JOHN W. GARDNER - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 08/13/1965 - HFSID 206843

JOHN W. GARDNER
Five days before he takes office in LBJ's Cabinet, the President of the Carnegie Corporation thanks a distinguished poet and English professor for his congratulatory message on Gardner's appointment as Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare.
TLS: "John" as President of the Carnegie Corporation and LBJ's appointee for Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, 1p, 5½x8½. New York, New York, 1965 August 13. On letterhead of Carnegie Corporation of New York to Mr. Lawrence Lee, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In full: "I am grateful for your generous congratulatory message. Many, many thanks. Sincerely yours". Handwritten postscript: "We don't see much of each other, but we do manage to keep in touch!" LAWRENCE LEE (1903-1978), who had served as editor of the "Virginia Quarterly Review" (1938-1942), was a member of the English Department at the University of Pittsburgh from 1942 until his retirement in 1973. A short story writer and published poet, best known for his Monticello and Other Poems (1937), Lee was also a contributing columnist to the "Pittsburgh Press". JOHN WILLIAM GARDNER (1912-2002), who had served as President of the Carnegie Corporation, was Lyndon B. Johnson's Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare from 1965-1968, taking office on August 18, just five days after he wrote this letter. During Gardner's tenure, Medicare was launched and the landmark Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 was passed. Gardner, who was involved in the creation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and founded Common Cause and Independent Sector, was also the author of several books, primarily on leadership, including Excellence: Can We Be Equal and Excellent Too? (1961), Self-Renewal (1964), No Easy Victories (1968), The Recovery of Confidence (1970), In Common Cause (1972) and On Leadership (1990). He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964. Slightly creased with folds, lower horizontal fold at the lower loop of the "J". Fine condition.