My husband was very upset when geography was discontinued as a field of concentration. We had carried the expense of the Institute much longer than we had wanted to in the hope that geography would be given its proper place, and we had received neither financial aid nor moral support from the University.

"When Mr.Conant made it clear that the subject had no place in his plans for Harvard, my husband decided that the(Continued on page four.) expense was no longer worth it. Upkeep of the Institute has sent us between 825,000 and 820,000 in recent years, and taxes have been prohibitive. The more we gave the University, the more it asked for."

End of the Line

Last spring Dr. Rice began correspondence about changing the terms of his agreement with the University with provost. Back, who referred the matter to the Corporation. Dr. Rice agreed to give the direction of the Institute and its equipment-except for a few personal things-to the University. He would no longer contribute to its support. The University accepted.

Yesterday employees of the Institute received first word of the change in letters from Dr. Rice, who wrote he was ending his connection with it because of "age and financial resources." Erwin Raisz and Edward S. Wood, instructors in the discontinued courses and full-time employees of the Institute, will be forced to move. Dr. Rice will pay them their full salaries for the coming year