Dear Henry: Now that your grant to colleges has been made public, I feel free to amplify, in a letter, the instant reaction I expressed to you the other day when you so courteously called me on the telephone to tell me of the impending gift.1
There is no doubt in my mind that the gift will prove to be one of the finest things that has happened to American education in a long, long time.2 I say this not merely because of the material advantages that will derive from the contribution. I think it will have also a tremendous and beneficial psychological reaction on the whole teaching profession.
All humans crave recognition of some kind. To this rule there are few, if any, exceptions. The very fact that the largest philanthropic contribution ever made has gone primarily to the teaching profession will help greatly to re-establish that pride of the individual that is so necessary if we are to have competence and enthusiasm in this vital part of our whole educational process.3
From all this you can see that I am highly delighted with what you and the other Trustees of the Ford Foundation have done. In fact, I am so interested that I am going to make a record--from the morning newspaper--of the detailed distribution of the grant and put it in my files for future reference.
To you and Mrs. Ford and your family, Mrs. Eisenhower and I send our very best wishes for a fine holiday season.
With warm personal regard, Sincerely
