|
Document
#1449; March 9, 1960
To Theodore Martin Hesburgh
Series:
EM, AWF, DDE Diaries Series
The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume
XX - The Presidency: Keeping the Peace
Part
IX: Shattered Dreams; March 1960 to July 1960
Chapter
21: "Progress in a knotty problem"
|
Dear Father Hesburgh: This note is to confirm my acceptance of your invitation for June fifth.1 (If bad weather should unexpectedly intervene, I am completely devoid of any alibi to offer).
I must tell you that I have always deplored long commencement addresses, beginning in the days when I, an unwilling captive, had to listen to some rather ponderous deliveries. Later experience with young people merely emphasized to me how much they are thinking about the opportunity to get back to town, go to the theatre, or try out their new car, rather than to listen with avid interest to the VIP designated as the speaker of the day.
All this is to say that I am aiming at a twelve minute talk, and making my maximum fifteen minutes. My thought is that although my effort may be somewhat banal or boring, its brevity will still compensate for its lack of brilliance.2
Again my thanks for the compliment of your invitation, and my warm personal regard, Sincerely
Bibliographic reference to this document:
Eisenhower, Dwight D. To Theodore Martin Hesburgh,
9 March 1960.
In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 1449.
World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial
Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns
Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/second-term/documents/1449.cfm
|
