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Document identity
localId
6713604
label
The Disappearance of the Personal Letter
core
doc
dtoType
document
citationUrl
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1
Source metadata
id
6713604
sourceUrl
contentType
document
title
The Disappearance of the Personal Letter
citationUrl
collections
Gerald R. Ford's Material from the Writing of "A Time to Heal"
Interviews and Subject Files
subjects
Letters
Presidential personal matters
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1
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yes
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6713604
coverageEndDate
logicalDate
1978-12-31
year
1978
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ca.
logicalDate
1977-01-01
year
1977
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item
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description
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nara-archive
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1
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0
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document
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445feef82506e799
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President Gerald R. Ford's handwritten reflections, 1977 or 1978
Scanned from the collection Gerald R. Ford: Materials from the writing of A Time
To Heal at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
While writing his autobiography, A Time to Heal (New York: Harper & Row, 1979), President
Gerald R. Ford composed a series of personal reflections on twenty-seven topics. What makes
these documents so unusual is not only their introspection but also their form. President Ford
recorded these observations by hand, writing in blue ball point on his favored yellow writing
tablets. He did not expend time and energy to polish and edit his writing, apparently planning to
do so when incorporating them into the book. Therefore occasional spelling or grammatical
errors or incomplete thoughts appear.
For each reflection the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library has scanned President Ford's
handwritten document and added a Library-produced transcription below to aid in reading the
reflection.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald R. Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Desapprance of the personal letter
Bummers type better are so for different
fhe present
from The Hosmal between friends on
They cannot be compared. yet m this LM
There is Hundrey to nely Uso 4 use on The latter &
rubstitute the telephone on the quick Trip by the airline
of the antomolite. the Telephone underents both
becomes & personal letters, the case? mobility affects between
converportence to a depen. the old- fashion friend to
from or relative to relative letter has been devastated
by technology, This development has had a sad
impact on The history of frankships and family
relationships. Letters have been important documents
of birthing which are involuable in reconstructing wants
on understanding people a long Restand phone leves
no means non data a visit by molein transportation,
a great love but no lary answer Roun the rood,
Disappearance of the Personal Letter
Business type letters of the present are so far different from the personal correspondence between
friends or relatives of the past they cannot be compared. Yet in this era there is a tendency to
rely less & less on the letter & substitute the handy telephone or the quick trip by the airline or
the automobile. The telephone undercuts both business & personal letters. The ease of mobility
affects business correspondence to a degree. The old fashioned friend to friend or relative to
relative letter has been devastated by technology. This development has had a sad impact on the
history of friendships and family relationships. Letters have been important documents of
history which are invaluable in reconstructing events or understanding people. A long distance
phone leaves no record nor does a visit by modern transportation. A great loss but no easy
answer down the road.