Aid to Fine Arts

West Virginia

Amount of funds appropriated, West Virginia Centennial Commission:

To be invested for each of the years 1959 and 1960--

For operating expenses---

State department of archives and history (fiscal 1961).

Source of funds: General revenue fund.

$100,000

12, 500 44, 490

Other information: The State department of archives and history maintains a library of more than 100,000 volumes.

It also maintains a museum. Moreover, it is interesting to note that contributions to the museum last year cost as much to produce as the department's appropriation. There were approximately 40,000 visitors to the museum last

State fair: The objectives of this appropriation are to conduct the annual Wisconsin State Fair and to maintain the State Fair Park and its buildings in line with funds available from operation of the fair, rental received from buildings, income from special events, and revenue from concession rentals.

Archeological society: The archeological society studies and attempts to preserve antiquities. The State appropriation is used to pay for publication of the Wisconsin Archeologist.

Fine arts commission: The commission approves the design, structure, composition, location, and arrangement of all monuments, memorials, and works of art which become the property of the State, excluding those acquired by the University of Wisconsin and the State historical society.

Historical society: Administration, museum, library, physical plant, business office, field office, education and interpretation, and sites and markers are supported almost entirely from State appropriations. Publications, Villa Louis, Old Wade House, and the historymobile are supported all or largely by private funds.

The library collects and preserves books, pamphlets, periodicals, newspapers, manuscripts, etc.

The museum collects, preserves, and displays objects and pictorial material portraying the history of Wisconsin and the West. The new Federal highway program pays the cost of salvaging historical items *** but the State must make the initial survey.

The American History Research Center * * * focuses research on local history and operates a grants-in-aid program to encourage writing of local history. Nelson Dewey Park: This is the State's contribution to operation of the State farm and craft museum at Stonefield.

Sites and markers: This activity has charge of historic sites operated by the society * * * and the preparation and erection of historical markers.

Historical markers commission: To plan and develop a uniform system of marking for State historical, archeological, geological, and legendary sites in the State. The commission may accept aid and support of local public or private groups.

Radio council: The State network now broadcasts 154 hours daily, Monday through Friday * * * and * * * for 101⁄2 hours on Sunday.

University of Wisconsin: It might also be noted that the Memorial Union Theater, part of the university, is open to the public. The theater schedules concerts as well as stage plays and operas.

Other information: As far as the fiscal operation of the agencies is concerned, the method (i.e., of reporting State appropriations) has one shortcoming. The Wisconsin budget spells out the receipts and disbursements by agency rather than by function. Thus, where functions cross agency lines, it is difficult if not impossible to obtain an accurate estimate of the total funds involved.

A case in point is the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters * * * the appropriation listed covers only the cost of the publication of the academy's Transactions (partly covered by membership fees). In addition the academy has for its library the part-time services of a librarian employed by the Memorial Library of the University of Wisconsin, and is assisted in the planning of its annual meeting and the publication of its Transactions by a professorfrom the College of Letters and Science of the University of Wisconsin. In addition, some of the work for the academy is performed by an employee of the Wisconsin Conservation Commission, a civil service employee of the State of Wisconsin. For an accurate assessment of the expenditure of State funds on behalf of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters, the monetary value of the work performed by these three persons should be taken into consideration; however, as the cost is absorbed by the State agencies which employ these persons there is no information on the value of this item.

A similar situation exists in practically every case, but the figures cited * * * will give *** proof that the State does expend moneys for these specific activities in the cultural field. It is not possible to obtain an accurate total.

There are, however, two State activities of definite cultural value which are not set out in the budget document because their costs are entirely absorbed by participating State departments: The functions performed by the Natural Resources Committee, and the State Board for the Preservation of Scientific Areas. For neither function is there an appropriation for operating expenditures. * * * State employee members of these boards are reimbursed for actual expenses by the departments by which they are employed. We understand that particularly in the case of the Natural Resources Committee the hidden costs might amount to a sizable figure, in that the committee is composed of top-level employees who receive part of their salaries for work performed in the service of the committee.

Source: M. G. Toepel, chief, legislative reference library, Feb. 26, 1960.

Wyoming

There is no State agency in Wyoming whose major interest is in cultural activities, and no State appropriation is made for fine arts or cultural purposes. The University of Wyoming does participate in and carry on cultural programs. Source: J. J. "Joe" Hickey, Governor, Feb. 16, 1960.

[From the Congressional Record, Jan. 13, 1960]

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Mr. HUMPHREY. Mr. President, I introduce, for appropriate reference, a bill to provide that 1 mill out of each $1 of tax revenue of the government of the District of Columbia be set aside in a special fund to be used by the Recreation Board for the District of Columbia to defray in part the expenses of the National Symphony Orchestra, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and other nonprofit art and cultural programs of the District.

There can be no doubt that the city of Washington is truly one of the most beautiful in the entire world. All who come here are impressed by the city's lovely tree-lined streets, beautiful parks, and its public buildings.

Throughout my service in the Senate, I have consistently supported measures to improve the city of Washington and to make it an even more beautiful and pleasant city in which to live. I shall continue to support such programs because I believe it is in the best interest not only of the city of Washington but the United States itself. After all, Washington is a picture window through which the people of other nations look and draw their judgments about America. Washington should represent the artistic and cultural aspirations of the American people.

Unfortunately, all too little has been done to promote the arts in the Nation's Capital. I was most interested in the study prepared last year by the Library of Congress for Representative Harris B. McDowell, of Delaware, which revealed that Washington's budget has allotted for civic cultural events only $16,000—of which about $10,000 helps to support the Watergate concerts. As compared with Washington, New York spends $2,600,000, Philadelphia $824,000, and Baltimore $448,000. The small city of Hagerstown, Md., only a short distance from the Nation's Capital, gives its Museum of Fine Arts $12,500 out of its regular annual budget-only $3,500 less than the entire amount that Washington spends out of its more than $200 million budget.

To date, the promotion and financing of opera, ballet, orchestras, and theaters has been left primarily up to the citizens of Washington itself. Precious little has been given by the District Government to promote the arts. If any city in the United States should be spending money to promote the arts, it should certainly be Washington, the Capital of the United States. I, therefore, believe it is time that Washington join with other cities of our great country to promote the arts by providing that at least a small portion of tax revenue go for such programs.

Under my bill, 1 mill out of every dollar of tax revenue of the District of Columbia, would be deposited in a special fund in the Treasury of the United States. The money in such fund would be made available to the Recreation Board for the District of Columbia to help in defraying at least in part the expenses of the National Symphony Orchestra, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and other nonprofit art programs.

We can be proud of our fine National Symphony Orchestra and of the Corcoran Gallery of Art, but we in the Congress can take little pride in the fact that we, as the City Council of Washington, have done precious little to promote these institutions and other cultural programs of the District. We have an obligation to join with the citizens of the District to give financial support for the fine arts of Washington.

I ask unanimous consent, Mr. President, that the study made by the Library of Congress at the request of Representative McDowell, to which I have referred, be printed at this point in the Record.

There being no objection, the study was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: