Henry Smith Pritchett (1857-1939), another key figure in Andrew Carnegie's inner circle, was an astronomer, and served as MIT president from 1900 until 1907. He first proposed the creation of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and served as its first president from 1906 until he retired in 1930. He also was a trustee for the Carnegie Institute of Washington, Carnegie Endowme nt for International Peace, and Carnegie Corporation of New York.