Return-Path: <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id gB9GnAX26307; Mon, 9 Dec 2002 11:49:10 -0500 (EST) Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2002 11:49:10 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <p05100302ba1a67239064@[63.210.209.167]> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Gail Spangenberg <gspangenberg@caalusa.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-POVRACELIT:987] Champion of Equal Rights & Desegregation X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" Status: O Content-Length: 2939 Lines: 56 Colleagues, Everyone who cares about access and equality of opportunity -- in schooling, higher education, or any aspect of life in American -- has for years had a true champion in Harold (Doc) Howe II, once a school superintendent and former U.S. Commissioner of Education (under President Lyndon Johnson). I was deeply fortunate to have worked with this extraordinary educator at the Ford Foundation for many years, during the time of Ford's pioneering work on behalf of women and minorities. I was even more fortunate to have him as a personal friend in later years, and honored that he was on CAAL's founding board of directors. Doc died on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Everyone who knew Doc was deeply touched by him -- truly a man who "walked with kings nor lost the common touch." With him, there was never ego, never pretense, always straight talk, dedication, love of poetic impulse, humility, sense of humor, and determination to help those less fortunate than himself. Doc always listened. Indeed, his definition of "leadership" was to consult openly and widely with people, listen carefully to what they say and feel, and then act to advance their interests. People in everyday life and positions of leadership across this country were admirers of Doc and inspired by his example, and they know the world will be a sadder place without him. But Doc gave us all an incredibly rich legacy, and even to the end, despite being very ill, he spoke out against regressive politics and the failure of government to listen to its people. He was already 80+ years old when he joined CAAL's board of directors, but he understood the importance of adult education and literacy and of educational access and knew the cause to be right and worth supporting. In the end, no matter how deep the loss, what matters about Doc is his life. It was lived for everyone who fights bigotry and racism, sexism, restricted educational access, poverty, and other blights on our society and democracy. I share the news of his death with you because, if you care about these things, Doc was your friend, too. If you knew him personally, you know the truth of my words. If you didn't, he is a treasure worth discovering. One of Doc's crowning achievements was school desegregation, although some Southerners in the 60's didn't think so. Another was the development of strong grant programming for women and minorities at the Ford Foundation. He was ardent in his demand for both equity and excellence in education. The nation has been graced by the presence of this very great man. His gift to us, if we are diligent in standing up for the great social and educational causes that he championed for a lifetime, will live on. -- Gail Spangenberg President Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy 1221 Avenue of the Americas - 50th Floor New York, NY 10020 212-512-2362, fax 212-512-2610
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