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John W. Gardner Memorial
New York Public Library
Celeste Bartos Forum
April 17, 2002
Remarks of Margaret E. Mahoney
John
Gardner was vice president of Carnegie Corporation in 1952 when
he saw me about a job there. I remember myself as unabashedly self-assured
in that interview about a job that I didn't really want. John remembered
me as being obviously nervous that day.
The fact is that I took the job in 1953 and that decision began
a long-term tie with the philanthropic world–a tie influenced
over time by the Gardner relationship.
In 1953, I knew little about foundations—beyond the word itself–my
mother having been turned down by three.
I learned through the lens of John that a foundation is a unique
tool for the distribution of private wealth for the public good
and that the challenge is the "how"– how to be the
catalyst of change for the good, while applying some considerable
apprehension about who and what determines the good.
A master at quiet tutelage, John became a central figure in teaching
me how to trim my sails to fit the circumstances–the goal to
achieve a goal.
He schooled me, by example, not to be careless in reading others
motives as well as abilities. And underscored this in one voiced
Gardner-ism that has stayed with me:
"people look like who they are."
To this audience I say, if you do not already keep that well in
mind, start now because doing so will save you some heartaches,
disappointments, and possible litigation.
John put a premium on communicating, not yet an art form for philanthropy.
Tapped to make this happen at Carnegie, I was pointed toward the
masters of the art, and my first tutor in that world, picked by
Gardner, was Edward R. Murrow.
Engrained in me from then on was the obligation of philanthropy
to take knowledge out–and to take it in! To listen to others.
Years later, I and a colleague with a new medical foundation went
to Gardner to ask how can philanthropy inform public policy. Gardner's
quick retort Call the Washington Post.
The 18th century Scottish philosopher and historian David Hume wrote,
A Man is a bundle of experiences. John harnessed all of his experiences,
to see connections, to think Abig ideas that could translate into
action for the public good.
His mind was never still and I don't think he ever had a vacation
like most of you define as "vacation." In Carnegie days,
I think the closest he ever came to taking one was a day or two
pool side at the Bel Air hotel in Los Angeles he was a champion
swimmer at college–but on the table by the pool would be his
briefcase containing 3x5 cards where he jotted down ideas that he
would later expand on with the Carnegie staff or that might lead
to a book and in that same briefcase were another set of 3x5 cards
where he played with such big ideas as, what later became, the White
House Fellows program, the Urban Coalition, Independent Sector,
Common Cause incubating there in that briefcase, only much later
to be labeled and put into orbit.
A larger-than-life public figure, John was a larger-than- life private
person. Family was his mecca-that is where he was rooted. It was
this intimacy that I think nurtured his ability to stay the public
course.
And stay the course he did, forever encouraging positive action
to advance public good. His books are part of his legacy to us,
in how to do so: simply put, how to do so is to develop and nurture
talent devoted to take the nation in the right direction, talent
within others and within ourselves.
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