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A Tribute to John Gardner
Delivered by Dr. David A. Hamburg,
Wednesday, April 17, 2002
I first
express my gratitude to Vartan Gregorian for arranging this highly
appropriate memorial to our great predecessor, John Gardner. In
the current Carnegie Report, Vartan quotes a deeply insightful remark
made near the end of John's distinguished life. "Last summer,
a month before September 11th, when a reporter asked Gardner to
name the world's biggest challenges, he cited the degradation of
the environment and warfare—and, to address both issues, he
mentioned a desperate need for better conflict resolution."
I
learned with deep sadness of John's passing and will feel that sadness
for a long time. He was a truly great person who had a lasting beneficial
impact on so many lives—certainly on mine.
I first met him when I was a faculty representative on the Stanford
board's committee on trustees in the 1960s. From the first contact
with him, I learned a great deal. In the Stanford context, as in
the Carnegie setting and many others, I got so much benefit from
his basic values, the wisdom of his deep reflection on his rich
experiences, and his ever-kind-and-generous personal encouragement.
Some years later, it was my privilege to be invited to join the
Stanford board in what the chairman described to me informally as
the John Gardner chair. It was a great honor to be thought of as
John's successor in any way, and I had long talks with him so that
I could begin to emulate the vital role he played for Stanford.
John's role on the Stanford board was exceedingly thoughtful, constructive
and forward-looking. He revered great universities, and Stanford
in particular. Yet he had no hesitation in pointing out problems,
gaps or difficulties. He did so with respect for all concerned,
but with no avoidance of sticky issues, e.g. term limits for trustees;
ways of coping with serious campus "unrest" (including
violence); and ways of upgrading community service by students and
faculty, both within and beyond the campus. He had a remarkable
ability to integrate different points of view and reach a crisp,
persuasive conclusion.
On another occasion, I also succeeded him, this time as president
of Carnegie in 1982. When considering the offer, the first move
I made was to call John. In that talk and in subsequent ones, he
gave me great insight and authentic inspiration in how to make a
significant social contribution through foundation leadership. He
was the finest exemplar for all of us who care deeply about creative
philanthropy of enduring significance. I involved him in many Carnegie
activities during the fourteen and a half years of my presidency.
He never let me down for one single moment. On the contrary, he
helped us profoundly in preparing socially useful reports and convening
stimulating meetings that would get people moving all over the country.
He met with every staff member. Our work on education, health, child
and adolescent development was enriched beyond measure by his generous,
profoundly thoughtful participation.
I think very often of his deeply democratic, humane and compassionate
values; of his wide-ranging intellectual curiosity; and his ceaseless
generosity of spirit. Like so many others, I feel blessed that his
life touched mine. Those who were blessed to know him will try hard
to carry forward his fundamental values and beliefs so long as we
live.
No one I have ever known was more deeply committed to democratic
values than John Gardner. Yet he was astutely aware of the complexity
inherent in a large pluralistic society and the constructive compromises
necessary to achieve great purposes. In this respect and in others,
he often reminded me of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was pressed hard
by political opponents to make concessions on slavery, and he knew
as a practical matter he had to be careful what he said in political
campaigns, especially the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates.
Yet in the crunch, Lincoln like John Gardner never yielded on fundamental
principle. In 1858, in a difficult political situation, Lincoln
said "My friends…I have only to say, let us discard all
this—about this man and the other man…this race and that
race being inferior, and therefore they must be placed in an inferior
position…let us discard all these things and unite as one people
throughout this land, until we shall once more stand up declaring
that all men are created equal."
That was Lincoln, and it was also John Gardner, striving incessantly
for equal opportunity, for broad civic participation, for community
service and for public leadership of the highest integrity.
Some months ago, I made a trip to Stanford primarily to visit with
John in what we both knew would probably be our last meeting. It
was, to a degree, a life review conversation for both of us. We
reveled in the interests, values and experiences we had shared over
the years. Like my other dear friend who recently passed away, Cyrus
Vance, he emphasized service to others as a central organizing principle
for life. We spoke of community service, civic engagement, humane
public policy, collegial and informed leadership. He gave me profound
encouragement in my work on preventing deadly conflict.
He never showed a trace of discouragement. Life goes on. Decent
values persist. Young people respond well to thoughtful mentorship.
Knowledge and skill open new vistas for all humanity. That is the
great legacy of John Gardner.
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