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Withdrawal/Redaction Sheet
Clinton Library
DOCUMENT NO.
SUBJECT/TITLE
DATE
RESTRICTION
AND TYPE
001. letter
To Melanne Verveer from Mary Brigid Barrett (partial, DOB, SSN)
02/14/1997
b(6)
(1 page)
COLLECTION:
Clinton Presidential Records
First Lady's Office
Melanne Verveer
OA/Box Number: 20027
FOLDER TITLE:
Children's Book & Literacy Alliance
2013-0534-S
rv1777
RESTRICTION CODES
Presidential Records Act - [44 U.S.C. 2204(a)]
Freedom of Information Act - [5 U.S.C. 552(b)]
P1 National Security Classified Information [(a)(1) of the PRA]
b(1) National security classified information [(b)(1) of the FOIA]
P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office [(a)(2) of the PRA]
b(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of
P3 Release would violate a Federal statute [(a)(3) of the PRA]
an agency [(b)(2) of the FOIA]
P4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or
b(3) Release would violate a Federal statute [(b)(3) of the FOIA]
financial information [(a)(4) of the PRA]
b(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial
P5 Release would disclose confidential advice between the President
information [(b)(4) of the FOIA]
and his advisors, or between such advisors [a)(5) of the PRA]
b(6) Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
P6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
personal privacy [(b)(6) of the FOIA]
personal privacy [(a)(6) of the PRA]
b(7) Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcement
purposes [(b)(7) of the FOIA]
C. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deed
b(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of
of gift.
financial institutions [(b)(8) of the FOIA]
PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C.
b(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information
2201(3).
concerning wells [(b)(9) of the FOIA]
RR. Document will be reviewed upon request.
File
National
la
children's Book +
Literan Alliance
Withdrawal/Redaction Marker
Clinton Library
DOCUMENT NO.
SUBJECT/TITLE
DATE
RESTRICTION
AND TYPE
001. letter
To Melanne Verveer from Mary Brigid Barrett (partial, DOB, SSN)
02/14/1997
b(6)
(1 page)
COLLECTION:
Clinton Presidential Records
First Lady's Office
Melanne Verveer
OA/Box Number: 20027
FOLDER TITLE:
Children's Book & Literacy Alliance
2013-0534-S
ry1777
RESTRICTION CODES
Presidential Records Act - [44 U.S.C. 2204(a)]
Freedom of Information Act - [5 U.S.C. 552(b)]
P1 National Security Classified Information [(a)(1) of the PRA]
b(1) National security classified information [(b)(1) of the FOIA]
P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office [(a)(2) of the PRA]
b(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of
P3 Release would violate a Federal statute [(a)(3) of the PRA]
an agency [(b)(2) of the FOIA]
P4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or
b(3) Release would violate a Federal statute [(b)(3) of the FOIA]
financial information [(a)(4) of the PRA]
b(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial
P5 Release would disclose confidential advice between the President
information [(b)(4) of the FOIA]
and his advisors, or between such advisors [a)(5) of the PRA]
b(6) Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
P6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
personal privacy [(b)(6) of the FOIA]
personal privacy [(a)(6) of the PRA]
b(7) Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcement
purposes [(b)(7) of the FOIA]
C. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deed
b(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of
of gift.
financial institutions [(b)(8) of the FOIA]
PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C.
b(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information
2201(3).
concerning wells [(b)(9) of the FOIA]
RR. Document will be reviewed upon request.
MARY BRIGID BARRETT 12 Pine Street Franklin Massachusetts 02038
February 14, 1997
Melanne Verveer
3:00pm
Assistant to the Chief of Staff
Mrs. Clinton's Office
Thurs.
The White House
Dear Ms. Verveer,
Sr. Catherine Pinkerton C.S.J. suggested I contact you because she thought there may be
considerable White House interest on a project I have originated. I am a children's book author and
illustrator, an instructor at the Rhode Island School of Design, and an educator who frequently guest
lectures on children's literature and writing at various universities (Tufts, Stonehill, Leslie, Wheaton
etc.). I am also an educator, who as a children's book author, spends a great deal of time working in
elementary schools teaching kids to write. I am working with David Macaulay, Katherine Paterson,
and Natalie Babbitt, all multiple award winning authors on developing the Children's Book and
Literacy Alliance, whose objectives and goals I have enclosed with this letter. Sr. Catherine thought
both President and Mrs. Clinton should be apprised of our work, most especially the symposium we
are planning for Fall of 1998.
We have received very positive feedback from a number of sources including Mr. Bill Gates at
Microsoft. The Pediatric community, represented by Dr. Perry Klass at Boston City Hospital has not
only agreed to participate in our symposium, but will become active partners in our efforts. We, of
course, are already supported by the Rhode Island School of Design, where Mr. Macaulay is on the
Board of Trustees. It is our hope that President and Mrs. Clinton will support our efforts and
[001]
consider speaking at our symposium.
David Macaulay, Katherine Paterson, and I will be in Washington on February 20th to discuss our
proposal with a number of people. Should you or any other staff members be interested in meeting
with us on the 20th or possibly Wednesday, February 19th, please let me know.
Best wishes,
Mary Brigid Barrett Groth
Nov. 20+, 1998
(b)(6)
Children's Book week
David macaulay
lib. of Comress
(b)(6)
500 people
-boys strp reading 3Ste
1/th grade
Mary Brigid Barrett
12 Pine Street
Franklin, MA 02038
508.533.5851
[email protected]
THE CHILDREN'S BOOKS AND LITERACY ALLIANCE
An alliance established to promote children's books and literacy as the logical gateway to the worlds
of learning and culture. The alliance will bring together already established groups from within the
children's book community (authors, artists, editors, publishers, educators, and librarians, and their
organizations), with the greater community at large (literacy advocates, children's activists,
educators, arts activists, government, business, the medical community, the media, and interested
citizens), to form an active partnership. This partnership will support and promote established
programs and their activities, create an interactive Internet national information site, and act as a
united force to make issues concerning children's literature and literacy a part of our national
agenda.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Literacy is not just about the ability to read. It is also about comprehension and creative thinking.
Literacy and children's literature are essentials which must be promoted equally in order to build a
thinking, literate, articulate society. Although organizations within the children's book community
and literacy movement have long acted as advocates for literature and literacy, and have established
many wonderful programs dealing with these issues, there is no umbrella alliance in which these
organizations can work in concert. As President Clinton succinctly articulated in his State of the
Union Address, education and literacy are national priority issues. It is time for the challenges and
needs surrounding the issues of children's books and literacy to be addressed in the broadest context
from the broadest perspective in order to reach out and connect with children, their parents, and
communities across the United States. THE CHILDREN'S BOOK AND LITERACY ALLIANCE, will
establish, for the first time, an active partnership between the children's book community and the
community at large, to promote children's literature and literacy.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Immediate Goals
To create an interactive Internet site which will assemble a broad spectrum of information
relating to children's books and literacy. The information center will post both a national
and a state by state calendar, listing, by month, children's book and literacy events taking place
throughout the year. It will list and define all children's book and literacy organizations, along with
their services and activities. It will provide information and reference resources on issues related to
children's books and literacy. It will list state by state, educational opportunities, courses of study,
workshops, and seminars where teachers can increase their knowledge of children's literature and its
use in the classroom. The magazine segment will serve as a literature, arts, and literacy education
source for children, parents, teachers, pediatricians, etc. providing everything from on-line art
galleries of children's book illustrations, to articles helping parents to get non-readers reading, to
features spotlighting the various established children's book and literacy organizations, informing
the public of their function and services. It can also provide information on, and conduct interviews
with, the artists and writers who create children's books. It will provide inter-active opportunities for
children and adults to ask questions and voice opinions and concerns, and a special kid's corner will
be created where children can express their own feelings about books with words and pictures.
To host a symposium entitled Children and Books at a Crossroads, which will introduce
THE CHILDREN'S BOOK AND LITERACY ALLIANCE to the public. The symposium will be held in the early
fall of 1998. The symposium will bring together a broad base of professionals from the arts,
business, education, government, and the children's book community in order to educate and inform
the public of both the needs and challenges involved in getting quality books into children's hands in
an increasingly market driven culture. The symposium will act as a catalyst to initiate effective
problem solving and will introduce its interactive Internet national information center.
To sponsor a television broadcast, or series of broadcasts, in conjunction with the symposium, which
will promote children's books and reading, specifically identifying books and reading as gateways to
culture and learning. The program will be designed for family viewing, so that children and parents
will want to watch together and will explore various aspects of the world of children's books and
reading. Possible segments may feature: animated or dramatic interpretations of specific children's
books, a family tour of the Library of Congress, Robin Williams teaching older siblings how to
read aloud to their younger brothers and sisters. There may be a segment with a pediatrician
demonstrating the importance of reading aloud to infants and babies, specifically aimed at new
parents. Other featured segments may include: a guide for kids on how they can get their parents
reading, kids teaching their parents how to use the new electronic services in their public library,
kids in classrooms conducting poetry slams. Celebrities, book authors, and illustrators can get
families participating together by conducting on-air writing and drawing exercises, experiments and
games which the family can participate in while watching the program, and continue later on their
own. There are endless possibilities. At the end of the program, substantive resource information
corresponding to each segment can be listed for both children and parents.
Long Range Objectives
To actively promote children's books and literacy and develop a strategy for bringing these issues to
the public attention.
To act as advocates to build on the already established Children's Book Week, held annually,
extending an invitation to business, the media, and the arts establishment to join forces, and for one
week a year, focus our national attention on children, books and literacy. Both public and
commercial television could develop informational programming related to children's books and/or
literacy for airing during the week. Popular television sitcoms could reference reading and/or books
or perhaps develop plots related to these issues, just for that week Newspapers could promote
reading on both the front page and the comic section, the real kid page, just for that week. There are
many kids who are not reading books, but there are not many who do not read the back of cereal
boxes. Food corporations could promote books and reading on the backs of their cereal boxes, just
for that week. Business and advertisers who sponsor Saturday morning cartoons could develop
informational spots highlighting books and reading, just for that week. Sports figures, celebrities,
authors, artists, politicians, etc., could read aloud in America's schools to America's children and
share stories about how books changed their lives. There are so many possibilities for just one week
a year. We give more than one week's worth of national attention to the Super Bowl. Our children
deserve no less.
To continuously identify and confront challenges to literacy and book access for children, especially
those challenges which would be best addressed by a united force.
CHILDREN'S BOOKS AND LITERARY ALLIANCE
Content Proposal for Symposium
CHILDREN AND BOOKS AT A CROSSROADS
An interdisciplinary symposium designed to address ways of getting effective books into the hands
of children in an increasingly market driven culture.
Objectives
This symposium will bring together groups within the children's publishing community,
( published authors, illustrators, academics, editors, art directors, publishers, librarians, and
reviewers), together with arts advocates, government officials, the members of the media, the
medical community, and members of the business community, along with child and literacy
advocates from all fields, to educate and inform the media, and the greater community at large, of
both the need and challenges involved in getting effective books into children's hands. It will
publicly announce the creation of the CHILDREN'S BOOKS AND LITERACY ALLIANCE, a
collaborative partnership between the children's publishing community, parents, educators, the
medical community, children's activists, literacy advocates, the media, government, business, and
interested citizens, which will act as a conduit for information and as a task force to make issues
concerning children's literature and literacy a part of our national agenda.
Proposed Topic Schedule
1. Introduction- Five to seven minute introduction and slide presentation showing a sampling of
the creative work currently being done in the world of children's books to give the audience a
taste of the rich banquet of art and literature currently available to children, establishing books
as the logical gateway for children into the world of culture and information.
2. Keynote speaker: The speech should give a historical perspective on the aforementioned
problem and give an overview of the current dilemma.
3. Establish the Need-Panel discussion to establish why children need books- Stated needs to
include: literacy, information and education, an introduction to the world of visual arts, an
introduction to all aspects of culture, a catalyst for imaginative thinking and problem
solving, a foundation for building competent writing skills, and books as a vehicle for
emotional growth and expression.
4. Break. Informal discussion
5. Cite the Problems-Panel discussion on pragmatic reasons why books are not getting into
kids' hands- Current Problems: absence of funding for libraries and schools, printing and
marketing considerations, nostalgic consumer market, inadequate teacher knowledge concerning
children's literature, inadequate parental knowledge of choices available in children's literature,
business predisposition to market to lowest common denominator, warehousing costs which
inhibit the growth of new talent in the field and limit market accessibility, etc.
6. Lunch- lunch speaker?
7. Effective problem solving- Panel discussion introducing innovative people and programs in
various disciplines to discuss what is successfully being done to get books into kid's hands.
Pediatricians at Boston City Hospital, public TV and Nickclodcon, classroom
teachers (art and reading), teacher educators (art and literature), newspapers,
Children's Book Council, Reading is Fundamental, American Library Association, American
Booksellers Association, etc.
8. Future problem solving- Panel discussion to address how we can build on successful
problem solving and build a national awareness. The Children's Books and Literary Alliance
will be introduced and its goals and objectives will be delineated. The Alliance will introduce its
Board of Trustees and Action Council. The Children's Books and Literacy Internet site will
introduced as an up and running functional program, and the Alliance will outline its future
projects.
9. Afternoon break, coffee, and informal discussion.
10. Dinner- Speakers?
MARY BRIGID BARRETT 12 Pine Street Franklin Massachusetts 02038
February 18,1997
Katey Button
Assistant to Melanne Verveer
Office of the First Lady
The White House
FAX 202.456.6244
Dear Katey,
I have enclosed the material you requested along with my letter to Ms. Verveer. David Macaulay,
Katherine Paterson, and I will be in Washington the next two days and would be available to meet
with you and/or Ms Verveer after 3:00 PM on Wednesday the 19th. Or, we have appointments
scheduled from 10:00 AM until 2:30 on Thursday February 20th and would be available before or
after those times. As I mentioned to you on the phone we are working to create a quality symposium
that will not only launch both the Children's Book and Literacy Alliance and its Internet site, but we
hope to achieve the quality level of discourse exemplified at the White House summit concerning
children and television. I spoke with my liaison at Microsoft this morning who said we could very
definitely say with confidence that Mr. Bill Gates is very interested in our proposal. In fact his
personal calendar is free September of 1998, when we propose to hold the symposium. We also have
a number of people in Hollywood interested and we have also spoken with a few of the Senators
offices, all of whom are not only interested but excited about our project. The two questions which
keep arising are - Does the White House know about this? And what is the White House level of
interest?
I hope we can meet with someone on staff while we are in Washington. It would not be Mr.
Macaulay's first trip to the White House. He has been there to receive a National Arts and
Humanities Award.
I will be available at 508-533-5851 until this evening. Tomorrow I will be staying in Washington
and can be reached at 202-544-3654. I will check in with your office when I arrive, and again
Thursday morning if you like. I hope we can work something out.
Thank you and best wishes,
Mary Brigid Barrett
Mary Brigid Barrett
12 Pine Street
Franklin, MA 02038
508.533.5851
[email protected]
THE CHILDREN'S BOOKS AND LITERACY ALLIANCE
An alliance established to promote children's books and literacy as the logical gateway to the worlds
of learning and culture. The alliance will bring together already established groups from within the
children's book community (authors, artists, editors, publishers, educators, and librarians, and their
organizations), with the greater community at large (literacy advocates, children's activists,
educators, arts activists, government, business, the medical community, the media, and interested
citizens), to form an active partnership. This partnership will support and promote established
programs and their activities, create an interactive Internet national information site, and act as a
united force to make issues concerning children's literature and literacy a part of our national
agenda.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Literacy is not just about the ability to read. It is also about comprehension and creative thinking.
Literacy and children's literature are essentials which must be promoted equally in order to build a
thinking, literate, articulate society. Although organizations within the children's book community
and literacy movement have long acted as advocates for literature and literacy, and have established
many wonderful programs dealing with these issues, there is no umbrella alliance in which these
organizations can work in concert. As President Clinton succinctly articulated in his State of the
Union Address, education and literacy are national priority issues. It is time for the challenges and
needs surrounding the issues of children's books and literacy to be addressed in the broadest context
from the broadest perspective in order to reach out and connect with children, their parents, and
communities across the United States. THE CHILDREN'S BOOK AND LITERACY ALLIANCE, will
establish, for the first time, an active partnership between the children's book community and the
community at large, to promote children's literature and literacy.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Immediate Goals
To create an interactive Internet site which will assemble a broad spectrum of information
relating to children's books and literacy. The information center will post both a national
and a state by state calendar, listing, by month, children's book and literacy events taking place
throughout the year. It will list and define all children's book and literacy organizations, along with
their services and activities. It will provide information and reference resources on issues related to
children's books and literacy. It will list state by state, educational opportunities, courses of study,
workshops, and seminars where teachers can increase their knowledge of children's literature and its
use in the classroom. The magazine segment will serve as a literature, arts, and literacy education
source for children, parents, teachers, pediatricians, etc. providing everything from on-line art
galleries of children's book illustrations, to articles helping parents to get non-readers reading, to
features spotlighting the various established children's book and literacy organizations, informing
the public of their function and services. It can also provide information on, and conduct interviews
with, the artists and writers who create children's books. It will provide inter-active opportunities for
children and adults to ask questions and voice opinions and concerns, and a special kid's corner will
be created where children can express their own feelings about books with words and pictures.
To host a symposium entitled Children and Books at a Crossroads, which will introduce
THE CHILDREN'S BOOK AND LITERACY FOUNDATION to the public. The symposium will be held in the
early fall of 1998. The symposium will bring together a broad base of professionals from the arts,
business, education, government, and the children's book community in order to educate and inform
the public of both the needs and challenges involved in getting quality books into children's hands in
an increasingly market driven culture. The symposium will act as a catalyst to initiate effective
problem solving and will introduce its interactive Internet national information center.
To sponsor a television broadcast, or series of broadcasts, in conjunction with the symposium, which
will promote children's books and reading, specifically identifying books and reading as gateways to
culture and learning. The program will be designed for family viewing, so that children and parents
will want to watch together and will explore various aspects of the world of children's books and
reading. Possible segments may feature: animated or dramatic interpretations of specific children's
books, a family tour of the Library of Congress, Robin Williams teaching older siblings how to
read aloud to their younger brothers and sisters. There may be a segment with a pediatrician
demonstrating the importance of reading aloud to infants and babies, specifically aimed at new
parents. Other featured segments may include: a guide for kids on how they can get their parents
reading, kids teaching their parents how to use the new electronic services in their public library,
kids in classrooms conducting poetry slams. Celebrities, book authors, and illustrators can get
families participating together by conducting on-air writing and drawing exercises, experiments and
games which the family can participate in while watching the program, and continue later on their
own. There are endless possibilities. At the end of the program, substantive resource information
corresponding to each segment can be listed for both children and parents.
Long Range Objectives
To actively promote children's books and literacy and develop a strategy for bringing these issues to
the public attention.
To act as advocates to build on the already established Children's Book Week, held annually,
extending an invitation to business, the media, and the arts establishment to join forces, and for one
week a year, focus our national attention on children, books and literacy. Both public and
commercial television could develop informational programming related to children's books and/or
literacy for airing during the week. Popular television sitcoms could reference reading and/or books
or perhaps develop plots related to these issues, just for that week Newspapers could promote
reading on both the front page and the comic section, the real kid page, just for that week. There are
many kids who are not reading books, but there are not many who do not read the back of cereal
boxes. Food corporations could promote books and reading on the backs of their cereal boxes, just
for that week. Business and advertisers who sponsor Saturday morning cartoons could develop
informational spots highlighting books and reading, just for that week. Sports figures, celebrities,
authors, artists, politicians, etc., could read aloud in America's schools to America's children and
share stories about how books changed their lives. There are so many possibilities for just one week
a year. We give more than one week's worth of national attention to the Super Bowl. Our children
deserve no less.
To continuously identify and confront challenges to literacy and book access for children, especially
those challenges which would be best addressed by a united force.
CHILDREN'S BOOKS AND LITERARY ALLIANCE
Content Proposal for Symposium
CHILDREN AND BOOKS AT A CROSSROADS
An interdisciplinary symposium designed to address ways of getting effective books into the hands
of children in an increasingly market driven culture.
Objectives
This symposium will bring together groups within the children's publishing community,
published authors, illustrators, academics, editors, art directors, publishers, librarians, and
reviewers), together with government officials, the members of the media, the medical community,
and members of the business community, along with child and literacy advocates from all fields, to
educate and inform the media, and the greater community at large, of both the need and challenges
involved in getting quality books into children's hands. It will publicly announce the creation of the
Children's Books and Literacy Foundation, a collaborative alliance between the children's
publishing community, parents, educators, the medical community, children's activists, literacy
advocates, the media, government, business, and interested citizens, which will act as a conduit for
information and as a task force to make issues concerning children's literature and literacy a part of
our national agenda.
Proposed Topic Schedule
1. Introduction- Five to seven minute introduction and slide presentation showing a sampling of
the creative work currently being done in the world of children's books to give the audience a
taste of the rich banquet of art and literature currently available to children, establishing books
as the logical gateway for children into the world of culture and information.
2. Keynote speaker: The speech should give a historical perspective on the aforementioned
problem and give an overview of the current dilemma.
3. Establish the Need-Panel discussion to establish why children need books- Stated needs to
include: literacy, information and education, an introduction to the world of visual arts, an
introduction to all aspects of culture, a catalyst for imaginative thinking and problem
solving, a foundation for building competent writing skills, and books as a vehicle for
emotional growth and expression.
4. Break. Informal discussion
5. Cite the Problems-Panel discussion on pragmatic reasons why books are not getting into
kids' hands- Current Problems: absence of funding for libraries and schools, printing and
marketing considerations, nostalgic consumer market, inadequate teacher knowledge concerning
children's literature, inadequate parental knowledge of choices available in children's literature,
business predisposition to market to lowest common denominator, warehousing costs which
inhibit the growth of new talent in the field and limit market accessibility, etc.
6. Lunch- lunch speaker?
7. Effective problem solving- Panel discussion introducing innovative people and programs in
various disciplines to discuss what is currently be done to get books into kid's hands.
Pediatricians at Boston City Hospital, public TV and Nickelodeon, classroom
teachers (art and reading), teacher educators (art and literature), newspapers,
Children's Book Council, Reading is Fundamental, American I ibrary Association, American
Booksellers Association, etc.
8. Future problem solving- Panel discussion to address how we can build on what is already
being done and build national awareness. The Children's Books and Literary Alliance will be
introduced and its goals and objectives will be delineated. The Alliance will introduce its Board
of Trustees and Action Council. The Children's Books and Literacy Internet site will introduced
as an up and running functional program, and the Alliance will outline its future projects.
9. Afternoon break, coffee, and informal discussion.
10. Dinner- Speakers?
MARY BRIGID BARRETT 12 Pine Street Franklin Massachusetts 02038
February 14, 1997
Melanne Verveer
Assistant to the Chief of Staff
Mrs. Clinton's Office
The White House
Dear Ms. Verveer,
Sr. Catherine Pinkerton C.S.J. suggested I contact you because she thought there may be
considerable White House interest on a project I have originated. I am a children's book author and
illustrator, an instructor at the Rhode Island School of Design, and an educator who frequently guest
lectures on children's literature and writing at various universities (Tufts, Stonehill, Leslie, Wheaton
etc.). I am also an educator, who as a children's book author, spends a great deal of time working in
elementary schools teaching kids to write. I am working with David Macaulay, Katherine Paterson,
and Natalie Babbitt, all multiple award winning authors on developing the Children's Book and
Literacy Alliance, whose objectives and goals I have enclosed with this letter. Sr. Catherine thought
both President and Mrs. Clinton should be apprised of our work, most especially the symposium we
are planning for Fall of 1998.
We have received very positive feedback from a number of sources including Mr. Bill Gates at
Microsoft. The Pediatric community, represented by Dr. Perry Klass at Boston City Hospital has not
only agreed to participate in our symposium, but will become active partners in our efforts. We, of
course, are already supported by the Rhode Island School of Design, where Mr. Macaulay is on the
Board of Trustees. It is our hope that President and Mrs. Clinton will support our efforts and
consider speaking at our symposium.
David Macaulay, Katherine Paterson, and I will be in Washington On February 20th to discuss our
proposal with a number of people. Should you or any other staff members be interested in meeting
with us on the 20th or possibly the Wednesday, the February 19th, please let me know.
Best wishes,
Mary Brigid