Information and Intrigue by Colin B. Burke

Author:Colin B. Burke [Burke, Colin B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: library science, information science, cataloging, classification, history
ISBN: 9780262027021
Publisher: MIT Press
Published: 2014-04-14T00:00:00+00:00

14 A Concilium without Herbert Field: Nina Field and the Rockefeller’s Great Decisions

In April 1921, Nina Field was left alone to raise her four children, including seven-year-old Letty who had troublesome health problems. Nina’s parents were far away in England. Hamilton and the American Fields were on another continent. Responsibility, grief, and apprehension almost overwhelmed Nina. She had to arrange Herbert’s funeral, notify people throughout Europe and America of his sudden death, and attempt to understand the family’s financial matters. An initial burden was the heart-wrenching question: should she bury Herbert in Switzerland or have him cremated so his remains could be interred in his homeland? She chose cremation, despite Quaker traditions.1

She also had to step into the Concilium’s affairs. Nina quickly found the situation dreadful. The Concilium was without money and leadership. The Swiss scientific society in charge of supervising the center was busy with more important matters. The only staff member at the center was Marie Ruhl. She was barely managing to pay bills, keep the offices heated, and to survive on her scanty and unsure salary.

Just days after Herbert’s death, Nina believed the Concilium faced bankruptcy. She also feared for the family’s savings, her only source of income. She immediately began a round of letters to America including desperate missives to Herbert’s scientific friends. In return, Nina received many condolence notes. Laudatory obituaries appeared in science journals throughout the Western world. But, there was little practical help.

One of the responses was especially disappointing. Dated a month after Herbert’s death, the note from the Rockefeller managers expressed their admiration and regrets but did not contain an offer of financial aid. The message stated only that the National Research Council and the Rockefeller Foundation remained interested in the Concilium and were going explore the situation.2

Unraveling the Concilium Accounts: A Brief Financial Respite

Fortunately, Nina’s lawyer’s preliminary examination suggested that Herbert had been able to leave her with more financial resources than he anticipated. She was not utterly destitute. The money came from the remainder of the old family inheritances that Herbert had been able to salvage, not from any generosity on his brother Hamilton’s part. Hamilton had continued to spend the rest of his mother’s funds and never kept his promise of sharing Lydia’s funds with Herbert. Luckily for Nina, many of the investments that Herbert thought had become valueless, including the trust funds for the children, had rebounded. Soon, she and her attorney calculated she could afford to remain in Zurich and the children could continue to attend their select schools, perhaps for several months. Her attorney added a caution. She could stay only if there were no unexpected financial crises, and if the Concilium’s affairs did not sap her personal funds.3

Although wary of investing any money in the Concilium, Nina hoped it would not die—it was her loving husband’s Calling. She again urged her American contacts to remind the council, and the foundations, about their previous commitments. She wanted to persuade them to honor their promises of long-term support.

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